Check out our latest communities fighting
AI scams on Reddit and Facebook
On SmartCustomer, businesses may not offer incentives or pay to remove reviews. Learn more about our Review Guidelines.
HotelPlanner.com is the leading provider of online services in the global group hotel marketplace. Listed among the top 50 travel sites in the world and ranked number one in group travel, HotelPlanner.com is on track to produce nearly 1 million group l...
HotelPlanner has a rating of 4.4 stars from 4,953 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with HotelPlanner most frequently mention customer service, great job and young man. HotelPlanner ranks 3rd among Hotels sites.
We monitor reviews for authenticity
HotelPlanner is a scam. It will not acknowledge that it misrepresented itself and did not explain it was a third party. They pretended to represent the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco. After learning that HotelPlanner was charging almost $200 more per night for a room I cancelled the reservation and booked the room directly with the hotel. Calls to HotelPlanner (they answer the phone "reservations " pretending to be the hotel) for 2 weeks now about refunding my money have yielded no results. Beware of being ripped off by HotelPlanner!
I booked 2 rooms at the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel using The Knot "powered by hotel planner" and when I called the hotel to confirm they received my reservation with hotel planner, they have no record of receiving the reservation! I booked >48 hours ago and the hotel still doesn't have the reservation. I'm now out >$3000 and my sister's bachelorette party is ruined, and everyone is devastated! BEWARE!
Hello Denise,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, I'd love to help make you happy! I've searched our system with the information provided but I am having a hard time finding the reservation you'd like assist on. Please provide me with the itinerary number beginning in H for your reservation and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles
I made 2 reservations for our family using my phone. I need to cancel one reservation and the put in the correct confirmation number with the automated system, however the system cancelled all the reservations! So I spoke to a non-English speaking agent (hard to understand) and they could not re-instate my room that their system accidently cancelled. Such a pain to use 3rd party bookings... which I rarely do and this is why. Bad service and they must obviously hire out their customer service to foreign companies. Not a happy camper. I do not recommend using them. Gayle A
Hello Gayle,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, I'd love to help make you happy! I've searched our system with the information provided but I am having a hard time finding the reservation you'd like assist on. Please provide me with the itinerary number beginning in H for your reservation and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles
The best reviews on Sitejabber are typically detailed and informative, describing a personal experience with a website or business. You can talk about pros and cons, what you liked or disliked, and why you'd recommend it (or not). A good rule of thumb might be to ask yourself, "Would I find this review useful?" or "What do I wish I knew when I first found this business?"
Reviews can cover the services or products offered by a particular website, but can also contain feedback about the content of their site (if it's a news site or a site hosting funny videos, for example). Basically, you can review anything that has a website.
Hello Manju,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, I'd love to help make you happy! I've searched our system with the information provided but I am having a hard time finding the reservation you'd like assist on. Please provide me with the itinerary number beginning in H for your reservation and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles
One afternoon in July as we were exiting Yellowstone National Park, we used a cell phone to attempt to fine a hotel in Dubois, WY. We saw one that looked acceptable and clicked through to the Wyoming prefix telephone number. Please note--this company is actually located in Florida but uses local prefixes to attempt to establish credibility. SCAM #1
The individual that answered responded with the name of the hotel. I specifically asked if I was speaking with the reservation desk at the hotel. The answer I received was "Yes". THAT WAS UNTRUE. He was an employee of a third party reservation operation located in Florida.
However, believing I was speaking with someone directly at the hotel, I inquired about rates and availability. I was quoted a rate of $279.88 for the night. Expecting it to be a nice room, I confirmed the reservation. At that point he turned on the recorder. BEWARE!
I arrived at the hotel and the desk clerk showed us the room. It was very spartan but she also said that the actual rate was $121.72. While it was a VERY basic room, the rate was right and we were tired so we took it. The next day on check out I received a bill for the room for the correct amount of $121.72.
I was astounded when a few weeks later my Visa Bill arrived and I had been charged $279.88. I protested the charge with Visa but was told that since it was with a third party there was nothing they could do about it.
So take a look at the Google Search under the caption of "What does Hotel Planner do?" Their response is "HotelPlanner.com is a leading provider of online solutions and services to the global hotel sales market. This technology ensures "THE LOWEST RATES" by allowing customers to receive quotes directly from hotel group sales managers..." What a bunch of nonsense. PURE FALSE. I got charged an excess of $158.16 over the desk rate at the hotel.
