Priceline is a scam beware of them they will rip you off then keep you waiting for refund BEWARE!

I go to book a hotel for 3 nights through Priceline. Priceline continues to bait you in with their "express deals" that are non-refundable and they choose one of 3 hotels saving you upwards of 80% but you don't know until you purchase/complete. One of the three hotels available, I wanted to steer clear of because of the hellacious reviews….like the type of place I wouldn't even put my own dead grandma in …but the advertised pictures did not show this type of hotels room patterns so I was like "awesome! I'm gonna get a great deal"! Right? No, I was wrong, I got the glorious Howard Johnson Hotel and Conference center Fullerton CA (look it up, you'll get the icky vibes) but shame on me for "assuming" and for the price being $269, I thought I would suck it up, stay there as I wasn't traveling for the hotel anyways. The day before, I confirmed the hotel, my bed size was updated correctly and I was good to go! The travel from N Ca was close to 8 hrs so a few hours a head of schedule, I call and speak with Christine (btw she was the ONLY person that is worth giving kudos to because she was super sweet, professional and just genuinely nice….but she left, either her shift was over or on lunch) and she lets me know rooms are available and she'd be able to do an early check in! Great, I was tired and my bladder was due to explode any minute. I arrive to the hotel around 2pm. Meet Christine before she leaves and was left to deal with Kermit the frog and Ms. Piggy. Ms. Piggy continued saying "virtual cards haven't worked all day" whatever the hell that meant. I give her my cc for the deposit only to be told yeah, the virtual card on file from Priceline isn't working. So I ask what do I need to do. You need to call Priceline instructs piggy, then timid Kermit chimes in and goes "have them email us a new virtual card or fax it". I agree but tell them I'm about to piss myself to which they point me in the direction of the bathroom. Breathe, I tell myself….it's gonna workout. As I'm releasing myself in the largest handicapped stall accessible because I had all my luggage trailing behind, I attempt to contact Priceline. They state "the wait is over 9 minutes, someone will call you back or you can chat with our foreign muppets via text to handle your issue" I flush, wash my hands, elect for a call
Back while also utilizing the text option only to be put in contact with….we'll call him "Fozzie the Bear" ….stating he couldn't assist with the issue and that it's a hotel problem……waka waka!Well Priceline, why give that option to your customers if all problems can't be resolved via text? At least state that in your pre-recorded message geared towards customers opting to use the text feature to have their issues resolved….but guess the joke is on me! Ok, blood pressure rising, still trying to remain composed. As I sit on the bodily fluid stained sofa in the lobby of the hotel waiting for priceline to call me back, I'm getting the vibes of this hotel being some kind of a brothel as I saw two street walkers get picked up and dropped off within 30 minutes….guess you get what you pay for!? None of my business though. Priceline calls, I speak with Ryan….he's cool people, we won't nickname him. He has me on hold trying to reach the credit card department to contact the hotel with a new virtual card. Now, to paint this visual….I'm literally within an ears listening of the front desk and very well aware of what's going on. Ryan gets back on the phone states the hotel will not honor the rate I was originally charged and the best thing they can do is cancel it. Ok, composure is now lost as panic sets in. "Where the hell am I going to stay?! I paid for this up front, will I get Priceline credits to a new place?!" Priceline- I'm sorry there's nothing we can do. Hotel, I'm sorry we can't accept those rates. Well what rates is the hotel trying to charge?! I ask Ms piggy. We can't disclose that information. To F*ck if you can't, it's my damn reservation! No, we can't, best we can do is cancel your reservation. I get back on the phone with Priceline, and demand to speak to a manager, where the F am I supposed to go? I just traveled 8hrs to be told kick rocks?! I've now been dealing with this conundrum for almost 2 hrs. Manger gets on the phone from Priceline, tells me I'm $#*! out of luck, they'll refund me and it takes about 1 business day……well that doesn't help me much captain generous because it's currently Saturday, I don't have the means to pay for another hotel and you won't find me/or credit me for another?! In the meantime, I'm watching Kermit and Piggy assist with individuals that will probably end up on an episode of the "The First 48" and when the security cameras get subpoenaed, they coincidentally weren't working that day….but again none of my business. I look at my bank account, and ask "so when will this deposit be released" Kermit gives me a dumbfounded look like Piggy just caught him eating her cookies…."uh, there shouldn't be a charge" Ok, thank you as I leave to go sit in my car, cry and figure out life. Find another place, end up spending $200 more than what initially had planned with the "express deal" due to last minute need. Priceline manager stated that her supervisor would call me back….never got a call back. Checkin to my new spot, awesome service but that will be left for the positive review later on….look at my credit card information, Ms. Piggy had been getting swipe happy attempting to over charge my card several….yes several….times in the amount of $354, luckily this flagged my card and declined it. At the end of the night, I had the Kermit look, couldn't believe it but went to bed….tomorrow would be a new day. Why write all this? Because I'm a middle age woman who was by herself 8 hours away from home without a place to stay in a beyond sketch part of town. Yes, I probably have a bigger set of testicules than most men but what if I didn't?! Shame on you Priceline! Shame on you and your 17.6 billion dollar company not offering assistance, not giving two flying flocks as to where someone is to stay in the event your reservations don't pan out accordingly. Shame on you for bamboozling with your "express deals" and misleading pictures! Shame on you for doing business with beyond low rated $#*! holes, hyping them up like it's the Hilton! And to Howard Johnson hotels and Wyndham….shame on you for having incompetent, discourteous staff. Shame on you and your multi million dollar hotel chain, putting your stamp of approval behind a jizzed on sofa for guest to decompress on in your lobby! Shame on you for, taking peoples money knowing full well you're running an illegal operation of all sorts closing a blind eye as to what a filthy, despicable, misleading Howard Johnson Fullerton is! What's right is right, what's wrong is wrong……it's really that simple.

