Agoda Ruined My Trip With Discrimination and Hidden Fees

I made a reservation through Agoda, a platform I’ve trusted and used multiple times within Turkey, for Xeno Eftalia Hotel Alanya with a check-in date of June 5, 2025, covering 2 rooms and 4 people, and paid the full amount of ₺33,854.45 in advance. However, after traveling over 1,100 km and arriving at the hotel, I was denied check-in and told I had to pay an additional ₺11,000 solely because I am a Turkish citizen. The hotel claimed that since Agoda is a “foreign-based platform,” Turkish nationals must pay a higher rate — a discriminatory and deceptive policy never disclosed during the booking process. This is clearly unlawful treatment of a paying customer. I immediately contacted Agoda support and was told to pay the additional amount, submit the bank receipt and hotel-issued invoice, and await a refund. I complied fully, but since then, I have received no refund, no response, and no resolution. My vacation was ruined — I lost money, time, and peace of mind. What should have been a relaxing holiday turned into a humiliating and stressful ordeal, all due to Agoda’s failure to ensure basic transparency and protect its customers. I am demanding a full and immediate refund of the unjust ₺11,000 paid to the hotel, compensation for the ruined vacation and emotional distress, a formal explanation from Agoda regarding how such discriminatory practices are allowed on the platform, and a clear action plan to prevent this from happening to others. If these demands are not promptly met, I will file formal complaints with the Turkish Ministry of Tourism (ALO 176), submit a claim to the Turkish Consumer Arbitration Board, initiate legal proceedings for damages, and publicly share my experience across social media and global review platforms to raise awareness. Agoda, you ruined my holiday — a refund alone will not fix what you’ve taken. You owe me more than money — you owe me the vacation you took away.