Hotwire focuses on customer confidence

In its endeavour to increase customers' confidence when purchasing hotel
rooms, Hotwire has pledged to rebook or compensate travelers if it
lowers a property's star rating before, or within 60 days after, their hotel stay.

"Hotwire's Hotel Star Ratings Promise takes customer care to a new
level. Hotwire will review customer feedback and benchmark its ratings
against other leading travel sites and traditional third-party sources
on an ongoing basis.  If after thorough evaluation Hotwire determines
that a property rating should be reduced, Hotwire will work to rebook
customers with upcoming reservations or provide compensation in the case
that a comparable property is not available. Hotwire will also
proactively compensate customers who have stayed at that property within
the past 60 days by providing HotDollars to be used toward a future
travel purchase on the site," says the company.

Tim MacDonald, vice president of product management at Hotwire says
since Hotwire customers don't see the hotel brand until after purchase,
the company wants travelers to be assured that our ratings are sound and
know that if there's a problem, the company will make it right.

"Since there is no industry standard for hotel ratings, Hotwire's new
promise gives price-conscious customers greater confidence in our
property ratings and their purchase decision on Hotwire," says
MacDonald.

MacDonald said, "Even if Hotwire's rating for a hotel property is the
same or below ratings found elsewhere, should a significant portion of
our customers show us that the rating should be downgraded, we will
rebook or compensate them."

Hotwire recently launched a new survey to obtain feedback from its
customers after each hotel stay as part of its ongoing efforts to
enhance its property ratings. 

Hotwire saves travelers up to 60 percent off hotel rates at a broad
range of properties from 5-star luxury hotels to 1-star budget
properties, says the company. To provide additional insight on its
hotels, Hotwire also displays half-star ratings (for example, 3.5 or 4.5
stars) where appropriate.  Hotwire determines its star ratings for hotel
properties by: soliciting customer feedback following every stay and
adjusting our ratings accordingly; visiting thousands of properties each
year; carefully benchmarking our star ratings against those of other
travel sites and ratings authorities; and investigating star-rating
concerns and following up directly with customers.