“It’s not good”: woman speaks out after canceling hotel reservation without refund
Jeffrey V. Fallis
3 min read
She calls for more consumer protection in the hotel industry.
?? – Washington woman warns consumers after she said she booked a family getaway to a resort through the Expedia travel website more than four months in advance, but her reservation was canceled without refund.
“I was pretty horrified and disappointed,” Holly Parsons told ABC News when she learned that her $ 874 three-night reservation at a hill station had been canceled and no compensation was immediately offered to her. .
Parsons said she was planning a trip to Bend, Oregon with her cousin and their two children to hang out together and watch her youngest son compete in a lacrosse tournament.
Just weeks before the trip, she received an email stating that her reservation at WorldMark Seventh Mountain Resort had been canceled due to overbooking.
Expedia said it was not responsible for the overbooking, saying in a statement to local ABC News affiliate KOMO-TV that it was “caused by external factors beyond Expedia’s direct control.” WorldMark Seventh Mountain Resort did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on Tuesday.
Expedia is long Terms of use declare that the company has “no responsibility and will not make any refund” for any delay, cancellation, overbooking or any other problem “beyond its direct control”.
Parsons said she spent over six hours on the phone with Expedia agents over the grueling three days before they finally moved her into a Holiday Inn Express and offered her and her cousin vouchers. Expedia valued at $ 500 each.
“I booked a great vacation for my cousin and I at a hill station,†she said, “and it sounds like total bait.â€
She added that the way it was handled when she initially called Expedia had “annoyed” her.
“The process of being on hold for so, so long and dealing with many, many people and repeating myself – it was awful,†said Parsons, mother of two.
She also said she was not satisfied with the compensation offered by Expedia.
“I didn’t get any money back. I get vouchers for doing business with an entity that I’m not sure I want to do – or would ever recommend doing – business with ever,†Parsons said. .
Expedia did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on Tuesday, but told local ABC affiliate KOMO-TV: “We apologize for the inconvenience and frustration suffered by Holly Parsons and can confirm that our team have contacted them to resolve this case successfully. At Expedia, we strive to provide the highest level of customer service, and whenever there is an issue with an Expedia booking, we recommend our customers to contact our excellent customer service team. “
Parsons is now arguing for increased protections for hotel guests, saying, “It’s not fair.”
“It’s actually shocking that anyone can do business with you and take your money and absolve themselves of liability through a few words buried on a website,†she added.
