Quizzes & Puzzles3 mins ago
Days Inn
I have just booked a Days Inn online with a room rate of £51. When the conformation email arrived it is charging me £79.92 which includes fees and taxes -it is through something called Reservations.com and I phone their customer service number and I could hardly understand the woman who said she could not cancel it and I would not get a refund and should speak to the hotel. I spoke to the Days Inn and the receptionist also said she could not cancel it - I think this is a con as nowhere on the site did it say there were taxes and fees and it is still showing £51 a night. Any ideas how I can get this extra refunded? Paid on Visa debit card.
Answers
In the UK any VAT-
15:43 Sun 23rd Jun 2019
In the UK any VAT-registered business is required to show prices that are inclusive of VAT (unless they're advertising primarily on a business-to-business basis, where the purchasers of their goods and services are also likely to be VAT-registered). So any hotel price quoted to you by a UK business must include the VAT that's charged on the booking.
However things are different in the USA, where it's normal for 'local taxes', etc to be added onto the advertised price when you make a hotel booking. As Reservations.com is based in Florida, it might be that they're quoting VAT-exclusive prices on their website and then adding on the VAT afterwards. Further, I note from their website that they charge your card in US dollars, rather than in sterling, which could further add to the costs you have to pay when you book through them.
Reservations.com has an appalling reputation in the UK, with 61% of TrustPilot reviews awarding it just 1 star:
https:/
Things are even worse on their home country, with 77% of reviews on Sitejabber rating their company as only worth a single star:
https:/
Your chances of getting a refund from a US company which clearly doesn't care about its reputation are probably nil. Since your contract is with Reservations.com, Days Inn aren't obliged to offer you any refund. However it might be worth complaining to the company about their general policy of allowing their rooms to appear on the Reservations.com website (thus resulting in potential customers paying more than they expected), using your own booking as an example. That might well result in an ex gratia payment from them or, possibly, the offer of free accommodation at another time.
'Days Inn' is actually a trading name of Roadchef. I suggest using good old-fashioned snail mail to write a letter of complaint to . . .
Mark Fox,
Chief Executive,
Roadchef Motorways Ltd,
Roadchef House,
Norton Canes Motorway Service Area,
Betty's Lane,
Norton Canes,
Cannock,
WS11 9UX.
However things are different in the USA, where it's normal for 'local taxes', etc to be added onto the advertised price when you make a hotel booking. As Reservations.com is based in Florida, it might be that they're quoting VAT-exclusive prices on their website and then adding on the VAT afterwards. Further, I note from their website that they charge your card in US dollars, rather than in sterling, which could further add to the costs you have to pay when you book through them.
Reservations.com has an appalling reputation in the UK, with 61% of TrustPilot reviews awarding it just 1 star:
https:/
Things are even worse on their home country, with 77% of reviews on Sitejabber rating their company as only worth a single star:
https:/
Your chances of getting a refund from a US company which clearly doesn't care about its reputation are probably nil. Since your contract is with Reservations.com, Days Inn aren't obliged to offer you any refund. However it might be worth complaining to the company about their general policy of allowing their rooms to appear on the Reservations.com website (thus resulting in potential customers paying more than they expected), using your own booking as an example. That might well result in an ex gratia payment from them or, possibly, the offer of free accommodation at another time.
'Days Inn' is actually a trading name of Roadchef. I suggest using good old-fashioned snail mail to write a letter of complaint to . . .
Mark Fox,
Chief Executive,
Roadchef Motorways Ltd,
Roadchef House,
Norton Canes Motorway Service Area,
Betty's Lane,
Norton Canes,
Cannock,
WS11 9UX.
Right at the bottom the site, there are 'terms of service' See under points 7 & 8. https:/
From Reservations.com's website, first page as there is too much info for one reply.
Pricing Structure and Cancellations
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL RATES, FEES, AND GOVERNMENT-IMPOSED TAXES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR VARIANCE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Rates – You acknowledge that the rates displayed on our Site are a combination of the rates and fees charged by the property or entity supplying your accommodations, such as the hotel or hotel supplier (individually and collectively, the “Accommodation Supplier”) or Booking Partner.
Our Service Fee – We charge a non-refundable service fee of USD $14.99 for each transaction completed via the Site or our 24/7 Customer Call Center. Our service fee is clearly separated from the rate of the room. OUR SERVICE FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE, EVEN IF YOU MODIFY AND/OR CANCEL A MODIFIABLE/CANCELLABLE BOOKING. The total price will include our service fee.