BEWARE THERE IS A REASON FOR THEIR LOW RATINGS AND REVIEWS. THEY ARE A SCAM OPERATION.
Hello Daryl,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, I'd love to help make you happy! I've searched our system with the information provided but I am having a hard time finding the reservation you'd like assist on. Please provide me with the itinerary number beginning in H for your reservation and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles
They booked me in the WRONG hotel! I booked myself in the correct hotel and now they charged me over $300 for the booking I never used. This company is a total rip-off! I have been trying to get my refund since July 03 23. One excuse after another. I never used thier booking and yet they charged me anyway. Who charges over $300 just to book a hotel. AGAIN, DO NOT USE!
Hello Mike,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, I'd love to help make you happy! I've searched our system with the information provided but I am having a hard time finding the reservation you'd like assist on. Please provide me with the itinerary number beginning in H for your reservation and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles
I was scammed to use this company. I dialed what seemed to be the hotel's number and ended up with this crappy company. Representative said I had until the next day at noon to cancel reservation. I cancelled 3 hours later and the response was that the hotel had a no cancellation policy I asked that they listen to the conversation. I called the hotel (right phone number this time) and they said that they did authorize the cancellation with EXPEDIA and gave a FULL refund. So the this company scammed the hotel as well posting as Expedia. They refuse to return my money but give me credit for the money for me to use within a year. I don't want to deal with them ever.
Good Afternoon Stella!
We understand your frustration, but please note that we are not Expedia. We are a HotelPlanner. While we cannot directly address the issues with your booking through Expedia, I'd be more than happy to further assist you if you have any questions or concerns regarding a HotelPlanner reservation. If you'd like further assistance please feel free to reach out to me and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email
Is [email protected]
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles
I mistakenly booked the wrong date for my booking last Thursday, November 9,2023.
Even though it was past 8:30 pm that night and I repeatedly chose Nov. 9 when selecting dates, the date reserved was actually Nov. 8. I found booking a hotel one of the most frustrating experiences I've ever had.
When I arrived at the hotel on Nov. 9 I was in shock and very upset. They told me that I'd been marked as a no-show for Nov. 8. They did have a room available on Nov. 9 but refused to accept the Hotel Planner voucher.
The manager submitted a refund request and I at minimum, want the $80 back that I added to the voucher.
At this point I never want to do business with Hotel Planner again. I just want my money back since I know that the hotel manager returned it.
They will charge you a lot more than what they quoted you on your card by adding tax and recovery fees. DO NOT USE THEM.
I had to make a cancellation and they wouldn't issue a refund. Instead the email me saying they issued a voucher. Trying to cash in that voucher is impossible. They are making it impossible. There was no voucher even though I have the mail. NOBODY SPEAKS ENGLISH AT THE 800#! So GD frustrating! It's an obvious scam.
I was charged 904.40 on my credit card because all of the details surrounding my hotel stay were buried in my spam email and I could not find a number to call to cancel my reservation within the allotted time frame. I attempted to cancel directly through Virgin Hotel but the hotel would not cancel since the reservations were made through a third-party. Here's the kicker. On the day that I was scheduled to check in, I get a text message from HotelPlanner.com with all of the hotel reservation details, along with a support number. When I called the support number and explained that I could not find any information in my email about the reservations, I was immediately told to "check my spam." Sure enough, the information was there. If you know your emails are landing in the majority of your customers' spam, why the heck aren't you texting the reservation info at the onset, just as you do once the cancellation window is closed? I would love to know if others have had a similar experience.
I booked 2 rooms with an agent and was told I had until the 12th to cancel both rooms. Our plans changed and canceled the next day 6 days before the 12th. Got a refund on one room but the other room was "nonrefundable". The agent never told me about it being nonrefundable and both rooms were charged upfront which I also was not told that I was being charged upfront. I have called them 3 times, the first time they called the hotel and was given approval to refund the room but they sent a voucher to book another room somewhere instead of giving me a refund. The 2nd time i called they said they started a ticket to get approval for a refund but I haven't heard from them no email or anything. I've called a 3rd time and they told me they would start a ticket to get approval again. Very frustrating I felt like I was mislead and information was withheld. I would not have booked with them if I had been given this information upfront.
