“Genius level 2 = Regular customers pay more
We have been booking hotels through Booking for years. Because we are a loyal regular customer according to Booking, we have achieved the so-called Genius Level 2. This level should provide a 10-15% discount, free breakfast with a Genius booking and free room upgrade.
That sounds tempting and it should be. As a loyal Booking customer I always use a logged in account. During our last search, I again used my logged in account and found a quadruple room for 172,- inc. breakfast for 4 people. Fine I thought. My wife, however, was also searching for accommodation via an account that was not logged in and found the same 4-person room at the same hotel for 156,- including breakfast for 4 people. Where does this difference come from. I logged out of my account and started looking for the same room and voila 156,- if I am not logged in as a loyal Genius customer. To put it to the test, logged in again as a loyal Genius customer to see what happens and voila I get the room neatly again WITH Genius discount for 172,-.
To make sure it wasn't my phone, I performed the same exercise on an iPad and our daughters' 2 phones, each time with the same result.
Loyal Booking customers are therefore cheated with the so-called loyalty program Genius and pay more for their overnight stay.
I sent Booking a message asking why as a loyal Genius customer I have to pay more for a Genius hotel booking than as a customer who is not logged in. Booking has not responded to this and apparently does not consider retaining loyal customers or answering questions important.
In that case, Booking is no longer a reliable party for me to book an additional room. From now on I will look for a hotel via other parties or via Booking (obviously not logged in) and immediately call the hotel where I want to spend the night. Last holiday there has not been a hotel that charged the same price for their room as stated on Booking. They are well below it or give a free breakfast that you have to pay separately for at Booking.
I'm sorry that I've had a sign in my head for so long and that I'm only now finding out how Booking handles its regular customers. Now that I know this, it won't happen to us again.
ps. If anyone is in need of screenshots regarding this booking, I have them available and will gladly provide them.”
“Most appalling customer service and T&C
I used them a lot as traveller, now I wanted to be a host. Forget about it. The most obnoxious, nasty team of people. I wanted to cancel a booking, they insisted I paid for the guest to find alternative accommodation. They still do even after I terminated contract.... They do not offer individual to let their home in a safe fashion. DON'T USE THEM AS HOST.... DON'T, DON'T, DON'T and for travelling I'll go to Trivago... Ciao booking.com. Most appalling service out there. Ignorant people, telling me they don't abide by any law! Telling me I don't have right of withdrawal, never heard of cooling of period.... Bunch of tugs”
“They not helping at all. To get email to hotel u need make payment.then u can send email but if is not good (por example coz check in time u need earlier) they not giving u money back!
And never reply on customer service!!!”
“is a rip off advertiser mis-sell properties they advertise poorly maintained properties, and when you get there is it in poor state.
They dont refund”
“Now booking.com is a scamming thier customers. They makes booking through partners like bedonline, they only tell you that after you pay non refundable. And bedonline instruct property to provide you with the cheapest room they have. So booking "can't help" and ask you to contact bedonline or property after taking your money. It's a scam website”
“I have been screwed out of a lot of money from booking.com doing cancellations or hearing that the hotel themselves called for to let us know that they didn't allow pets or something etc then booking.com will not refund any of our money been screwed out of about 2,500 I have been fighting to try to get it back for 4 years if anybody here is the class action lawsuit please let me know I'll be first to sign up booking.com is one of t my top fiverip-offs I've ever seen!”
“Bad customer service. Never takes responsibility of their mistakes. They even try to help you. I booked a fly for my family, they canceled it without notice and when i called they blamed "the computer system". Asked me to book another more expensive one and i will get my money back within 5 Business days Ridiculous... becareful when use their website. It could be you again.”
“As a hotel partner we work with various OTA companies who don't treat us small business well but booking.com takes the lead being worst of them all. The frequently send CC info that doesn't authorize, discount rates sometime without our permission, and we have to wait 2-3 days to get email response from them if there are any issues.”
“I booked a flight through booking.com. I have a Covid family emergency and needed to cancel the flight. The flight was supposed to be 4/30/21 so it is not a last minute change. Not only would they not refund me, but they also tried to charge me exorbitant fees if I wanted to just change it. The customer service rep told me they have to follow the American Airlines policy for cancellations and fees associated. I called American Airlines and they are not charging any fees for cancellations or changes due to Covid. Regarding changes to the flight, booking.com as tacking on $200 + other fees. Not only was the representative be dishonest, but they also were not nice or helpful. I spoke with a supervisor who was also not helpful. I understand people have accents and I appreciate diversity, however, there was limited ability to understand the agent and the supervisor.”
