Issue with booking.com accommodation

[NigelHarmansNewWife]

We're currently away on holiday having booked two separate lots of accommodation each for a week. Got a message from next week's place booked via booking.com asking what time we will arrive and stating we have to pay cash.
This is an issue as I specifically booked somewhere we could pay by card and we don't actually have the cash/don't carry large sums of cash. The booking confirmation states they accept cards and cash. We also want the protection paying by credit card gives.

Surely then that's the agreement and stating now we must pay cash is a change to the contract which we haven't agreed to? We queried this, but over 24 hours later had had no reply.

So we rang Booking.com. They haven't been much help - basically said they would clarify with the accommodation whether we can pay by card. Their intervention seems to have prompted a response from the accommodation to our reply that we need to pay by card.

Seems the accommodation is adamant it's cash only, but we need them to cancel on us otherwise we're on the hook for half the cost unless booking.com can actually do something effective on our behalf. Any advise as to what to do?

If the accommodation say you can pay by card then just go and stay there. Why cancel

Reply to their reply to tell them you are ONLY able to pay by card so they will have to take card or nothing and ask them whether they still wish you to turn up under those circumstances.

You're missing the point - they've messaged and said we need to pay cash...

Yes, I think that's the solution. I've used booking com for years and yesterday they were next to useless.

Will they accept a bank transfer? We did this for our accommodation last year, a lot cheaper than credit cards for the host. We actioned it on arrival in front of them and showed them the confirmation.

Will they accept a bank transfer?

Perhaps they don't have the money in their account.

Well it seems things are now resolved. The accommodation sent another message stating the "payment to be in cash" in their email sent overnight was intended for another customer and of course we can pay by card so all good, fingers crossed. We didn't want to be in a situation where things were soured before we'd even got there. I was also worrying about it so awake at 6am. The last few months have been horrendously busy at work and I really need a stress free break from everything.

I've not yet had a booking.com accommodation that will take card even though the booking days they will. They all want cash in local currency or USD. I just draw it out an ATM and get a receipt for payment. Never been an issue. These have all be in north Africa though, so may well be different in Europe.

Never been an issue for you, but it is for us. We're already abroad and can't get a large amount of cash. We pay by card for everything apart from tipping. If you pay cash you have no come back if there is a problem. Obviously you try to mitigate that by checking reviews, etc. If you pay by credit card and it's over £100 you get additional insurance.