I RENTED A CAR FOR TWO DAYS USED CAR FOR ONLY ONE DAY STILL CHARGED FOR TWO DAYS
RIPOFF!

Avoid using PRICELINE!
If your flight will be canceled you will never see your money back.
PRICELINE IS not reliable!

BUYER BEWARE. NEVER BOOK THROUGH PRICELINE.
THEY DON'T DO CANCELATION. AND THEY DON'T GIVE REFUNDS.

Ya know... i've used Priceline for over twenty years, seriously. For most of the time, the experience had been fairly good. I tried in the early 2000's their flight booking service. TOTALLY GOT SCREWED! They actually changed my departure city like they change hotel "areas" you can book in and i didn't notice. Even though i had PRINTED OUT DOCUMENTATION of my bid for date/departure city/arrival city/bid price... they somehow changed my departure city and refused to honor what i had printed! So for the past 18 years, the only thing i have been using or will use is their hotel reservation services and occasionally their car rentals... until today. STICK A FORK IN ME - I AM DONE! I've had some absolutely NIGHTMARE hotel experiences in Arizona and California with their EXPRESS DEALS. Whoever provides their star rating for their Express Deals are FULL OF B. S. They're probably paid to give the review! The Cottonwood Arizona hotel probably got their ratings from the folks LIVING below the room we were put in (it was either a 2.5 or 3 star express deal over a memorial day weekend) The "people" living directly below the room we were given were seriously smoking heroin and marijuana (i know - they probably had a medical card for the marijuana, but my granddaughters didn't need to see it/smell it AND NO 3 STAR HOTEL HAS PEOPLE LIVING THERE!). The "beautiful" pool area in the express deal pictures was actually empty and full of palm leaves... fun time with the grandkids. Then there's the fact that we slept in clothes on top of blankets we brought into the room and laundered before we left town as fear of bed bugs was real. I called priceline BEGGING their help but of course... nothing they could do unless i left the hotel... AND GO WHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? 2 WOMEN AND 2 LITTLE GIRLS? Their customer service is the absolute worst and right now their excuse for 2.5 hour waits on the phone is Covid19... (wait... aren't there a few unemployed folks out there that could probably use jobs? HIRE MORE STAFF!) I still keep the receipt to this hotel - it was QUALITY INN AT 301 WEST SR 89A IN COTTONWOOD ARIZONA ON 5/26/2018 to 5/28/2018. We stayed away from the hotel as much as possible, not like swimming with the kiddos was happening! I didn't sleep much, duh. I was seriously shaking when i finally checked into a Drury Inn in Flagstaff on day 3 of our vacation! I've never been so happy to be back to normal in my life. (P.S. I will never forget Tony there... i told him where we had been and the experience, he absolutely made our stay PERFECT!
DRURY INN - FLAGSTAFF :))

