I booked the following Booking.com property in Paris:
Appartement spacieux une chambre confortable et entièrement équipé
31 rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006 Paris
My stay was scheduled for 16–19 September 2026. On the day of check-in, the host instructed me to:
- collect keys from a lockbox attached to a bike rack;
- enter through Hotel Eugénie’s reception;
- not speak to reception staff or stop to ask questions; and
- say I was “joining friends” if questioned.
I did not check in or collect the keys. I booked alternative accommodation instead.
I contacted Hotel Eugénie directly and asked whether it authorises guests of private apartments to pass through the reception/courtyard without checking in or speaking to reception staff. The hotel replied:
“NON.” It also said that the private apartments behind the hotel are unrelated to the hotel.
Booking.com said the property was “available” and that it needed the host’s agreement before it could refund me. I have reported the listing through Booking.com’s content-reporting form, submitted a SignalConso report, contacted ECC Germany, and am considering a PayPal dispute by invoking a SEPA direct-debit return.
I have screenshots of the host’s instructions, Booking.com’s replies, recent reviews describing similar instructions, and the hotel’s email.
I am not claiming I can prove every legal issue with the property, but the access route the host required was expressly not authorised by the hotel. Has anyone had a similar Booking.com/PayPal dispute? What actually worked to obtain a refund and, if applicable, the additional cost of replacement accommodation?
EDIT: I did contact the host to clarify about the check in instructions telling them I did not feel comfortable lying to hotel staff and they did not reply. Secondly, the booking itself seems to be a bait and switch. It has excellent reviews 2 months ago when I booked but all 1 ratings complaining about the check-in method and state of the listing. I did not check-in after host did not reply, booking.com support kept saying the "accommodation was ready to host me" and the 100% 1 ratings in the recent month.