Booking.com – I Couldn’t Access Casa Vacanza Crispi 33 in Rome and Got No Refund
I had an extremely frustrating and unacceptable experience with a reservation I made through Booking.com at Casa Vacanza Crispi 33 in Rome, Italy. I arrived at the property on May 15, 2025, at 16:10, within the stated check-in window of 13:00–17:00, but could not reach the host despite multiple attempts.
I called several times (at 16:12, 17:03, and 17:19) with no answer—just voicemail. I also sent messages via WhatsApp and through Booking.com's platform to inform them that I had arrived, but received no response. Only at 17:02 did I receive a few late images, which were not helpful.
Due to this complete lack of communication, I was unable to access the accommodation and could not stay at the property. My reservation details were as follows:
Check-in: May 15, 2025
Check-out: May 21, 2025
Confirmation Number: 4998009909
PIN: 3922
Payment Date: May 3, 2025
I have contacted Booking.com multiple times to explain the situation, but all I’ve received is a dismissive response saying, “the property declined your refund request.” This is unacceptable.
As someone who frequently travels internationally for work—having recently stayed in Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, and Tokyo via Booking and Airbnb—I can say this is the only time I’ve faced such a failure. All other hosts used seamless, code-based entry systems. What happened in Rome was a breakdown in communication and management.
In short: I couldn’t check in. I couldn’t reach the host. I received no service.
My request is simple: I demand a full refund.
Booking.com, you are a global platform. I expect you to take accountability for the service you promote and fix this situation promptly by compensating me for this failure.
