Qantas hotel price promise

[Phil_vic]

I've made a booking on the Qantas site for one night at The Windsor Hotel in February ($236). After making the booking I looked on The Windsor's website and found the had the same room on '3 day sale' for $161, so I submitted a price promise claim.

I received an email from support@hooroo the following day saying that the claim was unsuccessful:
The room Superior Room and its corresponding offer Room Only you booked with Qantas Hotels does not match the room Superior Room and offer 72 Hour Sale shown on the other website and screenshot.

I emailed back on the same day, saying:
Could you please advise what is different about the Superior Room on the Qantas web site and the Superior room on the Hotel Windsor web site. They appear to be the same to me.

Response from Hooroo was:
The Superior Room on the Qantas website and the Superior room on the Hotel Windsor website are the same. But its corresponding offer are different, Qantas offers Room Only while Windsor has the offer of 72 Hour Sale.

My reply to the above:
The conditions for price promise are:
• Prices quoted in Australian dollars without the use of a currency converter including fees and taxes but excluding any card fees.
• Same hotel property (including location).
• Same room type (including bedding configuration).
• Same number and type of travellers (including number of adults and children).
• Same dates.
• Same inclusions.
• Same booking and cancellation conditions.
• Prices on a website that ends in .au or on a website operated in Australia by an Australian company.

I believe that the details the I’ve submitted meet these requirements.

If you disagree – could you please advise which specific condition it does not meet and why it does not meet it.

Hooroo's response today
I understand that the details of your claim meet the requirements. However, the offer are different, Qantas offers Room Only while Windsor has the offer of 72 Hour Sale

It shouldn't be this difficult, should it?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It shouldn't be this difficult, should it?

Provided the terms of the 72-hour sale are identical to the 'room only' rate offered by Qantas (same cancellation, same inclusions), then a price being 'on sale' shouldn't invalidate the price guarantee.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Oh dear this one is embarrassing...

 

[Phil_vic]

Has anyone else made a price promise claim where the the hotel was on special, and was the claim successful or not?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The claim guarantee refers to an identical product. You booked a superior room? Then the product is the same. The price is different and the guarantee makes no exception for price, only that it must be publicly available (and by an Aussie ABN etc etc).

The only difference I can see is that the Windsor offers free wi-fi, whereas Qantas says 'room only' and the wifi is listed as 'paid'. But that would be a long stretch as the wifi is a standard free inclusion.

Anyway - the QF hotels site looks like it has free cancellation. Why not cancel and go with the hotel direct, cutting out QF's commission in this case..

 

[Phil_vic]

Anyway - the QF hotels site looks like it has free cancellation. Why not cancel and go with the hotel direct, cutting out QF's commission in this case..

Yep, but it erks me that they are trying to weasel out of it.
I've had claims denied before for legitimate reasons (eg: comparison booking was non-refundable, whereas Qantas booking was refundable), and I fully agree in that case.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I see your point of view, mine is similar, but life is too short, also booking with QF hotels gives me QFF rewards, where as if I book direct with the Proximity in Manukau Auckland suburbs, no points earnt.
Before I went into the booking process, on the QFF website, I did a dummy booking to check prices, about $174 or so, yes, I know, I am not really an Ibis budget sort of person, unless no other choice.
When I went to do a firm booking, on the QFF website to get points, and proceed with payment, price jumps up to $204!
Granted QFF has to make a profit, a lot in my case, but a financial killer in yours.
Not sure in your case how you can push your case up the Hooroo ladder tho.
Best of luck!

 

[Phil_vic]

Granted QFF has to make a profit, a lot in my case, but a financial killer in yours.
Best of luck!

I'd have thought they would have negotiated a deal with the hotels for a discounted price to make their profit

 

[Daver6]

Perhaps take this up with Qantas on social media? Copy and paste what your put in your original post to the QF Facebook page. That should sufficiently shame/embarrass them into action

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Maybe QF hotels does have a negotiated rate with hotels, but also put a (large) % padding profit margin to make more money.
In the first dividend spiel after many years of no dividend yeild/payments, they did say that QF loyalty was the most protitable, and AJ did also say he would not sell QF loyalty.
Sometimes I book direct, like when I have to stay at MEL Ibis Budget, no other cheap hotels near Melbourne Airport, and they are not in the Accor Loyalty program, even though they are in a tie in with QF hotels, QF hotels sometimes charge $149/$159, direct its $129.

 

[amaroo]

This thread made me check QF for a booking I need to make... exact same price as the hotel, but I'll earn 6500 QF points. No brainer...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Yes, Amaroo, it would appear so, as same price, but when you go as far as getting ready to enter your credit card details, check the price then.
If on QF hotels, you just play around with pseudo booking, in the early stages, prices might seem the same, you go deeper, then fight the price will be higher.
BUT if you have entered your credit card details, and the prices are still the same, lucky you!

 

[cambriamarsh]

Yes, Amaroo, it would appear so, as same price, but when you go as far as getting ready to enter your credit card details, check the price then.
If on QF hotels, you just play around with pseudo booking, in the early stages, prices might seem the same, you go deeper, then fight the price will be higher.
BUT if you have entered your credit card details, and the prices are still the same, lucky you!

Haven’t used Qantas Hotels does anyone have any experience with cancelling a flexible booking?

 

[Daver6]

Haven’t used Qantas Hotels does anyone have any experience with cancelling a flexible booking?

Can't cancel online. Have to ring up. Fairly painless, but annoying that it can't be done online.

 

[cambriamarsh]

Can't cancel online. Have to ring up. Fairly painless, but annoying that it can't be done online.

Thanks for that does rhecall take long?

 

[Daver6]

Thanks for that does rhecall take long?

Nothing sticks out in my mind, so I don't think so.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Haven't had to cancel any of my QF hotel bookings yet, so can't say how long you will have to wait, and if they will do a fee free cancellation or not.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Haven't had to cancel any of my QF hotel bookings yet, so can't say how long you will have to wait, and if they will do a fee free cancellation or not.

Cancellation terms are stated on the booking page. Free cancellation = fee free

 

[cambriamarsh]

Nothing sticks out in my mind, so I don't think so.

Ok thank you

 

[eminere]

Thanks for that does rhecall take long?

Have never held for longer than a couple of minutes. As mentioned above the cancellation process is painless (they'll ask you the reason for cancelling and offer to rebook you), you just have to call up as can't cancel online.