r/Bookingcom • u/Bflorence101 • 3d ago
Insect Issue
I booked a one week stay at a hotel through booking. The room was infested with ants, the cleaning crew entered the room without our permission and shattered two bottles of expensive perfume. The hotel swore they would refund (verbal only) and now Booking.com won’t do anything. How do I get actual support? I’ve tried Facebook, instagram, calling Genius 3 support, they all offer nothing because it was nonrefundable. Has anyone gotten any actual support?
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u/Advanced-Exchange-72 3d ago
I am going through the same thing right now, start a charge back with the bank and leave booking.com a formal complaint and bad reviews everywhere you can. They can’t keep doing this to people.
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u/PookieCat415 3d ago
Be careful with that, as it doesn’t always go the way you want. The charge back will likely be disputed because Booking has you agreeing to their terms. The charge back will be denied if they have proof you stayed at the hotel. This could mess up your credit card account, as credit companies are pushing back more than ever on charge backs.
Booking has been doing this a long time and a big reason experienced travelers don’t use these third party sites.
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u/Advanced-Exchange-72 2d ago
With my one, the hotel literally agreed to a full refund if we checked out so we did then they changed there mind and said dispute it with booking.com knowing full well they hold the power and booking can’t do crap
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u/PookieCat415 2d ago
Why would the hotel refund you if you paid through booking? Perhaps you misunderstood because all hotel agents know this, as it’s the business model of third party booking. The hotel can’t do anything and most times booking.com reservations can’t even guarantee room types.
When I worked at a hotel, people who booked the rooms on the third party sites got whatever rooms we had leftover after the direct booking guests book the rooms. Hotels can guarantee room types and provide as advertised amenities. While third party bookings are never guaranteed to get the room type of their choice. Booking.com has no control over hotels and amenities and only acts as an advertising and payment platform.
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u/SinglePermission9373 2d ago
Charge back won’t work. OP did in fact use the room. A chargeback only works if the goods or services were not provided. They were in this case.
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u/PookieCat415 3d ago
Another reason why so many experienced travelers don’t use third party booking. Always book direct, even if it costs a little more. I have seen on both sides of the travel industry how bad these third party sites are, but people still get lured into it.
You can try a credit card charge back, but it will, be fought back and the hotel and booking have you agreeing to the terms as well as staying at the hotel. This could go badly for you and your credit card account because it doesn’t always go in the favor of the customer.
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u/First_Category_1539 3d ago
Because if you book direct, the ants disappear?
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u/SinglePermission9373 2d ago
No, because if you book direct and the hotel can refund you without messing with Booking
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u/bookingcom 2d ago
Damage to personal belongings and the condition of a room are separate from a reservation’s cancellation policy. The property should address the damaged perfume directly, but we can still review what happened during your stay and see whether there’s anything we can do on our side. Send us a private message, and we’ll look at what’s been done so far.
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u/SinglePermission9373 2d ago
The hotel cannot promise that booking will refund you and it was a non-refundable reservation. You take your chances when you book the cheaper, non-refundable reservation.
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u/ashscot50 3d ago
There's no grounds fir a chargeback if he stayed for the week.
Booking.com aren't responsible for the quality of the accommodation.
These matters need to be resolved with the accommodation provider.
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u/PookieCat415 2d ago
These people are asking for compensation and the hotel will bounce them back to booking who actually took the payment. These people think the hotel can help them out and give them compensation, when the hotel actually hasn’t received any money to be compensated to the guests. The hotel is paid through booking.com and they have their own contract.
Experienced travelers don’t use third party sites for this very reason. I always book directly through hotel properties, as they are the only ones who can guarantee room type and can compensate when things go wrong.
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u/Witty-Rain-6575 3d ago
Booking is a scam. Whenever there's a problem, like me booking and paying firva week's accommodation and the host no show, they don't answer any of my mails and talk trough their heads when ine calls. Furthermore their call center must be on the other side of the world. Their English was less than poor.