Then just last August 2019 as my adult son and his friends traveled cross country on their Harley's; they made an Express Deal in Barstow California. These were 3 - thirty year old guys riding their Harley's across country, they had been camping out and roughing it. They felt a 2 star was good enough so they booked an EXPRESS DEAL. The hotel was so horrible they called me, one of their MOM'S to say "GET US THE F*** OUT OF HERE! NOW! PLEASE!" They would have had to take their 3 bikes into the room the area was that unsafe! There was NO WAY they were going to even sit down in that room... the door had basically been "stapled" together with pieces of wood to hold it together and inch gaps around the windows and a/c unit that didn't work. There was mold on the baseboards in the room! (My son had paid for that room on his Priceline account - a 2 star express deal in Barstow). So i paid for a Holiday Inn Express for them. They were so fearful they wouldn't even let me book a Holiday Inn without DRIVING BY IT FIRST at that point! Of course, being a Holiday Inn... it was fine and they at least did get refunded because they complained immediately and could prove that someone else had purchased a room for the same person (under my account but same person checking in) so they know they went to another hotel. But still, what B. S. that places like that are even LISTED as an express deal! WHAT? HOW ARE THESE DIVES EVEN LISTED ON PRICELINE? WARNING: DON'T TAKE YOUR CHANCE ON EXPRESS DEALS! THIS IS 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TALKING! I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN! But then... after tonight i'm done with priceline... FOR... EVVVV... ERRRRRR...
So now to present... I made my husband and his brother reservations in colorado for a room for 2 nights, last night and tonight. Paid for it as you do. However, they had car trouble and couldn't make it first night to the Marriott (as you can see, i take no more chances...) the Marriott was aware they would not be arriving until after midnight the first day but we had pre-paid. Oh well. PER THE PRICELINE FAQ - "WHEN CAN I CHECK IN TO MY ROOM" it states... "please keep in mind that while most reservations are guaranteed for late arrival, failure to arrive on the first day of your reservation (before midnight hotel time on our check-in date) may prompt the hotel to cancel your reservation if you have a multiple night reservation. Contact your hotel to let them know you will check in late". WE DID THIS. But guess what... as my husband is trying right now to check in... he is told by the hotel that we must contact PRICELINE and PRICELINE must call them and tell them it is ok... WTF? I FOLLOWED PRICELINES INSTRUCTIONS PER THEIR WEBSITE. NOWHERE ON THEIR WEBSITE DOES IT STATE WE HAD TO CONTACT PRICELINE TOO!. So i tried to call Priceline Customer Service (that is an oxymoron). The call wait is 2 hours (i am not lying). So i chose the chat option hoping to resolve this issue faster only to be told after twenty minutes of hold and arguing over chat... I MUST CALL, SHE CAN'T HELP ME! So currently i'm on a 2 hour call back wait now as my husband and his brother WAIT IN THE LOBBY OF THE FREAKING HOTEL THAT CAN SEE THEIR RESERVATION THAT IS PAID IN FULL BUT CAN'T CHECK THEM IN UNTIL PRICELINE CALLS THEM AND SAYS "IT'S OK TO CHECK THEM IN"! OMG, I AM FURIOUS! I truly pity the person that i get on this call back to me tonight! It's supposed to be a 2.5 hour call back wait time right now... so as i wait i am finding every site i can to review PRICELINE on:)i wish i could attach the screen shot i have of their policy of what i just quoted from their website. I wish i could download the pictures of the express deal hotel in Cottonwood Arizona that i seriously still have PTSD from... i will NEVER use priceline again. I cannot believe i gave them as many chances as i have already.

Never use this company. They are terrible. I would rather get the coronavirus than fly with them...

***PLEASE SHARE***
As ones who know me know; I should have been celebrating my 30th birthday yesterday. It was originally planned to go to #HiltonAustinDowntown and hang out in the nice hotel all day before going out at night at the 6th street. With all the #COVID19 outbreak and government shutting places down I no longer felt safe to travel and celebrate my birthday in crowded place. I tried to cancel the day before and they said they were getting so many escalations that they she was going to escalate it and call me back. The same day I was supposed to travel to #HiltonAustinDowntown a nearby college student in MY city had tested positive. That means; this virus is EVEN CLOSER to home. Unfortunately I decided not to go RISK my life and thought SURELY they have to UNDERSTAND and REFUND me my money due to this outbreak. Well guess what; #Priceline is REFUSING to refund me my money. They said their escalation process is to contact the #HiltonAustonDowntown and if they dont agree to refund then there ISNT ANYTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS OUTBREAK. They said THERE WASNT ANYTHING AT ALL. Me as a consumer has trusted and paid but when a world known contagious virus going around they couldn't do ANYTHING!?! They couldn't even GIVE ME CREDIT for another time. They basically said I have to take a LOST. Dealing with the Corona virus is already a lot and resources already scarce. Just to buy basic essentials for my baby (diapers wipes formula water) i cant bc the entire world freakin out buying everything. So I have to save all the extra money I have just in case. And they are taking advantage of this situation and taking money from their consumers during this crisis so they can come up. Im being penalized for being apart of the citizen population helping to stop the spread of the virus. Like this #COVID19 got world wide companies saying $#*! the public and just being #savage to come up. Like damn; is the world really ending?
#DoesntCareAboutHealthAndWellBeingOfTheirCustomers #Priceline #HiltonAustinDowntown #NotCustomerObsessed #NoRefundforCorona #WatchOut #DontBook #Ever

