By Christopher Elliott
Guest Columnist

Editor’s Note: Problem Solved is a weekly Q&A column that fixes consumer problems. It features authentic reader cases and practical solutions, ranging from broken kitchen appliances to fraudulent online purchases. Problem Solved repairs the problem and offers advice for how to avoid trouble the next time you make a purchase.

Carol Egan accidentally booked an expensive and nonrefundable room at a Hampton Inn. Can she fix the mistake or is she stuck with a $264 bill?

My grandniece is getting married soon. We used the travel information she provided online to book our room at a Hampton Inn.

When we clicked on the link, it opened up a webpage listing the rooms available for the wedding dates in the special block with a nonrefundable rate of $264.

We thought the rate was high, but we followed the wedding party’s instructions. Two days later, we got a call from the bride’s mother informing us that our room rate was supposed to be $149 and instructing us to call the manager at the Hampton Inn to get it straightened out.

In that call, we found out that the block of rooms allocation must have been filled when we used the website to book the room, so it quoted the $264 price. The block allocation had already been extended before we contacted the local manager. The manager said he could not modify or cancel the reservation since I made it on the Hilton website. He gave us a number for Hilton and suggested that they could cancel or change our reservation.

We called Hilton and requested that they modify the reservation to be the wedding block rate of $149 or cancel and refund the reservation. We got nowhere.

They did offer to cancel the reservation and give us 12 months to use the whole $264 for a booking at another Hilton property. We did not accept that offer. We don’t plan on booking any $264 per night rooms during the next 12 months. Can you help? — Carol Egan, Marco Island, Fla.

Congratulations on your grandniece getting married. It was nice of her to find a block of hotel rooms at the Hampton Inn for her family, but you’re right — $226 a night is a little high for a night at the Hampton Inn. When you see a rate like that, don’t click on it, even if your family has arranged the rate. You’re better off calling the hotel and asking for a better rate. Or you can stay somewhere else and use the money you save to buy your grandniece a nice wedding present.

Be extra careful when you book a nonrefundable rate (even if it’s with your family’s apparent blessing). Hotels love nonrefundable rates because it means they get to keep your money no matter what happens. And it appears that would include you booking a room at the wrong rate. Want a refund? Tough luck — it’s nonrefundable!

There’s no reason hotel rates should ever be nonrefundable. Usually, hotels will offer a small discount — 10-20% — in exchange for nonrefundability. In your case, they skipped the discount and just added the onerous terms. Come on.
Never, ever book a nonrefundable hotel rate.

The solution is a case study in self-advocacy. I gave you the executive contacts for Hilton (which owns Hampton Inn) and recommended you send a brief, polite email to them. You did, and you received a quick response.

“I apologize for any inconvenience and how you stated your concerns were addressed,” a representative said. “Kindly note that there are specific cancellation policies in place for Advance Purchase Non-Refundable reservations. Our customer service and hotel agents could not modify or refund as per protocol.”

However, as a “one-time exception and gesture of good faith,” Hilton refunded the full $264. “We at Hilton thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and hope that this does not deter you from staying with our brands in the future,” the representative added.

Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer for Elliott Advocacy. Email him at [email protected] or get help with any consumer problem by contacting him.