Booking.com Customer Service Issues

During my recent stay at a hostel in Canggu, Bali, I encountered some troubling issues. Upon check-in, I found the management to be intoxicated and unaware of my reservation despite previous communication. Throughout my stay, I hardly saw any sober staff members. When I left on September 26th, I received a message from someone claiming to be the manager, Ben, accusing me of not paying. Shockingly, he insinuated that I had taken items from the room. This unfounded accusation and unprofessional conduct have left me deeply upset. I find it unacceptable to be treated in such a disrespectful manner for something I did not do. This behavior is appalling and should not be tolerated. My experience at this property was marred by these incidents, and I hope that the management addresses their behavior to prevent others from facing similar mistreatment.

On October 18, [redacted], we checked into the Mariner Motor Hotel at [redacted] Hume Street, Collingwood, Ontario, booked through Booking.com. We requested an early check-in, gave our credit card for processing, and were directed to a different entrance. Unfortunately, the condition of the room did not match the website's description, with a small, unclean room, torn wallpaper, patches missing, and a bed smaller than the queen size advertised. Unwilling to stay, we had to find alternative accommodation for our grandson's hockey tournament. We wonder who will refund our $[redacted].47— the motel or the booking agency? It's unfair to pay for a misrepresented service. Any advice on how to proceed with a refund would be appreciated. - C.H.

I was charged an early check-in fee of $20 even though I was already a guest just extending my stay. The staff member didn't inform me I could pay the standard rate of $59 and charged me $53.26 plus the extra $20. I believe this is discriminatory as other white and Spanish guests I spoke to weren't charged the same fee. Another black couple was also charged unfairly. I think I should have been given the option of paying the regular rate. I'd like a refund as I am a regular user of booking.com. Please contact me to discuss how to resolve this matter as I see it as a form of discrimination.

This is my second correspondence about the same issue. I was unexpectedly charged for not staying at the resort due to a $75.00 plus tax charge for our pet, which I found unreasonable. When I inquired with “Melissa” during check-in, she advised me to cancel the reservation with you. I promptly emailed that night but did not receive a response before the charge appeared on my statement the next morning. Despite my attempts to call and rectify the situation, I was unable to access the reservation each time. If you wish for me to recommend your services to others, I urge you to address this promptly and halt the charge; otherwise, I will have to dispute it with my credit card company. I kindly request that you stop the payment immediately and look forward to your prompt response. Thank you.

I am writing to address some issues I encountered during my recent booking. Upon arrival at Primrose Cottage, I experienced a delay before being let in. The host's four dogs were on the premises, which I don't mind, but I was not shown the bathroom upon going upstairs. While speaking with the host in the bedroom, one of the dogs urinated on the bed and cushions, causing distress. The host removed the dogs, but the situation left me dissatisfied. Furthermore, the bed lacked cleanliness and fresh sheets, contributing to discomfort in the cold room. When I sought to discuss the matter with the host about leaving, she was unavailable. Despite my attempts to address the issues with her, she denies the situation. I request a resolution and a full refund as my stay lasted only 10 minutes.

I encountered a disturbing situation recently while searching for a hotel online from my home computer. Without directly visiting Booking.com or mentioning it, I was shocked to see it appear as a suggested site on my Facebook feed, displaying the exact hotel I had viewed. This invasion of my privacy has left me incredibly uncomfortable. I have no intention of using Booking.com and will only discuss my negative experience with others. I demand to be removed from any of your marketing lists. If I ever decide to use your services, I will seek you out myself. Please refrain from bombarding me with your advertisements on Facebook; otherwise, I will continue to voice my frustration until it stops. Respect my privacy and cease all unwanted contact. While some may tolerate this behavior, I certainly do not.

URGENT: Issue with Unauthorized Payments During Stay at Sheraton Reston Hotel I booked 5 rooms for 2 nights at Sheraton Reston hotel via Booking.com on 23 Aug [redacted]. The booking confirmation number is [redacted]. I made the reservations for myself (Ioana Raluca Rusu) and 4 other guests: Simon Carsten, Maciej Lutostanski, Theodoros Diamantopoulos, and Peter Christiaens for a business trip. The price per night was USD [redacted].08. Upon arrival on 2 Sep [redacted], all guests checked in as planned. However, on 3 Sep [redacted], 7 unauthorized payments were made from my Revolut card to Springhill Suites Jack. As these charges were not authorized and not related to my Booking.com reservation, I cancelled my Revolut Card. Revolut mentioned a duplicate reservation with my contact details for Springhill Suites in their system, but I did not book there. I have evidence of my complaint to Revolut and the duplicate reservation on my account. I seek clarification on how my information reached Springhill Suites and why I am being charged for a reservation I did not make. Thank you for your prompt attention, Ioana Rusu

