This is an urgent matter which I need addressed immediately. I booked this
reservation Tuesday, August 12th at 8pm. Before making the reservation, I
called Orbitz because I needed to know the difference between a “1 king
leisure bed non-smoking” and a “standard room” which was $3 more. The agent
put me on hold for 10 minutes to call the hotel and came back to tell me the
standard room had 2 queen beds. I then completed my reservation online with
the $3 extra per night for the 2 queen bed room at the Holiday Inn Express
Hotel & Suites MANCHESTER-AIRPORT. I compared this hotel with the other
Holiday Inn down the road which was $20 cheaper per night, but since this
one had 2 queen beds, as defined by orbitz over the phone, I went with the
more expensive hotel.

Today when I called the hotel, the hotel floor manger told me that they
could not honor my reservation for 2 queen beds in their room and that I
would need to call Orbitz. They had me listed as with a ‘1 king bed room’.

I called Orbitz, I spoke with Ali in the vacation package department/ ID:
MTR. She told me all she could do is cancel my hotel room and book me at the
current listed price on the Orbitz website. I told her that isn’t what I
asked for, I simply asked her to find me a room with 2 beds (like I had paid
for) nothing more, nothing less. I do not want to cancel my reservation, I
simply want the 2 queen beds. She said she can only cancel and re-book,
crediting my card $417 for the cancellation of the hotel. I said when I
booked this package it saved me money. If I would have booked the hotel
separately, it would not. If I had not called to have Orbitz define a a “1
king leisure bed non-smoking” and a “standard room” which was $3 more, then
orbitz might have a case. But even the hotel manager said ‘if those are the
2 options orbitz is giving you, then a “standard room” should be 2 beds.

So I then asked to speak with her manager who told me the same, his name was
Brandon from the Fargo, North Dakota office and told him my problem: that I
booked a queen room (as was defined by an orbitz employee) and the hotel
says they do not have a 2 bed room available. He said that I booked a
vacation package for 1 person, so I got 1 bed. I then asked him the
difference between a “1 king leisure bed non-smoking” and a “standard room”
which was $3 more. He said ‘now that he is looking into it, he could not
find a difference, so he could refund me my $3/per day extra that I paid and
round it up to $25 toward booking a new reservation.’ I said this is not
good. This is not what I paid for. I simply want what I paid for: a hotel
room with 2 queen beds - as defined by orbitz AND the hotel. Clearly there
is a mistake on the website AND a problem Orbitz and the hotel’s definition
of the room.

After discussing the problem with the definitions online and admitting the
website has 2 rooms that are - to his reasoning- the same room, he suggested
giving me $100 toward a new booking. Again, I said I do not want a NEW
booking, I simply want what I paid for. He said that is all he can do.
Then I asked to speak with his supervisor. He put me on hold for 20 minutes
and said his supervisor said they could ’split the difference’ toward a new
hotel.

At this point I have been on the phone for 2 hours dealing with this matter.

Brandon’s supervisor was Ethan, from the Fargo, North Dakota branch. I
asked him to call the hotel and have the manager define the difference
between a “1 king leisure bed non-smoking” and a “standard room” which was
$3 more. He said no, that is is offering to split the difference and that
is all. I then asked him to find me another room anywhere in Manchester, NH
with 2 queen beds and the same amenities. He said no, he would not. His
offer is what it is and I have to cancel my old reservation and book a new
one. I asked him if he could ‘exchange’. He said no - that is his offer,
take it or leave it. I asked him why I was not being offered at least the
vacation package deal price for a NEW hotel room since clearly the error was
between Orbitz and the hotel. He said because I wanted to cancel my old
reservation and book a new one, so they have to charge me for the current
list rate of the room. I asked ‘what happened to the money I saved for the
package then? Who gets that?’ He said I am getting what I paid for. I asked
him to please call the hotel. Again Ethan refused, so I called the hotel
again.

AGAIN I spoke with Dennis, the floor manager at The Holiday Inn Express
Hotel & Suites MANCHESTER-AIRPORT. Who again said that if orbitz has two
options when booking the room a “1 king leisure bed non-smoking” and a
“standard room” which was $3 more; then the “standard room” should be for
the 2 queen beds. Ethan refused AGAIN to call Dennis to get the matter
straightened out. Ethan said he would split the difference, though he
admitted Orbitz has a mistake in their system… But that ‘he couldn’t do
anything.’

The NEW rate for a NEW hotel reservation is $688 for the Manchester Holiday
Inn (not the Express as I previously booked). And Orbitz would only refund
me $440? He is asking me to pay close to $250 more than my reservation
because he is refusing to give me 1) the package rate on a new hotel 2) it
is more expensive due to booking at the last minute.

At this point, I have been on the phone for nearly 3 hours discussing this
matter and trying by myself to find a new hotel for cheaper - since Ethan
refused to look for a different comparable hotel. I asked to speak with his
supervisor, he said he didn’t have one and that I would have to EMAIL this
address. I asked how long it would take to resolve. He said a few days.

At the end of the day I had to take Ethan’s offer of splitting the
difference because I have to get back to my daily duties at work and could
not spend more time on this matter. In effect, Orbitz made me pay twice the
amount of tax on my hotel, they did not uphold their end of the bargain for
the 2 bed hotel room as I booked it, AND they charged me $123.55 MORE than
my package guaranteed my package for.

I have been a loyal customer at Orbitz for over a decade under the account
zalla@earthlink.net - I am in charge of booking flights for my family as
well as my friends. I would hope that Orbitz costumer relations can handle
this matter with what is just and fair and refund me my additional 123.55
PLUS that $80 more that I paid to have the nicer of the 2 hotels - as I
ended up with the lesser rated Holiday Inn (see my paragraph 1).

Please call to discuss with me immediately.
Thank you.

Sincerely,