False Advertising on Booking.com

TheGMan

Hi All,

Got a bit of a problem. Booked accommodation in Costa Adeje Tenerife via Booking.com. It's one of those 'no refund' ones.

Anyway, just found out via the hotels reviews that the hotel is not Sunset Bay at all which it's being advertised as but is actually called "The Sunset" (Booking.com only show the positive reviews on their booking pages - crafty!)

The problem is, we booked it on the understanding that it was Sunset Bay. We've been holidaying in Tenerife for a while now and are familiar with the location of Sunset Bay - it's near the resort centre. "The Sunset" is, per the negative comments, a residential complex with rooms that are being illegally let out as there's big signs saying "No Holiday Rentals". There's no pool bar and it's in a remote location 1.5 miles up a hill so there's no bars/restaurants/supermarkets nearby. We will have to get taxi's everywhere as my Mother-in-Law is travelling with myself and my wife on this trip and she's had a hip replacement beginning of December. Obviously she's not going to be able to climb steps or walk up hills as she can't walk very far.

We phoned Booking.com and advised them of all this but they weren't very helpful. They rang the letting agency in Italy who confirmed it wasn't Sunset Bay but basically they [Booking.com] said there was nothing we could do as it's paid for. We paid via an Asda Credit Card.

Unfortunately as a new user I can't post a link (ridiculous) but if you search for SUNSET BAY LUXURY RESORT COSTA ADEJE With Heated Pool on Google you'll find the Booking.com link

Any suggestions? Don't get me wrong, there are some good reviews about the rooms (good size, well kept etc) and the pictures look good but it's just the location on a hill which concerns us as having to get taxi's everywhere restricts what you do. I'm also concerned about the address as it's very vague on the booking. Seen two different locations for it - Calle Murcia and Calle Galicia. Tried Google Maps but I can't find it. Got a feeling this trip is going to be like Carry on Abroad :eek:

soolin

If I search and pick up the booking.com one as per the Op I get the following description:

Situated in Adeje, 2.5 km from Aqualand and less than 1 km from Gran Sur Shopping Centre, SUNSET BAY LUXURY RESORT COSTA ADEJE With Heated Pool provides accommodation with access to a garden with an outdoor swimming pool.

Offering a terrace, some units are air conditioned and feature a dining area and a seating area with a satellite flat-screen TV. There is also a kitchen in some of the units equipped with a dishwasher, an oven, and a microwave.

A car rental service is available at the apartment.

Plaza del Duque Shopping Centre is 2.8 km from SUNSET BAY LUXURY RESORT COSTA ADEJE With Heated Pool, while La Pinta Beach is 3 km from the property. The nearest airport is Tenerife Sur Airport, 20 km from the property.

However, if you click on the reviews (which show as only 7.6 satisfaction which is poor for Booking.com, it mentions it is the wrong resort.

If they have sold the wrong resort and you end up somewhere else then you can complain- I would go back to booking.com and get them to confirm in writing that the description above matches the resort you have booked as you are expecting exactly what that description says including the bit about less than 1km from resort.

OP did you notice the poor rating (and 7.6 is poor compared to other places) and did you read them before you booked?

TheGMan

Unfortunately it was a spare of the moment thing. We were let down at the last minute (holiday is in March) and we saw "Sunset Bay" and thought "Well, we know where that is" and the price is ok so we just booked it.

Have since had issues contacting the letting agency so was looking at reviews when I came across all the negatives which Booking.com hide from the booking page. You have to scroll all the way to the bottom and then click another link to see them all which is a bit crafty as it should really show a selection of both positives and negatives to give a true picture of what you're booking!

Takmon

You should look at renting a car while you are there, it will be much cheaper than a Taxi and will mean you can visit a lot more places. The last time i went Tenerife they had some very cheap car rental places and i managed to get a car for a week for less than what it would have cost to get from the airport to the accommodation.

JJ_Egan

False advert then its a complaint to the advertising authority .

TheGMan

That is an option; however we've never driven abroad before and we both like to have a drink which is why we tend to stay around the centre. Also, it's not the best place for parking if you hire a car.

Have been looking at the bus service - 424 - but even the location of the property on Booking.com is wrong too - it shows an aerial photo of the property which I can see on Google Maps but that's Calle Murcia NOT Calle Galicia as listed.

Am just in the process of making a complaint to Booking.com via their website. Probably won't help me but think they should change the name to "The Sunset" given that the accommodation is called that!!