Game and hatred in Booking.com
Yesterday I had a rather curious story, which spoiled my day, exhausted my nerves and emptied my purse.
Booking.com I’ve been robbed. No, seriously.
So, in order.
I needed to make a reservation for my vacation. As usual, I found a hotel on the portal, which attracted me with its simplicity and convenient location. It was necessary to pay at once that, however, didn’t confuse me as I did it earlier.
You probably traveled and know that the Booking is necessary to fill in all the information about the guests, then enter the credit card details and click “Complete the reservation”, after which your money will fly to the hotel, and you will become the proud owner of the confirmed reservation.
The money’s gone. But the reservation did not appear. I was again thrown to the last page (where credit card data should be hammered), the phrase “it Seems this number is not available on the website please try again or choose another number”.
So I encountered for the first time. I have a Genius status which gives me discounts as a frequent traveller. Booking assures me that they have a separate line of support for the owners of Genius status. I call both phones, the answering machine starts talking to me, which informs me that they have a large flow of calls and they can only serve those who have a reservation number. And I would be happy to provide it, but the reservation just did not pass, therefore, I do not have a room. A robotic voice tells me that “if your question is not urgent, email us”. And he urgent, he, your OK left, very urgent.
I try to wait on the line, but I constantly repeat “Enter the reservation number.” Can’t call. Waiting in line – it’s useless (I sat for a long time).
Had to write them in support. After some time, they respond and ask to send them a receipt for payment from the Bank. Sending a receipt. Booking informs in writing that the booking has not passed and the refund process has started. I got a call from an employee.
As I was assured by Ksenia (the employee of a Booking), such failure at them – a big rarity and on her memory was the last time a year ago. Okay, apparently, my luck somewhere thumped, in that case. Assure me that this will not happen again, and the refund will be within 48 hours.
Think: okay. Wait for return. But I need to make a reservation. I don’t know what my contused stump was thinking. But I take and book the second time the same room in the same hotel. What happened next – guess for yourself?
Correctly. Everything happens according to the same scenario. Again, the money flies away, again does not pass the reservation. As a result, I sit without reservation and without money.
An employee of the Booking advises me to contact the Bank to dispute the transaction, so that I return the funds blocked in the account.
Tinkoff is our best friend (Hello, Tinkoff Bank). In the chat, I explain the situation to the employee, send all screenshots of correspondence with the Booking, as a result, the Bank makes the unlocking of funds in the account and they become available to me again. Since I’m afraid of stealing money from the card, I transfer part of the amount to another account just in case.
An employee of the Bank politely warns me that I need to notify the Booking that there was no re-write-off, which I do. Get the answer that everything will be alright, writing off, then we have solved your problem.
I kind of gasped and went to look for a booking in another hotel (finally Like I’ve been robbed Booking.com). Found that for the hotel, which I liked, Booking offers 650€. On the website of this hotel I buy a room for 320€ (HALF). This is so, by the way, you can Google the name of the hotel and it will give (as an aggregator) the results of the hotel from the hotel aggregators.
By the time night comes. The negativity slowly all went away, I calmed down, thinking that “yay, everything is fine.”
Now.
BAM-340€. BAM — another -340€ per card.
On the card, the balance is written off and a technical overdraft is formed (minus amount on the debit card).
I first stood the hair on end, and then I was hit Aki Eyjafjallajökull in 2010-m to year.
Tinkoff Bank’s support assured me that this technical overdraft does not pose any danger to me, it does not accrue any interest or Commission, thank you for that. As explained by the Bank – first Booking blocked the amount in my account, the Bank canceled the lock. And then the Bank still authorized the amount, although they assured me in a letter that they will not do it. Great school, Town.
Tinkoff promised me that they would challenge the operation, but I need to contact the support service and explain the situation.
During the afternoon conversation with the Booking officer, I asked for additional phone numbers, which I can call to support. I was given 3 rooms.
My fortune had already caught a squirrel, so all 3 rooms were unavailable for the same reasons – the operators did not answer, the robot offered to enter me a reservation number, which is not. Awesome, yeah.
Writing an angry letter of support, I waited. A few hours later, an employee asked me AGAIN for payment documents for transactions. I re-provided them and waited for a refund. Write-offs also occurred in the €.
Today I was returned the money in currency to the currency account. On ruble hung technical overdraft, which I had to cover the transfer between accounts with the next conversion.
The Booking officer briefly replied to my letter that they apologize. I really want them to put that apology as deep into their system as they can. My question is whether they are going to explain the situation or compensate me for the time spent, nerves and money for conversion (about 3 thousand rubles), answered on duty – sorry, we hope that you will continue to use the service.
No. I won’t. I lost because Booking.com money, 4 hours of time (in total it took all the proceedings) and a lot of nerves, because I, alas, a very impressionable person and take everything to heart.
Hope you and your schemes and your this attitude and inflated prices once go up in flames.
Choose other services for booking, friends.
P.S. Proof in attache.
QUESTION. Where to write? I have two days of correspondence with support, wrote more than 20 letters of the same, but each time I meet a new employee and requires more information, and then ignores my appeal. Where to complain? Phones not working, emails not getting through, I want to punish them for such, and let them have written that they are not responsible at all for anything (really, unfortunately), but I want justice, or at least the relationship is not such a bestial, as it is now.
Found At: Booking.com: Reviews, Complaints, Customer Claims, Page 30 | ComplaintsBoard