I Couldn't Access My Booking.com Hostel in Zagreb and Was Left Stranded with My Family
On March 26, 2025, after a 15-hour road trip from Istanbul, my family and I reserved a hostel in Zagreb using Booking.com (reservation number: 4584119932). We were fully aware that we chose a non-refundable rate. However, what happened next was completely unacceptable.
When we arrived at the hostel around 10:00 PM local time, we followed every instruction to retrieve our key from a coded box—but it didn’t work. We were stuck outside in a completely unfamiliar neighborhood, exhausted and vulnerable, with no access to our room. I was there with my wife and our 12-year-old son, all of us physically drained and emotionally distressed.
We called the property multiple times—no answer. I even sent an email, but received no reply. For at least 30 minutes, we stood helplessly in front of the building with no support. Eventually, we had no choice but to find another hotel at the last minute, paying over €130 (₺ equivalent) out of pocket just to have a place to sleep.
Despite all this, the property Flok Tkalciceva refused to refund our payment. And disappointingly, Booking.com did nothing to help, hiding behind their policies rather than addressing a serious failure in basic service. What’s the point of a booking if you can’t access it?
I’m sharing screenshots of my calls and emails to prove my attempts. Booking.com, you need to protect your customers—not leave them stranded at night with their families. I demand a full refund for the original booking and expect you to step up in situations like this. Anything less is simply wrong.