I am going to report this business to the better business bureau and dispute the charges with my credit card company. I booked through theknot.com and unfortunately they use this service as a third party for bookings. I selected that I wanted a single night stay in a hotel and hit confirm. It automatically charged me for the full weekend since it was through a block booking. I was charged >$500. I immediately called Hotel Planner and got a generic "we are unable to modify this reservation", even though it was made 10 minutes prior. I then called the hotel who said that they were unable to modify the booking because it was made through a third party. I called Hotel Planner several times over the last few days and they said they will "escalate the claim". I have received no other follow-up except that they can cancel my reservation (but I will be charged for a night at the hotel) and then REBOOK for a single night. Forcing me to pay the original amount. ABSOLUTELY HEINOUS in terms of a business model. They should be put out of business.
Our planned lodging did not work out so we did a search for hotels in Browning, MT and thought that we had the number for the Glacier Peaks Hotel, but it turned out that Hotelplanner had jumped the search for hotel reservations. I subsequently learned that they added $131.59 in FEES to a hotel room rate of $341.25! They did this for each of two rooms. They were unwilling to issue a refund of the excess charges. Avoid them.
Prepaid for a hotel and realized it was the wrong dates. I contacted hotel planner the day before check in to change the dates. They explained that they could not refund charges as it was a prepaid hotel but they could issue a voucher in the amount that was spent for the hotel. I have no problem with this, what I do have a problem with is I have contacted them several times only to be told they will submit and ticket and most recently they will "escalate" the issue for a "call review". I still HAVE NOT received anything from them. I will continue contacting them until I get my voucher. Absolutely ridiculous!
My wife made a reservation to stay at Tru by Hilton in Sandusky. Taking our 9 year old to cedar point. They charged her $300. I called the hotel at 6 am the day of travel. There was never a reservation made. Thank goodness we didn't drive 4 hours to discover this. The hotel clerk stated their nightly rate was $125. Looks like I have to cancel the card and dispute the charge. And our little weekend vacation has been ruined.
On 09/03/2023, we tried to book a hotel in Glasgow Scotland for 4 nights. Chase credit card denied the charge as a scam. We also realized that we needed to add an additional night. The only option allowed was to cancel the reservation which we did and rebooked for the proper number of nights which we did. However the original booking ended up being approved by Chase and then we were double booked. Hotel Planner did cancel the original reservation but charged us $364.42 of the original booking $442.20 and returned only $58.24. We have called and reported the problem, demanded the full refund, and was told that we would here back in 1-2 days. No call. No email. No refund. Will never deal with this company again.
I used to use hotel planner when it was partnered with Perkopolis but now this site is just a scam. They show you one price for the hotel. Which is will be the same price over several days, but when you click to book... the site automatically doubles the price. It is false advertising and has happened with several different hotels. Also, the phone line seems really shady. I called and they said "reservations" I asked if it was reservations for hotel planner or the actual hotel... she said again "reservations".then hung up on me... It seems like this is a job people are doing out of their homes,,, and I would really not recommend giving your credit card info over the phone... Hopefully this site just shuts down because it is so unethical. DO NOT BOOK THROUGH THEM.
I am including a photo that shows the W hotel is $350., which it has been listed for several days. But as soon as you click or call... they say "oh no., that price just got sold out and it is now $650... scam.
Do not book with this company.
They will steal your money under false pretenses, and then ignore and avoid you when you try to hold them accountable.
I've been trying for 2 weeks to get a refund, and now they are ignoring my calls and e-mails.
They are a scam. Please don't make the mistake that I did by falsely believing this was a legitimate booking company.
Thieves.
Booked a room for my boss and had to pay directly over the phone. When they arrived at the hotel, we were charged yet again for the booking of the room. Tried contacting the company to get a refund. Sent countless emails, haven't gotten a response since in regards to a refund. Hotel Planner's customer service is the absolute worst I have ever experienced. Tried all the emails on their site to get in contact with someone for assistance and have all the receipts of payment being made twice.
Answer: I attempted to email, submitted a support request, called numerous times, requested call backs (received 0), attempted to chat and was continuously ignored or "disconnected", never once reaching anyone that would or could help me. Customer Service at HotelPlanner is nonexistent.
Answer: HP's staff is full of deceitful and despicable liars. Do not use HP for planning any trips if you wish to have smooth, happy travels.
Answer: Just do not use! HP is awful and they will spoil your travel plans!


Hello Helene,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, I'd love to help make you happy! I've searched our system with the information provided but I am having a hard time finding the reservation you'd like assist on. Please provide me with the itinerary number beginning in H for your reservation and I'd be more than happy to further assist you, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kindly,
Melanie Planelles