Imagine booking your family vacation only to show up and find out the hotel you were supposed to stay at didn't have room.
That's what happened to the Josephs, a Garland family that booked their vacation hotel suite on Expedia. But their trip to Cancun was anything but relaxing.
Chris Joseph was searching for the perfect getaway for his family. He came across what seemed like a great deal on Expedia, a hotel suite in Cancun for $89 per night.
"For a two-bed suite, I thought that was a steal," he said.
Joseph chose to pay the hotel when he, his parents and his sister arrived, an option offered through Expedia. But when they arrived at the hotel, they realized it may have been too good to be true.
"We booked the reservation, had the confirmation, we had everything with us," Chris Joseph said. "The receptionist at the hotel basically told us that there were no rooms available at the time of the booking, so Expedia should not have allowed us to book a reservation ."
Then came Plan B. The family said they were told they would instead be moved to a single room at a hotel/hostel.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"One bed. For four of us, four adults," Chris Joseph said. "At that point, we were so worn out. We just wanted to get our bags, put somewhere, We'll deal with it when we get back."
The family cut the trip short and contacted a manager at Expedia once they returned home. Joseph said the manager promised a full refund and a $300 Expedia coupon.
But not long after, Joseph received an email from Expedia stating the hotel was not willing to issue the refund.
"So I knew this was just another runaround," he said.
Under it's terms of use, Expedia makes it clear they are not responsible for overbooking and won't make a refund. But once NBC 5 Responds got involved, Expedia offered a $200 travel coupon and worked with the hotel to refund $105.
Expedia told us they regret the inconvenience the Joseph family experienced and urged customers with concerns or complaints to call them immediately.
The best advice from the NBC 5 Responds team is to always confirm your reservation with the hotel ahead of time when you book through travel sites like Expedia. And book with a credit card for added protection.
