Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/02/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I reserved your hotel , Silver Fox Inn,NH, through Booking.com on Sep.25,2022 for 4 people, 2 nights and 2 rooms total, from 10/9-11,2022. It cost us $797.80 because it was peak season for the long weekend and also for peak fall leaves. the confirmation number is *********** The cancellation fee is $175.23 until Oct.8. no free cancellation choice. We did book because it is ok for us to pay $175.23 if anything happened.
  Unfortunately, one couple who felt uncomfortable and tested COVID positive a few days before the trip. we had to cancel our hotel reservation on 10/5 according to the direction of the booking website. We were charged $349.46 instead of $175.23.
  We called booking .com. We were told to call the hotel to find a solution
  We requested $175.23 refund because:
  1. This cancellation is really an unexpected situation. Hotel should protect their guests and don't allowed COVID positive stay in
  2. There was no choice for free cancellation when we booked. We balanced that $175 is fine for us if anything happened.
  3. furthermore, We received wrong reservation information from your email. We booked for 4 people, but the reservation showed up for 8 people. It was not what we booked. When we canceled it showed up 4 adult and fee $175.23. Another couple would go if we found out the cancellation cost us almost $400.
  4. After spending the time We contacted Booking .com and the hotel manager. We were told by MS. Autumn that she will give us a refund if the rooms we booked were refilled. We believed that hotel rooms would be refilled because it was a long weekend and peak season in the area. We checked hotel availability from the hotel and booking website during the waiting period too. It was not available at all.
  We never noticed total booking is for 8 people.. The whole situation were misleading. We need they take responsibility for misleading part $175.23. Thanks

  Business Response

  Date: 11/09/2022

  The customer reserved two rooms at our lodging facility for a stay Columbus Day weekend, 10/9-11/2022.  The reservations were made through a third-party application, Booking.com on September 25, 2022.  The date the two rooms were reserved was the last available cancellation date prior to the arrival day of 10/9/2022.  Being a resort property in a destination location our cancellation policy is 15 days or prior a guest will receive deposit less a $50.00 cancellation fee and inside of 14 days the 50% deposit will be forfeited upon cancellation.  This is a per room reservation policy as the confirmation letter provided by Booking.com states (attached).

  Ms. ** reached out to the hotel on 10/5/22 through the chat app of Booking.com asking for the cancellation fee to be waived, which was declined as the reservation was well inside the 14 days prior to arrival.  ***** ** called the hotel several times receiving the same verbal statement from staff members.  On Friday 10/7, the Silver Fox Inn Lodging Manager, Autumn, spoke with Ms. **, she let Ms. ** know that if we were able to sellout the property (total of 32 rooms) for Sunday 10/9/22, we would refund the 50% deposit on both rooms.  Ms. ** then processed the cancellation of the two rooms on the booking.com portal to release back to our inventory so we could try to sell.

  Unfortunately, the Inn sold   On 10/9 around 3pm the Virtual credit card on file for Ms. ** reservations was processed for the cancellation fee of 50% of each room reservation.  We understand the guest was hopeful we would resell the rooms as it was a long weekend, so many factors play a part in selling guest rooms; weather, consumers already have plans for a long weekend before the start and Waterville Valley is a planned destination for a high percentage of travelers. 

  We respect the concern to travel when any guest prior to the date of arrival has ailments such as the flu, a broken bone, covid and many other situations.  We strongly suggest guests consider trip insurance as the expense to incur cancellation fees affect travelers' fast when arise like the above to stop travel plans moving forward.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/15/2022

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint.

  On Oct.5, we tried to cancel all our reservations once we found out, one of 4 of us who would be the main driver, cached COVID. OMNI mount Washington resort was the first hotel we called, we spent $857.86 per room and no refund policy from their website which we booked at last minutes for our trip. After we explained our situation, OMNI was very understanding and canceled our reservation, refunding all money to us.
  After we canceled OMNI, we called BOOKIng.com. Their representative told us to contact Silver Fox Inn to get a solution and also told us they may charge us between $50-100 (see attached picture). After several attempted, I got chance to talk Lodge manager Ms. Autumn. She finally promised that she would refund us if she resold the rooms.
  I called the hotel again on Oct.11.unfortunately, I was told by their front desk that there was no refund because it was Sunday. It was hard to sell room again. It is not true.
  First, we requested this cancellation on Oct.5, which was 4 days ahead of our reservation. Per hotel response, they stated "so many factors play a part in selling guest rooms; weather, consumers already have plans for a long weekend before the start and Waterville Valley is a planned destination for a high percentage of travelers." It is not true either. We reserved two nights from Oct.9-11 which was a long weekend Sunday and Monday nights. That weekend was the peak foliage in WT and NH, plus beautiful weather forecast. There were no hotel rooms available in that area at all. People had hard time finding the hotels.  My friends and myself kept checking the Silver inn availability too. Nothing available during that time at all (see one of the pictures).  
  There was no free cancellation choice when we booked. We selected this hotel because we decided to take a $175.23 fine if anything happened (see pictures attached). Actually, I reserved two rooms together. We took the risk according to the hotel policy $175.23. nowhere mentioned it is per room policy. On our booking they put 4 adults in a room, while we only have 2 adults in a room. This mistake let us think $175.23 for all of us.  It is unfair that we pay the money for this confused reservation.   
  Thanks again for everybody's time. I hope we find the best solution to be fair to both parties soon. We can move on. Looking Forward!

  Sincerely,

  
  
  
  ***** **