Q: I booked a hotel in Hawaii for a week long stay at a very good price, now they called me to say it was a glitch
a glitch in the system and I would need to cancel and rebook the room at the correct price which is $600 more per night, and told me its a Innkeepers act that they have the right to do that? Nothing in their terms and conditions state they have the right to change if a price advertised was booked. Is this legal? Can I keep my room at the price that I booked it at?
A: Look at your booking contract to see if they have the right to do it.
A:
Based on the information provided, it seems that the hotel is attempting to cancel your reservation due to a pricing error and require you to rebook at a higher rate. However, the legality of this action depends on several factors.
In general, if a business advertises a price and a consumer accepts that offer by making a purchase or reservation, the business is obligated to honor the advertised price. This is known as the "posted price doctrine" or "advertised price law."
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If the pricing error is a clear and obvious mistake, such as a $1 per night room rate, the business may be able to cancel the reservation. The key factor is whether a reasonable consumer would believe the advertised price was legitimate.
The hotel's mention of the "Innkeepers Act" is likely a reference to laws that protect hotels from liability in certain situations. However, it is unclear whether this act would allow them to cancel a reservation due to a pricing error.
To determine the legality of the hotel's actions, you should:
1. Review the terms and conditions of your reservation to see if they address pricing errors or the hotel's right to cancel reservations.
2. Assess whether the original advertised price was plausible or an obvious error.
3. Check if Hawaii has any specific laws addressing pricing errors or the posted price doctrine.
If you believe the hotel is not acting lawfully, you can try to negotiate with them to honor the original price or seek legal advice from a consumer protection attorney. You may also file a complaint with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs or the Better Business Bureau.
A:
Like most things legal, the answer is "maybe."
Assuming this is on Maui, they have obviously gone through a rough time.
The argument would go, either they have limited rooms, so, the price goes up OR
no one is coming around so the price goes down.
That kind of a rise in prices seems targeted to keep you out, period.
My money would be on IF it is not IN the deal, terms, conditions, it is a no go, but,
again, who do you hire to fight it and how 'loved' are you when/if you win and show
up? Lawyers are expensive, hundreds of dollars an hour. Hiring one could eat up
any/all savings as to the 600 per night...
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