Confirmation R109688 - I made a reservation at the Tioga Downs Casino hotel for October 23, [redacted]. Unfortunately, I encountered disturbances from loud music and noise from another guest's room between 11:30 PM and 4 AM. Despite attempting to contact the front desk several times, their line was continuously busy. The next morning, at 7:30 AM, when I approached the front desk to address this issue, I was informed that they couldn't assist as I had booked through your service. This situation is unacceptable, especially given the circumstances as I needed rest for my journey to attend my father's memorial. I kindly request your intervention in resolving this matter as I do not believe I should be charged for a room where sleep was unattainable. Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Hello, I would like to address a concern regarding a booking I made with Booking.com. The reservation is for One World Hotel Kuala Lumpur from 4th to 14th January [redacted]. My reference number is [redacted][redacted]28, and the Pin is [redacted]. The guest name associated with the booking is F. Y. Kaw. Upon booking, I was not aware that my reservation would be transferred to a third party. I chose Booking.com due to their price match guarantee and cancellation policies. However, after completing the transaction, I discovered that the booking was passed on to Agoda through Booking.basic, altering the terms and conditions of my original purchase. I seek assistance in receiving the price match guarantee for the property as initially expected. I have attached screenshots showing prices corresponding to the dates and room type I believed I was booking. Your prompt response with a resolution is appreciated. Warm regards, K. F. Y.

I had made a reservation with Hotel Arboretum to take a group of Title 1 high school students to a journalism convention. Unfortunately, due to a change in district policy, I had to adjust the dates. I recently discovered there is a cancellation fee for the reservation. I have reached out to the hotel, explaining the situation and offering to find alternative guests for part of the reservation, but they directed me to contact Booking.com to handle the decision. The reservation details are as follows: - 2 double queen rooms for 11/21-11/23 for myself. - Another group from Wyoming needs 3 double queen rooms from 11/20-11/24. I kindly ask for assistance in cancelling and rebooking these rooms without the cancellation fee, as it is a burden on a teacher's budget. Thank you for your understanding and help in this matter.

On the 23rd of September, my family stayed at the Victoria Station apartment booked through Booking.com. We experienced a hot water system breakdown on the first day. Despite reporting the issue promptly, the response and customer service from Booking.com were lacking. Repeated attempts to contact their provided local numbers went unanswered, forcing me to involve the apartment's reception. I faced challenges trying to get Booking.com to address the situation promptly. After multiple failed attempts, a maintenance worker finally addressed the problem by the fifth day. However, the carpet was left wet, causing further inconvenience. Despite sharing photos of the situation, I received no satisfactory response from Booking.com. I urge the company to address this unprofessional handling of our accommodation issue.

Good morning, I am experiencing conflicting information regarding a booking cancellation for my boss, Colin, with confirmed emails in regards to canceling one night of accommodation and waiving the cancellation fee due to a double booking issue. One email from Booking.com confirmed the Ghent Marriott Hotel agreed to waive the fee with confirmation number [redacted] on 22/10/[redacted] at 8:04pm. However, another email received on 24/10/[redacted] at 6:00pm states he will be charged the fee, causing confusion. Should we contact the hotel directly to clarify this issue or is the recent email an error? Please provide further details promptly. Kind regards, Marney (Colin's Personal Assistant)

Dear Customer Service Team, I am writing to address the issue regarding our long-overdue refund of 45 days. The accommodation we booked through your platform in Austria turned out to be unavailable upon our arrival. Despite promises from the hotel, Appartmenthaus Huber, and multiple emails to Booking, we are still awaiting our refund. Booking claimed to have processed the refund on 17.10, but we have yet to receive it. Numerous attempts to contact Booking have been made to resolve this matter, all of which have been unsuccessful. If this matter is not rectified promptly, I will have no choice but to seek legal counsel. There are four other families affected by this delay in receiving their refunds as well. Our reservation number is [redacted] under Peter Kolodej, for the stay from 11.9. until 15.9. in Austria. Your prompt attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Iveta Rajská Czech Republic

I have four bookings from booking.com that were no-shows yesterday, and we need to address payment for these reservations. The credit cards provided for these bookings have been declining, preventing us from processing payment. Please contact me at the hotel at [redacted]. I'm Mary, the front office manager. I do not wish to pay a fee to resolve this matter as we are a hotel.

