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Original poster

Holiday error/compensation

67 replies

Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 14:07

I've arrived in spain for a holiday. Booked a house with a private pool via booking.com.
Arrived and it's shared pool with 6 other houses. The advert clearly said on 3 occasions it's private.

my daughter has body confidence issues and now won't get in the pool. Part of the reason for booking private.

I've complained to the management company who accepted that the booking.com advert is wrong. They have stated 'as its a minor error we will send a compensation pack'. We have just returned to the house and there is a basket of fruit and 2 bottles of wine. Would you be happy with this?

OP posts:
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DoYouReally · 26/05/2025 21:41

I've also had a good response from booking.com when I've had issue but not when using email.

Calling then directly has always got me a better result than any email/app contact.

tel:+44 20 3320 2624

BaronessBomburst · 26/05/2025 18:22

I once swam in DM's pool at the end of March! She'd just moved in, it was there, and I was damn well using it.
Just not for that long....... Grin

Gemmawemma9 · 26/05/2025 18:16

No I wouldn’t be happy. This is a dealbreaker for your holiday, and honestly would ruin it for my teenage daughter if she couldn’t sunbathe and swim. They owe a partial refund at the very least! Good luck.

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 18:11

Ha ha. It's absolutely roasting. 30 degrees

OP posts:
OnLockdown · 26/05/2025 17:49

drivinmecrazy · 26/05/2025 17:36

As a not very helpful aside, how can you swim in a pool in Spain in May!!!
I can’t bear to get in my mums pool until, at the very earliest, mid to end of June 😝
hope you’re managing to enjoy your holiday despite your understandable disappointment

I'm with you but it's 37° in some parts of Spain today. That's hot enough for a lot of people.

SingWithMeJustForToday · 26/05/2025 17:37

I’ve had a refund from Booking.com twice. It was an effort but perfectly possible.

drivinmecrazy · 26/05/2025 17:36

As a not very helpful aside, how can you swim in a pool in Spain in May!!!
I can’t bear to get in my mums pool until, at the very earliest, mid to end of June 😝
hope you’re managing to enjoy your holiday despite your understandable disappointment

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 17:33

marcopront · 26/05/2025 17:27

You knew the listing was wrong because it was a 3 storey house not a 2 bedroom apartment.
Why did you assume the private pool part was correct.

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I mean I also asumed the shower laundry room, kitchen, garden and 2 bedrooms were correct.

OP posts:
marcopront · 26/05/2025 17:27

Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:11

The shared pool is in a shared garden area behind another house. It is open to the public road and has a bar opposite.

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You knew the listing was wrong because it was a 3 storey house not a 2 bedroom apartment.
Why did you assume the private pool part was correct.

roses2 · 26/05/2025 17:22

Make sure you take pictures showing it is not private. I had another issue using booking.com with a mis-described hotel room. They wouldn't refund and I tried my credit card company who wouldn't refund either as I didn't have photo evidence.

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 17:20

OnLockdown · 26/05/2025 17:17

Booking.com is very confusing in this regard. When there are multiple options for one site it's tricky to see which photos/facilities are the ones you are booking. I've been caught out by this before.

There wasn't multiple options. Just the option to rent the one property. It'd privately owned.

OP posts:
OnLockdown · 26/05/2025 17:17

Booking.com is very confusing in this regard. When there are multiple options for one site it's tricky to see which photos/facilities are the ones you are booking. I've been caught out by this before.

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 17:06

Thank you jetlag x

OP posts:
jetlag92 · 26/05/2025 17:02

If the advert states a private pool it, you booked it in the UK and you don't have a private pool that contrivines the consumer act as it is not "as described". You are therefore entitled to a replacement villa or a partial refund.

I would simply email booking.com with the info and say that you would either like to be moved to a place with a private pool, or have a refund. If they are not forthcoming an email back stating that you will do a charge back on your card usually gets them moving.

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:32

nomas · 26/05/2025 16:31

How many apartments in the building?

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They are houses not apartments 8 overall. 2 with private pools. 6 share a pool

OP posts:
nomas · 26/05/2025 16:31

Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:28

Here Is the picture on the advert of the pool

How many apartments in the building?

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:28

Here Is the picture on the advert of the pool

Holiday error/compensation
OP posts:
nomas · 26/05/2025 16:28

Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 14:26

Yes. I knew it was a house. It's not an apartment. Its a 3 story house with our own entrance and garden.

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Why would a house have multiple private pools?

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:27

This is the picture of pool on advert. I assumed taken with a drone or from next door.

OP posts:
Coffeemat · 26/05/2025 16:26

Ihopeyouhavent · 26/05/2025 14:50

Not a chance getting anything out of booking.com, they are awful.

Took me 5months to get a refund on a villa i booked and cancelled.

Good to know. Have never had problems with a booking, so use them a lot.

Good to know they are shit if you have a problem.
That will make me more careful with them going forward.

Thanks.

OP, that is a huge mistake.
If they refuse to play ball, would you consider going via X, and bring it into the public domain?

Trading standards?
Ombudsman?

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:24

Honon · 26/05/2025 16:21

On bdc the categories for pools are "shared" or "private". This is clearly a shared pool, it was 100% misadvertised.

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You are right. I recall searching for it

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:22

The only other thing was the advert had a photo of another pool that was private. Not a picture of the actual pool we can use. It was clearly fenced off at the rear of the property.

OP posts:
Honon · 26/05/2025 16:21

VanCleefArpels · 26/05/2025 14:56

Private is not the same as “sole use”. As it was very important to you I think you should have asked them to clarify this prior to booking, sorry. In a complex it is very common fur there to be shared “private” pools as PP have said

On bdc the categories for pools are "shared" or "private". This is clearly a shared pool, it was 100% misadvertised.

Original poster
Mumshotel · 26/05/2025 16:21

Flossflower · 26/05/2025 16:18

OP, if you get no joy with BDC, you could take them to the small claims court when you get back to the UK. You could also try the credit card company if you paid with credit card.
I do use them but I try and get reviews from other websites too. I usually try and book direct with the owners but unlike they say, sometimes it is cheaper with BDC.

I did use a credit card actually. We have usually stayed in hotels before but she's in them awkward teenage years and I just thought it would be nice for her. No one would bat an eyelid at her wearing shorts and t shirt I'm sure.

OP posts:
nomas · 26/05/2025 16:20

An apartment is very unlikely to have a private pool.

They should have said shared pool but I would have asked about the pool situation before booking,

The owner is likely to argue they meant the pool is for the private use of all residents, which is what most people would assume when booking an apartment as opposed to the entire building, e.g, the whole villa.