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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is really unfair?!

54 replies

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 17/01/2019 19:20

I needed to book a room to stay over for a wedding in February. At 11pm last night I went onto booking.com to book our room... I went through the whole thing and put my card details in and got the confirmation...

It was for last night! I obviously pressed back somewhere and the date reset to the day I was looking and I didn’t realise. As soon as I got the confirmation at 11.45pm I tried to call, no answer, and then emailed to say I’d made some mistake and I was trying to book for X date in February and obviously wasn’t trying to book into a hotel at 11.45pm on the day I booked it and could they please change it to the date I needed, so sorry etc.

I got the reply today saying sorry, but the hotel cannot grant these exceptional circumstances and your card had been charged £255 for last night.

Wtf???

Why would I book a hotel room at that time for that night?? It was clearly a mistake and I still wanted to book a room... I called the hotel and they confirmed that, sorry, they can’t do anything, this is their policy.

I don’t know who exactly to complain to but I’m super upset that they can’t see common sense in this situation??

OP posts:
SexNotJenga · 17/01/2019 19:22

Slay them on social media.

billybagpuss · 17/01/2019 19:23

Wow, thats appalling.

Was it credit card, could you maybe try calling them and see if they can help? I'll be honest I'm clutching at straws but its worth a try.

Original poster
MaryPoppinsPenguins · 17/01/2019 19:25

It was my debit card. I spoke to the hotel and they were really unhelpful. They said ‘you didn’t turn up last night’.. I said ‘because I booked it at 11.45 3 hours away! I was trying to book for february’ she honestly didn’t care.

I can’t believe I’m so stupid!

OP posts:
WoWsers16 · 17/01/2019 19:25

To be honest people still book hotels at that time for same night- and it’s all money for them. Unfortunately I think you should have fully confirmed dates- as the websites do go through them and it’s your error not theirs. So I can understand where they are coming from I’m afraid :( annoying as it is x

mimibunz · 17/01/2019 19:26

This happened to me. My husband got on the phone and they accepted, finally, that it was a mistake. He had to speak to a manager. So sorry, OP. Definitely slay on social media!

Mummymummums · 17/01/2019 19:27

That's awful!! Tweet, review, wherever you can.
And do not ever use them again.
I'd also try writing and going higher up.

Laiste · 17/01/2019 19:27

I have booked hotel rooms around that time for the same night, so that's not unheard of. However, unless the hotel was fully booked and they possibly lost out on another booking because of yours i'm surprised they're being so bullish.

Did you ask to speak to a manager? You have an email to prove you'd made a mistake and tried to rectify it straight away.

whiteroseredrose · 17/01/2019 19:29

Phone booking..com. They have always been really helpful.

bridgetreilly · 17/01/2019 19:29

I've had two experiences of booking the wrong date on booking.com so I really sympathise, OP. I think you're right that their website has something set to automatically change the date back to the current week every time you click on a page. Fortunately for me, I've always found out in time to cancel my booking for free.

In your case I would (a) go to social media as others have said and (b) write to Watchdog or You and Yours or something like that. This seems like a system that contravenes the right to change your mind on online purchases for 7 days, or something.

TulipsInbloom1 · 17/01/2019 19:37

It's not unheard of for people to book that late. However it us also entirely possible for them to move the payment to whatever date you want to now book. Definitely tweet.

Josico58 · 17/01/2019 19:42

Email the hotel group customer service and Booking.com customer service

ErickBroch · 17/01/2019 19:42

I would keep going. Twitter, FB, Trustpilot, all social media and their own website.

BoglingToAswad · 17/01/2019 19:44

People do book hotel rooms that late at night for the same night, so it wasn't obviously a mistake to them last night unfortunately.

I would call and ask to speak to the reservations or revenue manager. If it was the last room available then you probably have no chance because you were blocking it from another booking, but if they had more rooms to sell as if you can move the booking to a date next month on an advance purchase basis (no cancellation or changes), as that way they won't be losing any revenue.

A receptionist or reservations the won't be able to make that decision, but a higher up manager such as revenue manager will.

Good luck.

ChristmasFluff · 17/01/2019 19:45

Get in touch with your bank and see if they can get back the payment. It's worth a shot. A friend bought tickets from viagogo, and when she realised they were dodgy (added hidden fees after she clicked to pay, then she read the review sites) she wanted her money back and they said no. As it was a debit card, she didn't think there was anything she could do, but when she rang the bank, they did get her money back. There's nothing to lose by asking.

BoglingToAswad · 17/01/2019 19:46

but if they had more rooms to sell ask* if you can move the booking

Bawdrip · 17/01/2019 19:47

What was the latest check in time at the hotel? If it's before 11.45 it might help your case

stayathomegardener · 17/01/2019 19:53

Go on tell us who.
Mumsnet power is amazing.

BifsWif · 17/01/2019 19:56

Is it a chain? Email CEO office, slate on Twitter and Facebook.

Email booking.com, they were brilliant when I made a similar mistake.

Good luck!

Orchiddingme · 17/01/2019 19:57

I have done this! I was booking on another booking website and stupidly went back to check something about the rooms, the dates reset and I booked an entirely random date in the future. I phoned the hotel to see if they could swap it but they had a no swap even if you are a complete idiot policy and wouldn't budge. Extremely annoying. I'm super-careful now on these and airlines and check and double check dates.

ButShesFly · 17/01/2019 19:58

Ring CAB and see if there's anything you can do legally.

Post it on social media

Get in touch with your local paper

Can you block the payment from going out of your account? Debit cards usually take £48 hours for the monies to be taken

Mayrhofen · 17/01/2019 20:00

Personally I would go to booking.com to complain not the hotel. Surely it’s them, as the agent, you have the contract with, and their site that cocked up.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 17/01/2019 20:01

Surely you got a final confirmation page of all the details before you click the book now button, every time ive ever paid for anything online theres last confirmation page?

CosmicComet · 17/01/2019 20:05

Complain to booking.com that their web site is faulty and has put through your booking for the wrong date.

Tinkerbell89 · 17/01/2019 20:14

Call your bank and advise the payment isn't authorised and to block the payment to them. Could also contact their Onbudsmon to complain

Weightsandmeasures · 17/01/2019 20:14

Call your debit card company and despute the charge. Explain it is fraud as far as you are concerned. They will take it from there. They will refund you and then fight with the hotel company.

This has happened to me and that's why my debit card company M&S bank did.