Booking .com - Message cancelling booking -Genuine or not?

abarkie

Hi,

Looking from some advice

Booked an apartment via booking.com for mid October for 4 nights, with 3 double bedroom approximately 2 months ago

Deposit due on 25th September

Had an email today from the apartment via booking.com asking me to cancel the booking as they wont have the apartment after 30 September

I am suspicious here, as it is from the apartment owner and not booking.com

Booking is still showing as confirmed in my app on phone

What should I do?

Do I have any recourse, or do I just get on a book another (at a higher price)

Thanks for looking

bee06

Contact booking.com and ask them to confirm.

Miaireland

I had this recently. Booked an apartment months ago then out of the blue got an email saying it was not available and I was to cancel it. The owner claimed they had double booked but both booking.com and I had serious doubt as this was six months later and also the weekend of a major festival. Booking.com told the owner to find me similar accomdation within 48 hours (think they had to cover the difference in price).

Do not cancel until you email booking.com. Just curious is the apartment in Kerry?

You should see all correspondence from the booking.com portal once you are logged in.

rossie1977

Booking.com only work as intermediary. If the owner of the apartment contacts you directly then I would take their word over what booking.com is showing from a search.

If you haven't paid anything then nothing lost, simply book somewhere else. Turning up after you paid in full and finding no available accommodation would be a bad start to your trip.

When I personally book an apartment on booking.com I keep in regular contact with owner as check in alone can be a bit of a pain if you haven't agreed on a time to meet to pick up keys etc.

abarkie

Miaireland wrote: »

I had this recently. Booked an apartment months ago then out of the blue got an email saying it was not available and I was to cancel it. The owner claimed they had double booked but both booking.com and I had serious doubt as this was six months later and also the weekend of a major festival. Booking.com told the owner to find me similar accomdation within 48 hours (think they had to cover the difference in price).

Do not cancel until you email booking.com. Just curious is the apartment in Kerry?

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I did the booking on 24 July and the dates required are mid October for 4 nights

Apartment / Accommodation is in Prague

abarkie

rossie1977 wrote: »

Booking.com only work as intermediary. If the owner of the apartment contacts you directly then I would take their word over what booking.com is showing from a search.

If you haven't paid anything then nothing lost, simply book somewhere else. Turning up after you paid in full and finding no available accommodation would be a bad start to your trip.

When I personally book an apartment on booking.com I keep in regular contact with owner as check in alone can be a bit of a pain if you haven't agreed on a time to meet to pick up keys etc.

To get anything like will cost another £150 minimum

If they are covering that then fine, but if not I am pretty frustrated at the apartment owner.

I don't understand why they are asking me to cancel the booking and they don't cancel it - I assume because they may have to pay for a replacement apartment, but don't want to.

abarkie

Owner / Property is now sending me whatsapp asking me to cancel

Sent a customer service request to booking.com

Doesn't seem the easiest site to get customer help / contact us, but let's see

finbarrk

Call booking.com. They are very helpful. You can call it anytime. 01 9075882. I had a similar situation in Kiev earlier on this year. Don't cancel it yet anyway.

abarkie

Booking.com have come back offering €25

Not clear if this is €25 per night or €25 in total for the booking

Not within €100 similar - I suspect they have realised they can get a better price and hence cheaper to cancel the booking

finbarrk

Did they offer to relocate you?

abarkie

finbarrk wrote: »

Did they offer to relocate you?

Yes, but I booked a 3double bedroom apartment and they offered ones with 1 or 2 bedrooms

Or

Any place but €25 dearer