Any positive tales about getting money back from Booking.com?

[ConnieHeart]

We were let down by Booking.com at the weekend. I rang them yesterday & the lady I spoke to seemed very helpful; she asked for receipts for alternative accommodation, ubers etc which I emailed over. But all I've heard from FB groups etc say I'll be lucky to get any of my money back from them

So has anyone successfully got their money back from them? Thanks

I got my credit card company to claw back the payment, because I didn't get anywhere with Booking.com

Yeah we were let down at last minute 8 years ago for friends wedding- absolutely nothing suitable left and my partner had to not go to the wedding while I squeezed in with a friend- they obviously refunded the original booking but we got nowhere with the extra costs. I refuse to use them since!

I got money back when covid blew up, but they didn't make it easy. They told me they couldn't do it at first because the hotel hadn't cancelled the booking - even though it was closed due to covid. Fortunately I managed to get hold of the hotel myself and they cancelled.

If you find they are not helpful just mention you will be getting in touch with The Guardian newspaper because the people who get printed in the consumer problems section tend to find a favourable settlement as of course firms do not like unfavourable situations to be printed and usually get a bonus of a free stay along with their expenses refunded. It often says The firm concerned has said to us this will not happen again.

I work in hospitality and it would depend on the reason, ie did they book something that wasn’t available, did the hotel cancel or did you have to cancel?

To be honest I wouldn't even bother trying to get money back from booking.com. They are basically an aggregate site and make it pretty clear your contract is with the accomodation you've booked and that's who you should be chasing for refunds. I know that some people have reported hotels claiming not to have received booking confirmation from booking.com and being refused accomodation on that basis but I'm not entirely sure I always believe the hotel about that.

Update: I got my refund for the original accommodation! They are also asking for receipts from extra travel & the alternative accommodation & parking so hoping they'll refund this too

What happened was we booked a city centre apartment with free parking for 3 of us, as we were seeing a show at the theatre nearby. When we arrived I contacted the owner to get access & he said he'd sold the apartment last month & had told booking.com. For some reason our booking hadn't been cancelled. So we found a hotel miles out of town & had to use ubers to get to & from the theatre not to mention being up against the clock & extremely stressed

Booking promised to refund me one nights accommodation- in writing.

reader I never received that refund & any queries following up were ignored.

they are liars & are untrustworthy. I won’t use them any more.