HotelTravel will tell you that they do not pass on your name until about 3 days before your stay. That's where some if not all of the problems lie. If they discontinued this practice they might get happier customers. I cancelled my reservation when the hotel had never heard of me, and HotelTravel refunded my money, but it took quite a few email exchanges, and that's not worth the trouble. They need to clean up their act, other websites confirm you reservation and pass it on to the hotel straightaway, and that's the way it should be.