Booking.com

[fanzone]

Has anyone had the misfortune of using this site before.

Went away for two nights this weekend, booked everything through booking.com yet some other hotel booking system has taken our money and booking.com say they dont take any payments for the hotel we stayed at.

What happened to good old simple cash transactions

[evensteadiereddie]

I've never had any problems but I generally book direct. Most decent hotels or chains have a website these days.

[Funkydrummer]

We use them but have never paid until we get there. In fact we've used them to stay in Harrogate in two weeks for a few nights. Nothing paid but they have our card details in advance.

[durhamclaret]

Used them many times, never had a problem

[RVclaret]

Always used them with no problems

[Loyalclaret]

Probably book around 20/30 hotels a year through the platform with no problem.

[Untinted Glasses]

Has anyone had the misfortune of using this site before.

Went away for two nights this weekend, booked everything through booking.com yet some other hotel booking system has taken our money and booking.com say they dont take any payments for the hotel we stayed at.

What happened to good old simple cash transactions

It honestly sounds like you've cocked up booking it. It's a great platform for booking hotels and really only the one we use. I think you only have to make 5 bookings to get to genius level 2 and save %10 I think it is on the price

However like all things like this, I think its the hotels that get slightly screwed from them but great for the consumer.

[boatshed bill]

We've used it.
I think they arrange the booking, but you pay direct to the hotel.
However, I have been told by one hotel that they do a better deal if you book direct.

[fanzone]

Booked through booking.com (all details entered with the m)

Third party Hotel eviivo taken half the payment last Wednesday, have the other half pending. Hotel now chasing me for full payment claiming they have no dealings with eviivo with any booking.com bookings.

I must be unlucky

[rincon]

I use booking.com several times a year. It's a toss up between them and travelrepublic on who does the better price on a said hotel. Most of the time, I never have a problem, however, the site is not bulletproof. On one occasion, I booked a room in a hotel for someone else and it turned out that the room was owned privately and booking.com had it on their listings - all well and good until they couldn't check in because the owner hadn't left the key with reception. Eventually we sorted it, but very stressful.
On other occasions, the booking fee is paid out immidiately or maybe the day you arrive which confuses things.

You've been unlucky, most times it works out fine with booking.com, but they act as agents for other clients and it sometimes goes wrong.

[Quickenthetempo]

Booked through booking.com (all details entered with the m)

Third party Hotel eviivo taken half the payment last Wednesday, have the other half pending. Hotel now chasing me for full payment claiming they have no dealings with eviivo with any booking.com bookings.

I must be unlucky

Ring your bank and stop the other half money going through and to lodge a complaint about the first lot of money going out.

[GordonvaleClaret]

I've been using them for years. Never had a problem.
However, following on from my latest trip, I won't be using them anymore.
Nothing to fault with them. It's just that VISA have started charging me a foreign transaction charge because they are a Dutch mob. I live in Aus and all my travel was in Aus.

[Colburn_Claret]

I've used them many times with no issues. Something has obviously gone wrong. Will this other company not investigate, seeing as they have your money, but provided you with nothing

[minnieclaret]

No issues. Always pay on site, with no cancellation fee.

[IanMcL]

All good. Pay on arrival and able to cancel.

[dsr]

Booked through booking.com (all details entered with the m)

Third party Hotel eviivo taken half the payment last Wednesday, have the other half pending. Hotel now chasing me for full payment claiming they have no dealings with eviivo with any booking.com bookings.

I must be unlucky

If the hotel doesn't have bookings with your particular agent, then why did they let you in? As far as I can see the hotel's contract must have been with either booking.com or else eviivo. Not with you.

I'd tell your bank to stop the payment with eviivo. Then you can tell the hotel that they can have payment of the half you haven't paid to eviivo, assume you stop it successfully, and also the payment of the half you have paid if you can get it back on chargeback. Which you may well not be able to because you had the service that you paid for!

[Granny WeatherWax]

Brilliant app, great customer service, I use them all the time if it’s cheaper than booking direct with the hotel, which it often is.

[MACCA]

Used them last year, however when our trip got cancelled due to covid, they wouldn't give me a refund stating the hotel wouldn't refund them, so they couldn't pass it onto me.
Even explained I'd take a voucher rather than full cash refund, but still no joy

However when I rang the hotel direct to explain my situation, they said booking.com don't pay them until 48 hours before the check in time, and my holiday got cancelled 6 weeks before check in.

Booking.com tried to fob me off and do both myself and the hotel out of cash.

Won't use them again, not like they'll miss my custom as I'd probably not have used them much anyway.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Booked Santorini through them as the Mrs seen a private cave style place on there. Got cancelled and received a refund. That is the only time I have used them for accommodation. Use them every time I go away though for private transfers and probably the best service I have had.

[ClaretDiver]

Use them all the time and not once had an issue. Never paid via the site, always have paid when I get to the accommodation....

[Dark Cloud]

We've used it.
I think they arrange the booking, but you pay direct to the hotel.
However, I have been told by one hotel that they do a better deal if you book direct.

Same. I have used Booking.com at times, but hotels have told me to use the site to look at choice and compare, but to contact the hotels direct for (often) better deals.
I have also had the misfortune for things to go wrong an odd time prior to heading off and found Booking.Com tend to wash their hands of any issues once you've booked and point you to the hotel.

[boatshed bill]

Same. I have used Booking.com at times, but hotels have told me to use the site to look at choice and compare, but to contact the hotels direct for (often) better deals.
I have also had the misfortune for things to go wrong an odd time prior to heading off and found Booking.Com tend to wash their hands of any issues once you've booked and point you to the hotel.

We've had one failure with them: booked a hotel for Xmas Eve to Boxing Day but at the last minute they said the hotel had double booked. They offered us a B & B instead... that really doesn't work

[claret2018]

Watch out for these sites if you’re booking for business as you can’t claim any VAT back if you use Booking.com, Expedia etc. obviously worth it if the saving is greater than the VAT, but something to watch out for.

[Billy Balfour]

I now find in most cases it's cheaper to book direct. Also, search the booking sites, email the hotel and see it they can do better or throw in a free upgrade. Got a price match and a €20.00 breakfast (per day) over a three night stay recently. They can only say no.