My mother has asked this - this is surely unreasonable

[BarrioQueen]

My mother and stepfather are due to be seeing in New Year with her sister and husband (my Aunt) friends in a pretty holiday cottage in the Lake District - it is fairly remote apparently. The cottage - not stayed in before is much nearer to them than my Aunt who lives a long drive away. They are staying a week.
My Mum isn't great at technology - so paid my Aunt half by cheque and my Aunt booked it. However my Aunt has not yet sent any details of how to find the cottage, address etc. Though my Mother does know the name of the village it is in. Apparently my Mum has sent her 4 messages or phone calls (requesting this info) soon after Christmas but the information has not been forthcoming and my step father understandably is wishing they'd not booked.

My Mum is asking me to contact my Aunt - I've sent her a text asking for the info - on how to get into the cottage and address but despite a long message all about the joys of Christmas no info has been forthcoming. I don't see the holiday cottage giving this info to the person who is not on the booking form as they would surely revert this back to the booking person - as I had thought of telling my Mum to contact them.
My Aunt is a bit of Primadonna - but really she's being unreasonable isn't she? Presumably there must be some reason why she is 'gate keeping' this info? My Mum is worried about driving in the dark, and concerned that she won't be able to access the cottage until after her sister arrives. Her sister has form for arriving to events really late - she missed my wedding service for example.
I guess I have answered this question - but aside from telling my Mum never to arrange a cottage booking with them again, how should she proceed? My Aunt seems to be being deliberately obstructive? My Aunt is not picking up the phone, and being unspecific in messages. Grrr. I'm going to stay out of this and maybe end up with my Mum for new Year!
This is bizarre behaviour isn't it???

@GreyBlackBay
I think your behaviour is rude and unreasonable, when they ask all you need to do is forward an email or screenshot, nobody is that busy, you're being deliberately awkward and petty, own it.

Could it be that she has planned a surprise? We did this (albeit with teens, not grown adults). Told them we were staying in a cottage, and really minimised expectations, when we had actually booked a castle.

That's what I do. Takes no time at all.

This behaviour is weirdly controlling and unpleasant.

Is it showing as available for those dates? If it is then your auntie hasn't booked it.

Sounds like your Aunt might've been scammed and is desperately trying to find out info herself.

How strange. I would not send a message begging for the information. It sounds like your aunt is using this as a bit of a power trip.
Instead a factual message giving a deadline for the booking confirmation plus all the arrangements. And if not received by (today… soon..) then the trip is off. Including payment. (Which I’d cancel anyway. They can do an instant bank transfer if it’s back on later today)

Stop messaging and ring! Texts are easy to ignore and forget about. Be straight with her and say you need this info asap!

If it's booked through Air BNB for example they often don't release exact location and check in details until the day before.

'S, why are you being so weird about the cottage? Mum needs the details or she says she's not going. Send them to her.'

If she doesn't send them then she's just being a cunt.

I recon auntie has went down the bookies she's went & lost on it the 'orses 🤷🏻‍♀️

Does no-one else think the aunt might've been scammed?

I would definitely phone the Aunt and chase this up

I would just ask her outright why she isn’t handing over the information? If she can’t or won’t then she must return the money.

I'd contact her husband and also keep repeatedly ringing her until she answers. Do they have a house phone number?

I wondered that. I presume she isn't contactable by phone.

This is quite a nightmare for your mum, I hope she gets some good news about it today.

How strange, I agree she sounds controlling. Hi Babs, going to plug in the location to Sat Nav / Google maps for mum just now. Can you send the address asap and a contact number for the host / company please? She is understandably concerned about finding it in the dark so she will be arriving at check in, what time is that too?

NB - Don't forget weather forecast is not good for that area (indeed most of UK) -snow, rain, high winds ....not good for elderly driving at all!

Who came up with the plan? Maybe your aunt (or her husband) is no more keen to spend New Year with your mother than you are?

Wonder if your aunt has been scammed to embarrassed to admit it.

@BarrioQueen can you call your aunts husband? Your aunt sounds deranged and this is clearly a sign your mum should never let her book something in her behalf again. Why she’d want to cause stress and uncertainty for no discernible reason is something I can’t comprehend but some people are strange!

Do a reverse image search on the photo. Then you should be able to do a bit of detective work to check it's actually booked!

So email all three holiday companies and say Auntie S has booked to arrive under the family name SMITH, and you are just emailing to get directions, check in time, are there towels, etc. And presumably two will reply to say ‘sorry we have no booking under that name.’

Has your aunt paid the cheque into her bank account? If not then this would be telling. If she has then she is basically keeping money that isn't hers.

I'd think she didn't book anything.

I've had this before. I thought it was odd but apparently is common.