Accommodation Supplier’s Fees and Charges – There are other charges that the Accommodation Supplier may charge you, such as a resort fee, that are not included in the amounts we collect from you. You will have to pay those charges directly to the Accommodation Supplier. Before booking, you should check with the Accommodation Supplier to determine whether they charge additional fees upon your arrival.
Modifying/Cancelling a Reservation – EACH ACCOMMODATION SUPPLIER, BOOKING PARTNER, AND EACH BOOKING IS DIFFERENT: SOME ARE MODIFIABLE AND/OR CANCELABLE, SOME ARE NOT. PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THE CANCELLATION POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESERVATION YOU ARE BOOKING, WHICH APPEARS BELOW THE AREA WHERE THE CHARGES FOR YOUR RESERVATION IS DISPLAYED, OR AS OTHERWISE DISPLAYED BY OUR BOOKING PARTNERS (E.G. THROUGH A WHITE-LABEL SITE). IF YOU ARE CALLING OUR 24/7 CUSTOMER CALL CENTER, PLEASE REVIEW THE CANCELLATION POLICY WITH THE AGENT. Change(s) to a reservation after booking may result in additional fees at the discretion of the Accommodation Supplier and/or the Booking Partner. Cancellations or no-shows are subject to a monetary penalty, the total amount of which is within the Accommodation Supplier’s and/or the Booking Partner’s discretion.
Tax Recovery Charges and Fees – See “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” below.
THE FINAL TOTAL PRICE DISPLAYED AT CHECK-OUT OR QUOTED BY AN AGENT IS THE AMOUNT YOU WILL BE CHARGED, SO PLEASE REVIEW THE FINAL TOTAL PRICE CAREFULLY.
Pricing Structure and Cancellations
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL RATES, FEES, AND GOVERNMENT-IMPOSED TAXES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR VARIANCE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Rates – You acknowledge that the rates displayed on our Site are a combination of the rates and fees charged by the property or entity supplying your accommodations, such as the hotel or hotel supplier (individually and collectively, the “Accommodation Supplier”) or Booking Partner.
Our Service Fee – We charge a non-refundable service fee of USD $14.99 for each transaction completed via the Site or our 24/7 Customer Call Center. Our service fee is clearly separated from the rate of the room. OUR SERVICE FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE, EVEN IF YOU MODIFY AND/OR CANCEL A MODIFIABLE/CANCELLABLE BOOKING. The total price will include our service fee.
Accommodation Supplier’s Fees and Charges – There are other charges that the Accommodation Supplier may charge you, such as a resort fee, that are not included in the amounts we collect from you. You will have to pay those charges directly to the Accommodation Supplier. Before booking, you should check with the Accommodation Supplier to determine whether they charge additional fees upon your arrival.
Modifying/Cancelling a Reservation – EACH ACCOMMODATION SUPPLIER, BOOKING PARTNER, AND EACH BOOKING IS DIFFERENT: SOME ARE MODIFIABLE AND/OR CANCELABLE, SOME ARE NOT. PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THE CANCELLATION POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESERVATION YOU ARE BOOKING, WHICH APPEARS BELOW THE AREA WHERE THE CHARGES FOR YOUR RESERVATION IS DISPLAYED, OR AS OTHERWISE DISPLAYED BY OUR BOOKING PARTNERS (E.G. THROUGH A WHITE-LABEL SITE). IF YOU ARE CALLING OUR 24/7 CUSTOMER CALL CENTER, PLEASE REVIEW THE CANCELLATION POLICY WITH THE AGENT. Change(s) to a reservation after booking may result in additional fees at the discretion of the Accommodation Supplier and/or the Booking Partner. Cancellations or no-shows are subject to a monetary penalty, the total amount of which is within the Accommodation Supplier’s and/or the Booking Partner’s discretion.
Tax Recovery Charges and Fees – See “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” below.
THE FINAL TOTAL PRICE DISPLAYED AT CHECK-OUT OR QUOTED BY AN AGENT IS THE AMOUNT YOU WILL BE CHARGED, SO PLEASE REVIEW THE FINAL TOTAL PRICE CAREFULLY.
Second page
Tax Recovery Charges and Fees
In addition to the rate and our service fee, our Site displays a line item for “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees,” which you will be charged when making your reservation. “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” consists of: (i) an estimate of the taxes payable by the hotel in connection with your booking, including, but not limited to, sales and use tax, occupancy tax, room tax, excise tax, value added tax and/or other similar taxes; (ii) if applicable, taxes payable by our Booking Partner in connection with your booking; and (iii) service fees retained by our Booking Partner and/or us in addition to our itemized service fee.
