Getting my Deposit Back

StuieUK34

I booked with Alpharooms as i used them before.
My search criteria at the time was with Alpharooms/travelrepublic and Expedia...
The rates were the same on all websites apart from alpharooms being £2 cheaper, so i used them...
And i dont have a point to prove, i was mislead into purchasing a service which has hidden costs, so for the sake of £50, i want it back

Mark_Hewitt

I do have used Alpharooms with success before. But I always think the mark of a company is not if they make mistakes, but the ability to admit it and put them right quickly, even when they aren't legally obligated to do so. e.g. I bought an airpump from a shop, didn't like it and took it back, - I had no legal right to do so. They gave me my money back and I promptly spent another £100 with them, if they had refused I would have bought nothing.

Moonchild

What the hell is a Resort Fee? Is this just an American thing? Is it the hotel equivilent of fuel surcharges?

Mark_Hewitt

Taxes maybe? I had that once in France where I was charged nearly £50 in 'taxes' on check-out despite the amount I'd paid up front supposedly being fully inclusive.

StuieUK34

Nah, Resort Fee is another way of making money... but not included in the rate when you book through a 3rd party. Resort Fee goes direct to the hotel.

Its like booking a mini bus with a driver, you pay the full rate, but then get told there is a driver fee, despite paying for everything already...

tingtong

Incapuppy wrote: »

If you had booked elsewhere is the cost not likely to have been similar for the room except you would have been forewarned about the additional resort fee payable on arrival?

If so, what's the point in causing yourself all this fuss over the matter of seventy bucks which you would have to pay direct to the hotel regardless? You obviously chose the hotel for whatever reason, why cancel it all just to prove a point?

So if it happened to you, you would just pay the extra $70 ? Probably not.

Mark_Hewitt

StuieUK34 wrote: »

Nah, Resort Fee is another way of making money... but not included in the rate when you book through a 3rd party. Resort Fee goes direct to the hotel.

Its like booking a mini bus with a driver, you pay the full rate, but then get told there is a driver fee, despite paying for everything already...

Sounds like a right old scam to me! If you have to pay the 'fee' then it's part of the overall cost and that's that!

Incapuppy

tingtong wrote: »

So if it happened to you, you would just pay the extra $70 ? Probably not.

Yes, if I had specifically chosen that hotel and if the hotel was priced the same elsewhere - the $70 is payable directly to the hotel, its not as if booked through another agent you wouldn't have to pay it at all.

I can understand why the OP is frustrated but if he is going to cancel and re-book the same hotel elsewhere at the same price he is causing himself additional stress and use of lots of time for nothing more than proving a point.

$70 for a week's resort fee in Vegas (and in hotels in many other parts of the US) is actually quite cheap; let's just hope the OP doesn't need hotel parking for a car or else he may be in for another nasty surprise.

photome

Moonchild wrote: »

What the hell is a Resort Fee? Is this just an American thing? Is it the hotel equivilent of fuel surcharges?

A resort fee is an american thing. It is charged by more and more hotels in Vegas and for the fee you get "priveliges"

maybe a free bottle of water per day, free paper, free internet, free gym use etc. Things that were always optional and only paid for if used, now you have to pay for them wether you use them or not.

photome

Incapuppy wrote: »

Yes, if I had specifically chosen that hotel and if the hotel was priced the same elsewhere - the $70 is payable directly to the hotel, its not as if booked through another agent you wouldn't have to pay it at all.

I can understand why the OP is frustrated but if he is going to cancel and re-book the same hotel elsewhere at the same price he is causing himself additional stress and use of lots of time for nothing more than proving a point.

$70 for a week's resort fee in Vegas (and in hotels in many other parts of the US) is actually quite cheap; let's just hope the OP doesn't need hotel parking for a car or else he may be in for another nasty surprise.

Although of course while in Vegas it will be free as is all car parking