I Booked a Hotel in Athens on Booking.com but It Didn’t Exist

I made a hotel reservation in Athens through Booking.com, only to discover upon arrival that the hotel did not even exist. The address led us to a nonexistent location, leaving us stranded late at night in a foreign city with our luggage in hand. This was a terrifying and deeply frustrating experience.

Before our trip, I had concerns that the hotel listing might be fake. I called Booking.com customer support, and their representative assured me that if there was any issue upon arrival, they would arrange a nearby alternative and cover the cost difference regardless of price—as long as I called upon reaching the property.

When we arrived at the supposed address around 10 PM, there was no hotel to be found. I immediately contacted Booking.com and was kept on the phone for over 2.5 hours. The alternative accommodations they offered were completely unsuitable and 20 km away, which was impossible given our late arrival. Worse, they stated they would only cover up to €25 of the price difference—far from what they had promised earlier.

We had traveled to Athens for a dance festival, but due to this mess, we missed part of the event and had to book an overpriced rental at the last minute. We spent hours waiting in the cold on a sidewalk, exhausted and stressed.

Booking.com completely failed to deliver the service I paid for. They misled me, abandoned me, and caused both emotional and financial harm. I will never book with them again, and I will strongly advise everyone I know to avoid this platform. This was a nightmare, not a vacation. I demand proper compensation for the damages caused.