booking.com

intercepter1

i booked a short stay in wales with booking .com and the hotel advised me to cancel due to the corona virus so i cancelled and proceeded to get a refund through paypal but they refuse to pay

Life__Goes__On

Seems the hotel had played a dirty trick on you getting you to cancel, it it was a non-refundable room
When did you book the short stay, and when was it for?

intercepter1

booked in january for july but the hotel say booking .com hold the money untill you check in

Life__Goes__On

Did Paypal give a reason for refusing your claim?

intercepter1

The decision was made because the purchase is ineligible for PayPal Purchase Protection according to our User Agreement

Life__Goes__On

I don't understand that reason as services ( such as flights & hotels) are covered.

intercepter1

thats the reason they gave

billy2shots

Some of this maybe pertinent to the OP and others.

I booked for a group of friends to go to Portugal on Booking.com, apartments that were 'non refundable'.
When my flights were cancelled I used the booking.com site to cancel the accomodation.  The cancel process said ' your accomodation is non refundable,  but you can try to claim it back by sending a message to the hotel/apartment'. There is a text box to type and send the message.
Sob story sent and two days later I received a reply saying 'I hadn't paid any money' from the apartments.  Followed by a message from Booking saying 'great news the accomodation have agreed a full refund'. 

I have now received all the money back.
Morale of the story, it seems that Booking.com do not pay for all accomodation in advance and just bank it until nearer the time. I paid 6 months ago so plenty of time to have passed it on.

OP, check with the accomodation that they have been paid. Try and get the refund  Booking not PayPal.