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The rooms were booked and paid for. Then Priceline had second thoughts, and the price went up $360. (Illustration by Dustin Elliott)
🏨 A refund nobody asked for — One of our readers paid $502 for two rooms at a Hampton Inn over the holidays. Priceline canceled the booking without telling him, refunded the money — and then charged him $862 when he rebooked the same rooms for the same nights. So what’s going on?
On Backchannel, Ana Kline paid about $647 for a room with two double beds and a kitchenette near Cleveland Airport, and Extended Stay America handed her a single bed, no kitchenette — and roaches.
For Members Only: The Federal Trade Commission told 24 of the country’s largest health care companies that an incomplete price quote can be deceptive under federal law. But it won’t say which 24. Here are the details. — Christopher Elliott
FEATURED ARTICLE
Priceline canceled my reservation and left me with a $360 bill
Charles Marcus books two rooms at a Hampton Inn through Priceline, but the site cancels them without his permission. When he rebooks the same rooms, the price jumps by $360. Can he get his money back?
OUR UNDERWRITER
Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Learn more about Global Rescue.
📌 Here’s what you missed this week
Catch up on the latest stories from the Elliott Report
Priceline canceled my reservation and left me with a $360 bill
Charles Marcus paid $502 for two rooms at a Hampton Inn in Islandia, N.Y. Priceline canceled the booking without asking, and rebooking the same rooms for the same nights cost him $862, even after an agent confirmed the cancellation was the company’s own mistake.
Help! Microsoft locked my account and won’t let me back in!
John Curtin had used the same Microsoft email address for 20 years and paid $84 a year for Office 365. When Microsoft locked him out for “unusual activity,” its automated recovery forms rejected even his payment history as proof the account was his.
Surviving the middle seat: A field guide to aviation’s worst conflict
A commercial airline pilot explains why the middle seat keeps your nervous system on alert for an entire flight, and etiquette experts settle the armrest question for good. A Hawaii attorney who has spent years refining her kit now boards with two inflatable lumbar pillows, a carabiner water bottle and a jacket engineered out of pockets.
Guilty until proven innocent? You are if you rent a car.
Howard Gross photographed a tire pressure warning light minutes after collecting his Alamo rental in Nice, France, and a manager later put the warning light in writing. Alamo billed him $752 for the flat tire that followed, and a Hertz customer got a $4,567 scanner-generated claim with a repair estimate listing zero days of work.
How a French château became a modern art spa — minus the clichés
Monique Pignet didn’t want a castle. Her family bought one in the Loire Valley anyway, restored it by hand over 17 years and turned it into a wellness resort with more than 40 resident artists, a spa inside ancient caves and a former fire juggler running the place.
StubHub told me to sell my Lady Gaga tickets elsewhere, then they charged me for it
Tony Rogozinski called StubHub to cancel his Lady Gaga listing before selling the seats privately, and an agent assured him no further action was needed. The listing stayed active, the tickets sold on the site a second time, and StubHub charged him $864 for an order he couldn’t fill.
Holland America canceled my cruise because of a pricing error. Can it do that?
Cindy Woodring booked a 10-day Zuiderdam sailing at $479 a person, applied a $200 credit and paid the $758 balance in full. Three days later Holland America called the fare a pricing error and billed her $1,530 more, then offered a complimentary stateroom upgrade to anyone willing to pay it.
OUR UNDERWRITER
INFplans.com is a specialized travel medical insurance platform dedicated exclusively to non-U.S. residents traveling outside their home country, including to the United States, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, and other global destinations. Key differentiators include coverage for travelers up to age 99 and unique options for pre-existing condition coverage, benefits that are rarely available in the visitor insurance space. With a simple online experience and a seasoned support team, INFplans.com makes it easy for non‑U.S. residents to secure the travel medical protection they need to explore the world with confidence. Travel with confidence with INFplans.com
💬 What you’re asking on Backchannel (this is gross)
Ana Kline paid about $647 for a room near Cleveland Airport advertised with two double beds and a kitchenette. Extended Stay America gave her a single-bed room with no kitchenette, a pest problem and an offer of roach traps from the front desk. She says nobody warned her before she paid that the room type she booked was gone. Can she get back the difference between what she bought and what she got? Here’s our team’s advice on Backchannel.
OUR UNDERWRITER
International Citizens Insurance helps expats, travelers and anyone far from home find the right insurance plan. Our knowledgeable agents will help you find the best plan at the right price and be your advocate for the life of your policy.
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