The following is a chat session with the Priceline representative. I tried calling but it took too long. Plus, by chatting I could document the interaction.

I setup a trip to go to Germany but had to cancel due to my wife's treatments of her Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer that has spread to her bones.

Info at 11:56, Aug 12:
Welcome to Priceline!
Info at 11:56, Aug 12:
Connecting you now...
Priceline at 11:56, Aug 12:
We have some quick questions for you and then an agent will take it from there.
Priceline at 11:56, Aug 12:
First, can I get your full name?
Michael Myers at 11:56, Aug 12:
Michael Myers
Priceline at 11:56, Aug 12:
Thanks, Michael. And, what's your email address?
Michael Myers at 11:57, Aug 12:

Priceline at 11:57, Aug 12:
Did you have a question about:
Flights
Hotel
Rental Car
Vacation Package
Something else
Michael Myers at 11:57, Aug 12:
189-237-084-28
Priceline at 11:57, Aug 12:
Sorry could you try that again? Please select one of the below:
Flights
Hotel
Rental Car
Vacation Package
Something else

Michael Myers at 11:57, Aug 12:
Cancel trip

Priceline at 11:57, Aug 12:
I'll transfer you to a live agent.

Info at 11:57, Aug 12:
Please wait while your chat is transferred to the appropriate group.

Info at 11:59, Aug 12:
All agents are currently assisting others. Your estimated wait time is 5 minutes and 0 seconds. Thank you for your patience.

Info at 12:01, Aug 12:
All agents are currently assisting others. Your estimated wait time is 4 minutes and 0 seconds. Thank you for your patience.

Info at 12:03, Aug 12:
All agents are currently assisting others. Your estimated wait time is 3 minutes and 0 seconds. Thank you for your patience.

Info at 12:05, Aug 12:
All agents are currently assisting others. Your estimated wait time is 1 minutes and 0 seconds. Thank you for your patience.

Info at 12:07, Aug 12:
Hi! I'm Jane.

Michael Myers at 12:07, Aug 12:
Yes

Michael Myers at 12:07, Aug 12:
Need to cancel my flight

Michael Myers at 12:08, Aug 12:
189-237-######

Michael Myers at 12:08, Aug 12:
Wife has cancer treatments then

Jane at 12:09, Aug 12:
I am sorry to know that you will not be able to use the reservation because of health reasons. I am now locating your reservation so we can review it together. Please allow me a moment to check how I can help.

Jane at 12:10, Aug 12:
I am seeing reservation for Airline and Rental car.

Michael Myers at 12:10, Aug 12:
Yes

Jane at 12:10, Aug 12:
Would you like to cancel both reservation?

Michael Myers at 12:10, Aug 12:
Yes

Michael Myers at 12:13, Aug 12:
You still there

Jane at 12:13, Aug 12:
Thank you for confirming. One moment, please?

Michael Myers at 12:15, Aug 12:
She was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that has spread to her bones. I have proof if need be.

Jane at 12:16, Aug 12:
I am sorry to know that you will not be able to use the reservation because of health reasons.

Jane at 12:17, Aug 12:
A refund of 494.54 USD will be issued for your airline tickets, which equates to a refund of your original purchase price minus a cancellation penalty of 200.00 USD. The following fees are non-refundable- Insurance-52.65 USD Processing Fee-7.45 USD.

Michael Myers at 12:19, Aug 12:
Thank you. I have filed the claim for the fees. But why are you charging me a 200 fee? Do you always charge for unforeseen medical issues?

Michael Myers at 12:20, Aug 12:
It's almost as if Priceline and BA are profiting off my wife's cancer.

