Booking.com Compensation

dianewl

I booked a B and B for one night stay via Booking.com. Booking.com confirmed booking and automatically deducted money from my account before arrival. Four of us were booked into 2 rooms. Two were travelling by car, myself and my friend were on a cycling tour so arrived by bike after a 50+ mile leg on  that particular day. When my friend and my sister arrived at the address late afternoon ( we were still cycling), the lady at the b and b was shocked. She had needed to cancel all bookings at the property and had notified booking.com in advance of our date of arrival. So late afternoon in a remote village we found ourselves with nowhere to stay that night. We are three ladies of nearly 70 years old and one lady of 80. This was frightening to say the least. Fortunately the lady who had to legitimately let us down phoned around and got a friend in the village to take us in. I contacted Booking.Com. Firstly to get my £400 refunded but I also told them I wanted compensation as this was extremely stressful for all of us and to say inconvenient is an understatement. My friend and I could never have cycled further that evening we were exhausted.  Booking.com are not offering any compensation only a refund in difference  between our original accommodation price and the one we stayed in. In fact the second was not more expensive; but I feel this isn't about the cost of the accommodation it is about a failure to fulfill their end of the contract. Do I have any rights that I can invoke to get compensation as Booking.com would still have taken my money if I failed to keep my end of the bargain. Hope someone can offer some advice.

powerful_Rogue

dianewl said:

I booked a B and B for one night stay via Booking.com. Booking.com confirmed booking and automatically deducted money from my account before arrival. Four of us were booked into 2 rooms. Two were travelling by car, myself and my friend were on a cycling tour so arrived by bike after a 50+ mile leg on  that particular day. When my friend and my sister arrived at the address late afternoon ( we were still cycling), the lady at the b and b was shocked. She had needed to cancel all bookings at the property and had notified booking.com in advance of our date of arrival. So late afternoon in a remote village we found ourselves with nowhere to stay that night. We are three ladies of nearly 70 years old and one lady of 80. This was frightening to say the least. Fortunately the lady who had to legitimately let us down phoned around and got a friend in the village to take us in. I contacted Booking.Com. Firstly to get my £400 refunded but I also told them I wanted compensation as this was extremely stressful for all of us and to say inconvenient is an understatement. My friend and I could never have cycled further that evening we were exhausted.  Booking.com are not offering any compensation only a refund in difference  between our original accommodation price and the one we stayed in. In fact the second was not more expensive; but I feel this isn't about the cost of the accommodation it is about a failure to fulfill their end of the contract. Do I have any rights that I can invoke to get compensation as Booking.com would still have taken my money if I failed to keep my end of the bargain. Hope someone can offer some advice.

From what you said, no, appears you are not entitled to compensation. Compensation is generally for actual losses. I think you mean a goodwill gesture. You suffered no loss as you was put up elsewhere and received the difference in price back.

user1977

If you've got a full refund (have you? Not very clear from your post), and didn't incur any additional costs for your alternative accommodation, what's your loss for which you wish to be compensated?

screech_78

Compensation for stress always gets people’s backs up. Mainly because it’s always ridiculous. 

You’ve had a full refund and the difference in the alternative accommodation so you don’t have any losses. 

I think you’re also clutching at straws by mentioning your age and making out you’re vulnerable when you’ve just cycled 50+ miles. That was your own choice. Sorry to be harsh but I think what has been offered is fair. 

Ozzig

Based on my experience with Booking .com you had a good result there.

powerful_Rogue

screech_78 said:

Compensation for stress always gets people’s backs up. Mainly because it’s always ridiculous. 

You’ve had a full refund and the difference in the alternative accommodation so you don’t have any losses. 

I think you’re also clutching at straws by mentioning your age and making out you’re vulnerable when you’ve just cycled 50+ miles. That was your own choice. Sorry to be harsh but I think what has been offered is fair. 

Exactly. Worst case they could have got a taxi/train or asked the owner if she would look after the bikes and jump in their friends car and head to the next nearest village that does have somewhere to stay.

Sandtree

dianewl said:
myself and my friend were on a cycling tour so arrived by bike after a 50+ mile leg on  that particular day. 

Sure, send them the receipts of what you lost and they will compensate you. By the sounds of it you stayed somewhere for free and got a full refund so its not clear 

I'm struggling a little what your age has got to do with anything? Either you are fit and fairly healthy people that can cycle 50 miles in one day having cycled the day before and/or planning to cycle more the next day or you are infirm old people who need carers etc and not fit to be alone. 

Assuming you have told a similar story to the agency then it may be of little surprise of why they didn't feel moved to give a gesture of goodwill.