Section 75 - booking.com

Chinkle

I booked a hotel with a special pre-payment rate via booking.com - payment went through on my CC but to booking.com rather than the hotel. 

A week before our stay the hotel messages me "we're closed, don't come, as prepaid come another time"  I wasn't happy and replied asking for refund as they had cancelled, but they refused saying they haven't cancelled my stay just postponing in.  They are being evasive and won't put it through the proper channels with booking.com as a cancellation.   Booking.com is asking me to "rate my stay" so it is my belief they have fooled booking.com into thinking the stay went ahead.  There seems to be no channel to speak with booking.com directly for any clarification so I'm having to go down Section 75 route with them.
Anyone had any similar experiences or thoughts on likely success - I have heard that when there is a "middle man" as booking.com is then it is much harder to successfully claim.

Life__Goes__On

A S75 could fail as you used a 3rd party, if you  want to go down the card route file a Chargeback

Raise a "Chargeback" against the transaction stating non-supply of service, (using proof of cancellation) also state that you have delay in stay that you are entitled to do under English law
Normally with a Chargeback the money is returned once it’s processed

Booking.com can dispute the Chargeback, but it must supply evidence to the card company.

If Booking,com is successful, then the Chargeback is reversed and the money taken back  from your account

http://www.theukcardsassociation.org.uk/individual/chargeback-for-credit-and-debit-card-purchases.asp

Chinkle

The forms the credit card company have sent me are for a "disputed transaction" so I'm not sure which category that falls into.   Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed.  

Life__Goes__On

Chinkle said:

The forms the credit card company have sent me are for a "disputed transaction" so I'm not sure which category that falls into.   Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed.  

I expect the back will process it as a Chargeback, as they don't pay for that.
If they do rejected it, find out the reason for rejection.