7OYS helps misled traveler resolve botched hotel reservation

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- With summer vacations right around the corner, vacationers may try booking hotel rooms online. It may be convenient, but it might not be the best way to secure the room you want.

Experts say booking on websites like Expedia and Travelocity are generally fin, but there are other third party sites that can cause trouble.

Joel White of Rohnert Park booked his hotel room six months in advance. He needed a room close to a convention.

"Because of my medical problem, I really needed to not have to walk very far," White said.

The Hilton Anaheim Hotel adjoins the Anaheim Convention Center. He found what he thought was the phone number for the hotel online.

"I specifically asked, is this Hilton?" White said.

They said it was their reservation desk. When he arrived at the hotel there was no reservation on record and the hotel was sold out.

White didn't have a confirmation number but called his credit card company for information on the charge he knew he paid months before.

"American Express immediately said, well here's an order that was placed for you," White said.

But it wasn't the Hilton, it was a motel. It turns out the reservation was made through a third party company named Reservation Counter.

The Hilton was apologetic and found him a room at one of their sister properties, but it was several blocks away.

"As a result, I spent more time walking that I needed to and less time at the different programs."

Maryam Cope is the spokesperson for American Hotel and Lodging Association.

"What the hotel industry is really concerned about is booking sites that are using a variety of marketing tactics to make it seem like you're at the hotel site," Cope said.

This is exactly what happened to White.

"They'll use the hotel's logo, they'll use pictures, they'll use maps," Cope said.

White tried to dispute the hotel charges through his credit card company, but they wouldn't go for that. He called 7 On Your Side and we contacted Reservation Counter. And immediately White heard from the company. They offered an apology and a refund.

"Ninety-nine percent of the time, booking online is fine, but we really want to make consumers aware that they should be on the lookout for this scam," Cope said.

American Hotel and Lodging is urging the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on the third party hotel sites that are misleading.