I made a reservation for a one-night stay in Raleigh Durham on 10/17/19. My confirmation number is [redacted]. I specifically requested a hotel close to the Raleigh Durham Airport (RDU) due to an early flight the next day at 5 AM. I even mentioned in the comments that I needed airport shuttle service. However, upon arrival, I realized the hotel was actually an hour away from the airport, not as requested. This caused me to incur additional expenses of $[redacted].45 for Uber rides. I had to find another hotel nearby for my convenience. I have always been a loyal customer and never faced such issues before. I kindly ask for a refund of the total amount spent on transportation. Thank you for addressing this matter promptly. Your attention is greatly appreciated.

We want to file a complaint and request a refund. After careful consideration, we feel compelled to proceed with this issue. We made a reservation on booking.com with confidence, similarly to how we would with Airbnb or other online lodging services. Upon arriving at the room, we were appalled by its condition. The beds were unmade and smelled of sweat, the garbage can was overflowing, the towels reeked of mold, and the fridge was moldy as well. To add to our dismay, the advertised WiFi kept disconnecting. What's more troubling is that the room we received was not the one depicted on your website. It was a different place entirely. We expected a small self-contained unit for our stay in Japan, but instead, we were met with a filthy room that we tried to avoid spending time in. We have returned home and are considering reaching out to Australian consumer affairs as the accommodations were not as advertised and not what we paid for. While we understand we booked an inexpensive room, we have used online lodging services before without encountering such issues. It raises the question of whether you inspect the rooms before listing them, as guests expect the conditions shown in the photos and described on your website.

During our stay at Laguinta by Wyndham in south Nashville, TN, we encountered an issue with our reservation. Our confirmation number is [redacted]. Despite requesting a handicap accessible room through booking.com due to my wife's mobility issues, we were informed upon arrival that there were no such accommodations available. This situation poses a significant challenge for my wife, who requires specific bathroom facilities and safety features. The lack of proper amenities, such as adequate toilet height and safety rails, directly violates ADA guidelines, as plastic shower chairs are not accepted as suitable for handicap showers. Furthermore, there is no accessible parking or ramp near our room, making it difficult for us to navigate the property. As a disabled veteran, I find this oversight concerning. I am requesting a response within 24 hours from booking.com on how they plan to rectify this situation. Failure to address this issue satisfactorily may result in complaints to federal and state human rights commissions, as well as formal investigations by the FCC and SEC due to the interstate nature of the transaction. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

We had made a reservation at Ranch Ekru in Athens for Sept 10-14. Unfortunately, there were high voltage power lines over the hotel not mentioned beforehand. Consequently, we decided to depart after one night, with the owner assuring us of a refund. However, we have yet to receive the reimbursement. Our negative review was removed by Booking, which raises concerns. I have consistently posted positive reviews on this platform after numerous hotel stays. Kindly refund the payment or reinstate our honest (negative) feedback. Failure to do so will lead me to believe that Booking is being deceptive by manipulating reviews. This may result in me refraining from using your services as I value trust in the accuracy of hotel descriptions on your site. Best regards, Z. Mendelowski

I encountered a problem with a reservation I tried to make via Booking.com. My credit card couldn't be validated even though my credit card company, MasterCard, confirmed no issues. Booking.com requires a confirmation number to inquire about problems, but I didn't receive one. When I checked the availability for the dates I wanted, it showed as booked, making me suspect it might be my reservation. As a result, I have people waiting in bad weather. The booking is non-refundable, and I can't find an alternative large enough space. It's frustrating not being able to speak to a live person to confirm my booking and inquire about check-in details. The lack of customer support and potential charges without confirmation are very concerning. If this issue persists, I may have to seek legal advice. Email communication seems to be leading nowhere.

I was en route to Rochester to visit my grandmother in the hospital when I received a call from my son about a car accident. I had to turn back to help him. Due to these unforeseen circumstances, I won't be able to use the room I booked. I was hoping for some flexibility with a credit or refund for the booking. As I am dealing with my son's situation, I may not make it back to Rochester to see my grandmother. Please contact me at [redacted]. Thank you. - R.C.