EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — As fans gather in El Paso for BTS’ concert at the Sun Bowl next month, some travelers say their plans are upended when hotels booked months in advance were canceled weeks before the show.
Heather Karp, who traveled from Arizona, said she booked a room at La Quinta on Lemcon in West El Paso on Jan. 23. “I booked a room at La Quinta on January 23rd,” Karp said. “It was a total of 187 times over two nights.”
Karp said she received an email the night of April 9th informing her that her room had been cancelled.
“On the night of April 9th, I opened my email and it said, ‘Due to necessary maintenance, your room has been canceled,'” she said.
Karp said she then checked online and found the room listed again, and at a much higher price.
“I’ve seen some that cost over $500 a night. It’s sad and disappointing, to be honest,” she said.
Karp added: “I’m not going to pay 500 plus a night. That’s ridiculous. They’re not going to exploit me. That’s why they’re putting the tickets on sale.”
She also said, “I’m upset because I had to change my entire trip.”
Destiny Venecia reports that hotels canceled reservations ahead of a BTS concert, leaving fans scrambling for rooms (Credit: KDBC)
Related: Woman says El Paso La Quinta canceled BTS concert reservation and relisted room at higher price
Other viewers have reported similar experiences, including Arizona couple Robert and Diana Figueroa.
Diana Figueroa said she booked a flight to La Quinta directly through Wyndham after getting her concert tickets.
“So, after securing concert tickets in January, I immediately booked La Quinta tickets directly through Wyndham,” she said.
Figueroa said she also received a cancellation email on April 9th. “I received an email on April 9th stating that both room reservations were canceled due to critical maintenance,” she said.
The couple said when they looked again, the room was back online for about $500 a night.
Figueroa said the cancellation threw months of plans into disarray. “Since we booked so far in advance, I think they should be requested to honor the reservation and provide some alternative accommodation,” she said.
She added, “It’s frustrating because we had everything planned out and pre-planned. It’s like the rug was pulled out from under us.”
The hotel was contacted for comment and said it would provide one, but did not receive a response.
Daniel S. Gonzalez, a local attorney, said what consumers can do is often determined by the terms and conditions associated with a reservation, whether made directly or through a third-party site.
“Yes, they can cancel the contract, in which case the consumer will have a claim for damages for breach of contract or against the third-party provider,” Gonzalez said.
He added, “You need to check the cancellation policy. You need to check the underlying email and webpage because there are a lot of agreements and terms on their webpage that say you can cancel certain terms.”
Hotels.com’s online booking terms and conditions state that reservations may be changed or canceled by the provider, often without notice, and that fees are non-refundable unless otherwise stated during the booking process.
La Quinta’s website also states that you can change or cancel your reservation after it is confirmed.
Gonzalez said cancellations could cross legal lines if they are misleading or used to drive up prices.
“This is considered a deceptive trade practice with potential tax and contract violations,” he said.
Experts recommend that consumers document everything, including emails, confirmations, and communications, and book directly through a hotel’s website if possible.
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