Booking.com rip-off - hotel closed

AndyMTB

tightauldgit said:

AndyMTB said:

eskbanker said:

Not sure that it's fair to accuse booking.com of a "rip-off", given that it would appear to have been some sort of temporary issue at the hotel that seems to have been resolved reasonably quickly once booking.com intervened - the fact that you were no longer willing to go back is hardly booking.com's fault.  Perhaps more valid to share the name of the hotel as a warning instead?

Yes, I appreciate that. I did in fact phone the hotel after reading booking.com's email, as a courtesy to them to say I would not be arriving. The lady had been called out to open up, she  was apologetic and said that the link between themselves and booking.com wasn't always working. I don't know if that's true or not, but I wouldn't like to blacken the hotel if they really had no idea that they had a booking that night.

My gripe is with booking.com who effectively booked me into a closed hotel and then would not refund me. I certainly was not willing to hang around the closed hotel at that time of night on the off-chance that someone would open up - in fact it would have been near enough an hour's wait.

How were booking.com supposed to know the hotel would be closed at the specific time that you arrived? The fault here is with the hotel who closed their doors and locked up when they had a booking for that night still to arrive. 

Yes, I agree. But my transaction was only with booking.com, can't see how I could claim my fee back from the hotel.

Jonboy_1984

In the past I have booked the afternoon before uk travel, and arrived to find reception not expecting me. This was because the owner received their confirmation emails offsite and didn’t bother to tell the on site team. They quickly made up the room and booked me in.

This was squarely their procedure at fault and not booking.com…

eskbanker

AndyMTB said:

eskbanker said:

AndyMTB said:

eskbanker said:

Not sure that it's fair to accuse booking.com of a "rip-off", given that it would appear to have been some sort of temporary issue at the hotel that seems to have been resolved reasonably quickly once booking.com intervened - the fact that you were no longer willing to go back is hardly booking.com's fault.  Perhaps more valid to share the name of the hotel as a warning instead?

Yes, I appreciate that. I did in fact phone the hotel after reading booking.com's email, as a courtesy to them to say I would not be arriving. The lady had been called out to open up, she  was apologetic and said that the link between themselves and booking.com wasn't always working. I don't know if that's true or not, but I wouldn't like to blacken the hotel if they really had no idea that they had a booking that night.

My gripe is with booking.com who effectively booked me into a closed hotel and then would not refund me. I certainly was not willing to hang around the closed hotel at that time of night on the off-chance that someone would open up - in fact it would have been near enough an hour's wait.

You don't want to blacken the hotel but choose to believe them over booking.com and so happy to blacken the latter by accusing them of ripping you off?

Do you not think that booking.com should return my money? I haven't sent any money to the hotel. I don't even know how much they received.

It'll depend on the Ts & Cs associated with your booking, but on the face of it, booking.com did all that could reasonably be expected of them that evening - you alerted them to an issue and they read your message, contacted the hotel person, confirmed arrangements and reverted to you, all within less than an hour.  I'm not saying I blame you for choosing to make alternative plans in the circumstances, but that doesn't mean that the terms of your booking allow for a refund in this situation....

Manxman_in_exile

I've never heard of a hotel which has completely shut up shop for the night by 8:50pm.  No lights and nobody can be raised...

oldernonethewiser

Manxman_in_exile said:

I've never heard of a hotel which has completely shut up shop for the night by 8:50pm.  No lights and nobody can be raised...

You have now.

Similar thing happened to me in the west coast of Scotland. 

cannugec5

Manxman_in_exile said:

I've never heard of a hotel which has completely shut up shop for the night by 8:50pm.  No lights and nobody can be raised...

I have! 

The previous owners of the hotel in our village used to delight in the stories of customers locked out. They only accepted guests checking in between 5pm and 9 pm. We are remote and rural, with many tourists arriving late when they got lost. 

But even though guests were expected- even if they’d phoned to say they’d be late- the doors were locked and the phone unanswered. There was no doorbell!
As I said - previous owners! They sold a dying hotel that has since been resuscitated with care and attention

bris

born_again said:

A bit odd that a hotel had no staff there. 

Not really been to a few on my travels. 

My last one in wales you get a code for a key box, each box is individual with a room number on it. You open the box and the keys to the main door and the room are in it.

There are no thrills hotels that aren't owner occupied. The do have a number to call if their is any problems. 

Room was pretty good, Ensuite  with a TV, wifi and tea and coffee. 

No thrills but the right price for a one day business trip.

Pollycat

bris said:

born_again said:

A bit odd that a hotel had no staff there. 

Not really been to a few on my travels. 

My last one in wales you get a code for a key box, each box is individual with a room number on it. You open the box and the keys to the main door and the room are in it.

There are no thrills hotels that aren't owner occupied. The do have a number to call if their is any problems. 

Room was pretty good, Ensuite  with a TV, wifi and tea and coffee. 

No thrills but the right price for a one day business trip.

I think that's a bit different to turning up at a hotel expecting someone to be there.
You knew how to get in.

I agree with other posters re the OP:
It doesn't seem fair to accuse booking.com of ripping you off under the circumstances described.

km1500

you misunderstand the purpose of booking.com - their role is explained in their t and c and basically say they provide the platform to enable you to book but any booking is between you and the hotel.

 'When you make a Booking, it’s directly with the Service Provider. We’re not a ‘contractual party’ to your Booking."

You tell booking.com what to book - they go ahead and do it. It is up to you to research the hotel, opening hours etc

lincroft1710

bris said:

born_again said:

A bit odd that a hotel had no staff there. 

There are no thrills hotels that aren't owner occupied. The do have a number to call if their is any problems. 

Room was pretty good, Ensuite  with a TV, wifi and tea and coffee. 

No thrills but the right price for a one day business trip.

I think you mean "no frills"