Booking.com Failed to Help After Overcharge and Poor Service at Deluxe Aparthotel Orbi City

I made a Booking.com reservation (No: 6186987885) for Deluxe Aparthotel Orbi City in Batumi, Georgia, for September 1–14, at a confirmed rate of 694 GEL, with a free cancellation option until 6:00 p.m. on September 1 and the option to pay at the property. When I later tried to change the reservation dates, the property refused, so we adjusted our travel plans according to the original schedule.

When we arrived at the hotel on September 1 at 2:00 p.m., the staff demanded 1,750 GEL instead of the confirmed 694 GEL. They also stated that even if we canceled, 50% of the fee would be charged, even though the free cancellation period had not yet expired. The property owner, A*, behaved rudely and told us to “solve the problem with Booking.” Other guests before and after us were facing similar issues. Since we were extremely tired and had no other option, we reluctantly paid 1,750 GEL by credit card after a heated discussion. The owner even forced us to withdraw cash at another location and collected the payment there.

In addition, the booking listed breakfast included, but no breakfast was ever provided. The towels in the room were dirty, and the television was broken. When we asked for it to be fixed, the owner claimed a new one had been purchased and would be installed within two days—but afterward, he stopped answering our calls entirely.

We contacted Booking.com customer service multiple times via email, but only received automatic, delayed responses. Because we were abroad and had no active phone line, we couldn’t reach them by phone. It’s unacceptable that such a large company lacks a live chat or WhatsApp support line. We also experienced a similar issue in Romania, where a property booked on Booking was double-sold to multiple guests.

I have all documents, including the price confirmation and free cancellation policy. Despite this, the property charged us extra, provided substandard service, and Booking.com failed to intervene.

I demand an immediate refund of the price difference between 1,750 GEL and the confirmed 694 GEL, as well as an explanation of why these issues occurred and why the promised services were not delivered. I also expect an official apology and a response addressing Booking’s lack of customer support throughout this experience.