Priceline Bait and Switch/Fraud Norwalk CT

I booked a reservation through the Priceline.com website for a 2-night stay (Jan. 24 and 25, 2014) at the Travelodge Hotel in Great Barrington, MA early this week.  At the time I made the reservation, the website clearly stated that I could cancel at no charge through 5 p.m. today - January 23, 2014.  I had considerable difficulty getting Priceline customer service on the phone today to cancel the reservation.  When I finaly reached a Priceline representative, he told me that the deadline for no fee cancellation was Tuesday, January 23.  I pointed out that today is Thursday January 23rd.

He switched his story at that point and starting insisting that the deadline was noon today and that I had missed the cutoff (which he claimed was noon today) by a few minutes.  I told him that the Priceline website clearly stated at the time I made the reservation that 5 p.m. was the cutoff.  He would not budge and told me my only options were to pay for both nights or pay a one-night penalty and not stay at the hotel at all.

I called the hotel directly.  They informed me that Priceline had put through the cancellation but the hotel will not receive one penny of the "cancellation fee."

I will not be giving Priceline any business in the future.