Beware when booking vacation travel
VANCOUVER -
This summer is starting to look very different from last year, as many folks book vacation getaways. Beware, you could be stuck paying unexpected fees that could put a dent in your budget.
It happened to Stephanie Blank who was seeking a needed break after caring for her aging parents.
She booked three nights at a Best Western in Port Dover, Ont., but when she checked out, she experienced sticker shock. The bill for three nights was $403, which was expected. However, she didn’t expect to pay nearly 50 per cent more in extra fees: $187 for a booking fee from HotelValues.com. The total cost - $590.
"I was totally shocked I couldn't even believe that it's happened," she said. “Little did I realize until after the fact that it wasn't the Best Western I was booking with, it was this third party but they acted as though they were Best Western."
And Blank says she had trouble contacting at the third-party website.
"I tried to talk to somebody, every single option I pressed nobody would come to the phone. All I got was answering machines."
CTV News emailed HotelValues.com but got a bounce back on the email. Two calls were placed to a hotline number but were hung up on twice.
There are negative online reviews about the website and others complaining that they also felt that they were dealing with a hotel, not a third party.
When searching for a hotel, beware of the first link that pops up, only deal with reputable websites, pay attention to the URL and consider calling the hotel directly to make sure you’re not on a third-party website.
This could happen with booking any kind of travel whether airfares and rental cars or even when you buy products online.
A U.S. study found one in four Americans say they've been tricked by third-party websites.
In addition to extra fees, you could also face hassles making changes or cancelling after booking on one of those websites and sometimes your room may not be guaranteed. If you find a deal on a third-party website, ask if the hotel or rental car company would be willing to match it.
Dealing directly with the original supplier may ensure better service and you could also earn points for extra perks.
With files from CTV’s Pat Foran
Shopping Trends
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