Be very careful booking at this hotel. I booked a four night stay on Jan 1 2025 for four nights in May. I knew when booking on the hotels.com website that I had to pay one night now and would lose that if i canceled by May 18. I canceled this stay on January 3, but the hotel ran the charge for the full say, over $500. My hotels.com receipt says I was not liable for anything more than the one night deposit I agreed to when booking, their website for this hotel still says the same. Hotel says I am liable for full amount, although hotels.com receipt says if I canceled by May 18 I would not be. My credit card company Chase is investigating and has issued me a temporary credit. I have always been happy with hotels.com and trusted them with my credit card info, but this hotel got my credit card info from hotels.com and ran charges I did not agree to. Be careful booking at this hotel. It is hard to get anyone to talk to in English to dispute the charge, or the "approver" at the hotel to address is "not available." Maddening.
Posted by
Freedonia
16499 posts
If you booked via Hotels.com then you need to deal with Hotels.com and not the hotel itself. Most people don't realize that using many third party booking sites is not the same as booking directly with the hotel.
Have you contacted Hotels.com about this?
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC
14 posts
Yes, related to same issue, but two warnings 1) using hotels.com, how to avoid this happening to you 2) the hotel specifically and a warning to be careful about canceling and they're not honoring the stated cancellation policy.
I see this as two different areas, but same issue. 1) hotels.com bookings 2) the hotel specifically
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5594 posts
Could you answer Frank's question? Did you cancel through hotels.com, or did you cancel directly with the hotel? Because the former is fhe correct procedure. Did you have any discussion with hotels.com before disputing the charge with the credit card company? My understanding is that once a dispute has been filed, the accused company will not engage further with the customer.
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC
14 posts
Yes. I booked and canceled through hotels.com. Lots and lots of chat bot conversations with hotels.com, finally after six days, spoke with a live person at hotels.com who agrees with me. I wasn't supposed to be charged but because this is a "supplier processor," not "hotels.com processor," even though booked through hotels.com website, they can't give me the refund, the hotel has to. Hotels.com agrees, per my receipt and even what is on their website, the hotel shouldn't have charged me for the full stay.
I've also written the hotel, no response yet.
Hotels.com twice tried to reach hotel. Once they told me no one there could speak English with for them to talk about issue, another time, the "approver" for a refund was not available.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5594 posts
Thanks for filling in those details. I hope you get this resolved soon.
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC
14 posts
Me too. And thank you! I've never had this issue in many, many years of travel. I hope this can be helpful to others and I'll share any updates/outcomes.
Posted by
Beverly Hills, MI
814 posts
I looked up the Hotel de la Mer and it says they speak English, so both you and Hotels.com are getting a load of BS. The thought of a hotel in Nice where they don't speak English is just ridiculous. You are being gamed by a bunch of swindlers who are using the rules of their contract (both language and finances) with Hotels.com for toilet paper. They are in clear violation. The simplest thing to do is have Hotels.com call again and when they say they do not speak English the response is, "Parlez-vous de-listing?". This should get results near instantaneously.
Since the hotel is also l;listed in my copy of the Rick Steves France tour book, you should report this to the RS organization, they do not like places that do not play by the rules.
Posted by
Washington DC
28388 posts
Here's the link to the guidebook feedback form: