Booking.com Listed a Nonexistent Hotel, Leaving Me Stranded
Dear Booking.com Team,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding a serious issue I encountered with your platform. On December 31, 2024, I booked a hotel in the Dominican Republic through Booking.com. The reservation was confirmed by your system. However, when I attempted to contact the property using the phone number listed on Booking.com to confirm check-in details, I was informed that the hotel does not exist at the specified address and has no affiliation with Booking.com.
This left me in an extremely stressful situation just 12 hours before my trip. Given the New Year holiday, most accommodations in the area were fully booked. To make matters worse, your customer service was incredibly difficult to reach, especially since you do not provide a local Dominican Republic number. I was forced to call your U.S. hotline using my personal phone, resulting in high international charges.
When I finally managed to contact your customer service, the support provided was utterly disappointing. Instead of offering a reasonable solution or alternative, I was directed to poorly rated hotels (with ratings of 5.5–6.5) or accommodations that did not meet my needs, such as those that did not allow pets. No meaningful compensation or reservation assistance was provided. Ultimately, I had to resolve the situation on my own, securing last-minute accommodation and paying in cash upon arrival.
To add insult to injury, your compensation was a credit valid for only two days, which I couldn’t use as my trip ended shortly after. This gesture was inadequate and completely unhelpful.
This experience has severely shaken my trust in Booking.com. Allowing a nonexistent property to be listed and confirming a reservation for it is unacceptable. Even after I informed you of the issue, your response lacked responsibility and urgency.
I request an immediate investigation into this matter and demand steps to prevent similar issues in the future. Furthermore, I expect compensation for the financial and emotional distress caused by this situation. If this matter is not resolved to my satisfaction, I will cease using Booking.com and advise others to avoid it.
Sincerely,
Özcan O***
Reservation Reference Number: 4560906727