Jane at 12:20, Aug 12:
There is an airline-imposed $200 cancellation fee (per ticket) to cancel the airline reservation(s).

Michael Myers at 12:21, Aug 12:
Yes you told me that. But why are you charging me the 200 fee? Are you saying British Airways is profiting off my wife's cancer?

Jane at 12:23, Aug 12:
Airlines, in most instances, do not allow cancellation or if they do it's for the same fee or greater. In most cases they require you to exchange, pay the fee and any additional increase in fare. Our policy allows a cancellation, which gives you the flexibility to book a completely different airline if they so desire.

Michael Myers at 12:25, Aug 12:
You still did not answer my question. Are you saying that BA has a policy, and no deviations, about charging a fee for my wife's cancer?

Michael Myers at 12:25, Aug 12:
I just want to understand.

Jane at 12:26, Aug 12:
Actually your reservation is non-refundable but it cases like medical reason we are able to cancel but there is a cancellation fee.

Michael Myers at 12:28, Aug 12:
So, you are saying that you are charging me a fee, thus profiting, off my wife's stage 4 cancer?

Michael Myers at 12:29, Aug 12:
Just want to make sure I have this right. Who is the party that will actually get the fee? BA, Priceline or noth?

Michael Myers at 12:29, Aug 12:
Both. Sorry

Jane at 12:29, Aug 12:
I understand that you want a full refund but the we can cancel the reservation but there is a charge because we are only following the policy.

Michael Myers at 12:30, Aug 12:
It seems kind of morbid to profit off someone else lifelong disease and medical conditions... do you agree?

Jane at 12:30, Aug 12:
Would you like me to cancel the reservation or not?

Michael Myers at 12:31, Aug 12:
Yes

Michael Myers at 12:31, Aug 12:
Just want to make sure I have all this documented.

Info at 12:31, Aug 12:
The chat transcript will be sent to: at the end of your chat.

Michael Myers at 12:32, Aug 12:
So how will the fee for my wife's cancer be applied? Just deducted from the reimbursement?

Michael Myers at 12:33, Aug 12:
Just need to know, so that I have the right info for the insurance I also paid for.

Jane at 12:34, Aug 12:
If you want to file a claim for any fees. Please contact For coverage questions, contact the insurance plan administrator, Allianz Global Assistance. They're available 24/7 at *******105, or email at *******@allianzassistance.com.

Michael Myers at 12:35, Aug 12:
Yes I already have.

Michael Myers at 12:36, Aug 12:
Still doesn't explain why the fee was applied in the first place. Would you like to see the official diagnosis of my wife as proof that I am not lying?

Michael Myers at 12:37, Aug 12:
Was the trip canceled?

Michael Myers at 12:38, Aug 12:
Hello

Jane at 12:39, Aug 12:
Actually your reservation is non-refundable but in cases like medical reason we are able to cancel but there is a cancellation fee. Cancellation fee of $200.

Jane at 12:39, Aug 12:
Reservation is still active.

Michael Myers at 12:39, Aug 12:
I thought you were canceling the reservation.

Michael Myers at 12:40, Aug 12:
I mean, I did say cancel it.

Jane at 12:40, Aug 12:
Okay, I will cancel it.

Michael Myers at 12:41, Aug 12:
Thank you. Is that all you need from me?

Jane at 12:41, Aug 12:
We processed a refund of 494.54 USD. Priceline processes refunds within 1 business day and then your bank will issue the credit back to your account. Since everything looks fine on our side, I suggest you contact your bank for a status update.

Michael Myers at 12:42, Aug 12:
Thank you. This has been very Informative as to how Priceline and British Airways charges.

Jane at 12:42, Aug 12:

I know this isn't the resolution you wanted. We appreciate your time in contacting us on this matter. I'd like to thank you for chatting with us today.

Info at 12:42, Aug 12:
Thank you for chatting with us.

priceline.com You suck! Absolutely irrevocably 100% certain I will never ever book anything through you again. I would pay double before using you.

Booked my hotel for a trip to visit family through you, get to the hotel and your bank account declined the charges when the hotel tried to authorize it. I called you, you put me on hold FOR AN HOUR and called the hotel that I was physically standing at. Then when you couldn't figure it out, your consolation to me was to book me at a different hotel?!

Absolutely not AND you wouldn't even cover the extra money it's costing me to stay at the hotel because you guys suck.

#PricelineSucks #NotWorthIt #NeverAgain #ZeroStarsNegativeRatingIfICould #Unbelievable