“Recently, I've made a reservation through Booking.com. There was a certain price throughout the reservation procedure, which almost tripled in fine print when I entered my credit card details, and I didn't see it. I wanted to cancel free of charge - minutes after placing the order! - but that's it, all in vain. They said it only depended on the host, which turned out to be a greedy liar playing tricks on me (when I finally decided not to cancel and check in, he changed the check-in date and matter-of-factly told me I would not be supposed to check in the day after tomorrow, not tomorrow. When I complained to Booking.com, they made him change it back, but then I asked them again to cancel and they still declined, even having understood what kind of a host they were dealing with. I felt like I fell a victim to some gang conspiring against me. Conclusion: client satisfaction means NOTHING to Booking.com!”
“booking.com takes money from hosts for double-booking that their system allows. So, the host pays for placing a double-booked guest elsewhere and guest pays to booking.com as well
Customer service is completely useless”
“you robbed me clean and took my money (even though I booked numerous
hotels in last 10 years from you and I am a genius member ) and when I
call you, you can't speak to anyone with out entering confirmation
number . when I enter confirmation number , they says incorrect even
though its right ... TOTAL scam , and you dont answer emails and block
us from calling them.....u have my money .. I am not giving up until I
have money back.. I even wrote to your director and its going all over
social media....if I dont get my stolen money bac”
“Avoid this company! They not worth even 1 star. Canceled my hotel stay 4 months ago with free cancelation. Still waiting for refund. Customer Service is total rubish. Keep calling them and always get only promises.”
“Covid19 Profiteers.
3rd Party had Seized my VISA CARD USA to charge €1250 even as the Netherlands refusing to allow Americans to enter. I was in the middle of trying to get a January 2021 months long reservation change - USA VISACARD emails + text me "Fraudulent Activity Alert" Card Suspended.
Next step is to get INTERPOL on these Netherlands-based Covid19 Profiteers.”
“Covid19 Profiteers and they and their properties know that USA continues to be banned from entering the Netherlands.
They insist that it's actually a cancellation - NOT a Pandemic. They are blacklisted on VISACARD USA.
Their Scam is illegally booking Americans and then secretly charging 1/2 fees.”
“booked 2 hotel rooms for April 24 hotel obviously closed due to covid. Booking.com said to speak to hotel said we were a no-show and to contact hotel. Hotel said entitled to refund but as booked through booking.com have to get refund through them. Tried calling them booking number and pin not recognised so don't get to speak to anyone and they have not responded to 4 emails. Very angry”
“I had a booking for a hotel in Lisbon through booking.com in May of this year, for obvious reasons that had to be cancelled. I contacted booking.com and the hotel (both through booking.com and directly) in April to cancel my reservation and then for the next 6 weeks kept contacting booking.com and the hotel to make sure my reservation was cancelled and that I would receive a refund for my reservation under the booking.com rules at the time. I was even told that I would receive a refund and that the hotel should have processed this already, and we were just waiting for the hotel to confirm if this has been done yet.
I had booked this holiday in November (pre-pandemic) and had paid for the non-refundable booking as this was cheaper. I could cancel my reservation if the hotel accepted my reservation. In the six weeks before my reservation, the hotel did not respond to any communications from me asking for my reservation to be cancelled. I have since discovered this is because the hotel was closed during this time (and at the time of my reservation) in line with the Portuguese government’s lockdown rules.
Despite the hotel being closed, booking.com have refused to give me a refund (or even provide me with their vouchers to cover the money that I have lost) since it is for the hotel to provide the refund and they solely act as an intermediary. The hotel have not responded to any communications since April and even though they are now re-open, there is never anyone available to speak to in order to process the refund.
I have spent the last 4 months complaining to booking.com and the hotel, but they have been beyond useless and are refusing to return my money or even offer vouchers to cover the fact that a hotel has kept my money despite being closed at the time of the reservation. Throughout all of this, the hotel is still advertising on booking.com’s website and taking bookings (and were doing so throughout the pandemic when they were closed!). The only advice from booking.com is to keep contacting the hotel, even though I am sure we all agree 4 months of chasing is enough time, or to cancel through my insurance which does not cover pandemics, as well they know.
All I want is my money back, or even a voucher so we can put this whole shenanigan to bed, but it seems that booking.com should change it’s name to booking.con and wave goodbye to any shred of the good reputation they have left.
As you can tell, I am thoroughly disgusted with their behaviour throughout, do not book through booking.com, they do not care about you despite being in the midst of a pandemic!”
