Bizarre experience with Booking.com as a guest

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louloup
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:10 am
Location: Auvergne, France

Bizarre experience with Booking.com as a guest

Post by louloup »

I am a regular user of Booking.com for last minute hotel stays.
I have just tried to book a specific date in a specific hotel, normally there are a few screens to get through before confirmation, but this time I was thanked for my booking as soon as I clicked on the first link. As it flashed up I saw that the date was wrong and cursed myself for making a mistake. As I appeared to have booked for the following night, we decided to make it two nights instead of one and went to book the date we originally wanted. (I had selected the non-refundable option, so couldn't change it).

Every time I tried to book that date, it flicked over onto the following day as soon as I clicked confirm. No matter what I did it defaulted to the following day. In the end I gave up and booked direct with the hotel.

There was no confirmation email from Booking.com and in fact the first booking doesn't seem to have gone through, but I definitely had a message saying thankyou, you will receive you confirmation email etc etc. No card details given & definitely on the correct site.

Since then they have bombarded me with messages, for that hotel & nearby ones.

Confused? I was.

I don't advertise with them and have never had a problem before, but this was an odd experience.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
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Post by Hells Bells »

I had a problem a few weeks ago with a booking for a hotel where the wrong month was selected so I was meant to be staying that night and not in 1 month's time. It was sorted quickly, as I telephoned the central reservations, but I think it was on Logis de France site not booking.com. I do find a lot of these date selections are prone to error.
costa-brava
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:57 am
Location: costa brava spain
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Post by costa-brava »

We use Booking a lot for hotels. Have to admit we are in the bunch that change reservations. I have an account and can go to my dashboard to see all bookings. I really have to say that for the free-wheeling traveller they are generally excellent. I wouldn't like to put my apartments with them, though.
louloup
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:10 am
Location: Auvergne, France

Post by louloup »

My usage is very much like yours Costa-brava which is why I was so confused. I really didn't know whether I had booked the wrong night or not, messages telling me I had suggested that er I had, but no confirmation. Dashboard said no.

Unable to book the night I wanted, it defaulted at the very last moment every time, cleared ache etc, but just couldn't do it, so in this instance I booked direct for the same price & I guess the hotel gets to keep all the money.
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