Some bookings, like those that do not requirement payment in full at the time of making your reservation, may not include the “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” line item. Instead, that booking may display an estimate of the taxes applicable to the transaction that you can expect to be charged directly by the hotel when you check in.
We do not collect taxes for remittance to applicable taxing authorities. The hotel is responsible for remitting applicable taxes. In certain jurisdictions, our Booking Partner may also be responsible for remitting taxes related to your booking. Neither us nor any of our Booking Partners act as a co-vendor with each other or with any hotel.
Taxability and the applicable tax rate vary based on several factors, including, but not limited to, the location of the hotel and the room rate paid to the hotel by our Booking Partner. The amount paid to the hotel for taxes in connection with your booking may vary from the estimated amount charged to you, depending upon the rates, taxability, and any other metric in effect at the time of your actual stay. If the amount paid to the hotel is less than the estimate, the balance of the charge for “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” is retained by us and/or our Booking Partner as part of our and/or their compensation for facilitating and servicing your booking.
“Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” does not include other charges, like hotel resort fees, hotel energy surcharges, parking fees, pet fees, and incidental charges (such as room service, mini-bar, gratuities). Unless otherwise indicated, these amounts will be collected from you directly by the hotel.
Tax Recovery Charges and Fees
In addition to the rate and our service fee, our Site displays a line item for “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees,” which you will be charged when making your reservation. “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” consists of: (i) an estimate of the taxes payable by the hotel in connection with your booking, including, but not limited to, sales and use tax, occupancy tax, room tax, excise tax, value added tax and/or other similar taxes; (ii) if applicable, taxes payable by our Booking Partner in connection with your booking; and (iii) service fees retained by our Booking Partner and/or us in addition to our itemized service fee.
Some bookings, like those that do not requirement payment in full at the time of making your reservation, may not include the “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” line item. Instead, that booking may display an estimate of the taxes applicable to the transaction that you can expect to be charged directly by the hotel when you check in.
We do not collect taxes for remittance to applicable taxing authorities. The hotel is responsible for remitting applicable taxes. In certain jurisdictions, our Booking Partner may also be responsible for remitting taxes related to your booking. Neither us nor any of our Booking Partners act as a co-vendor with each other or with any hotel.
Taxability and the applicable tax rate vary based on several factors, including, but not limited to, the location of the hotel and the room rate paid to the hotel by our Booking Partner. The amount paid to the hotel for taxes in connection with your booking may vary from the estimated amount charged to you, depending upon the rates, taxability, and any other metric in effect at the time of your actual stay. If the amount paid to the hotel is less than the estimate, the balance of the charge for “Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” is retained by us and/or our Booking Partner as part of our and/or their compensation for facilitating and servicing your booking.
“Tax Recovery Charges and Fees” does not include other charges, like hotel resort fees, hotel energy surcharges, parking fees, pet fees, and incidental charges (such as room service, mini-bar, gratuities). Unless otherwise indicated, these amounts will be collected from you directly by the hotel.
^^^ Through that franchising arrangement though, anyone booking directly with a relevant Days Inn hotel in the UK has a contract with Roadchef Motorways Ltd.
It might be helpful to know which Days Inn hotel Lankeela booked, in order to confirm the franchisee with whom her contract would have been with if she's done so directly.
It might be helpful to know which Days Inn hotel Lankeela booked, in order to confirm the franchisee with whom her contract would have been with if she's done so directly.
The reason I use Days Inn is that they allow dogs, often free but sometimes just a fiver, but Travelodge want £20 per dog - which can work out double the price of the room! I think it is a Roadchef one (Tewkesbury) so will definitely try that line. Been using Days Inn for years and never had anything like this. Thanks all.
You probably clicked the wrong Google link, Lankeela. If you put 'days inn tewkesbury' into Google you get this:
http://
The first link should be OK, because it goes to the company who own the Days Inn brand name, Wyndham Hotels. The third one is definitely OK, as it goes to Roadchef's site for Days Inn bookings. It's the middle one which has caused you your problems.
http://
The first link should be OK, because it goes to the company who own the Days Inn brand name, Wyndham Hotels. The third one is definitely OK, as it goes to Roadchef's site for Days Inn bookings. It's the middle one which has caused you your problems.
Chris that's exactly what I did but do you agree that it is misleading as it looks like it is the Days Inn Reservations page? Apparently Reservations.com is actually Expedia but it doesn't say that! I have written to Roadchef and also been speaking to someone at Roadchef HO this morning and she is looking into it for me, as I explained that this could lose them a lot of customers. Will let you know if I actually get anywhere.
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