Booking.com users experience phantom bookings and rogue cancellations

THE NEWS:

Emer incurred an extra £276 (€323) after her Liverpool apartment booking was cancelled at short notice, a problem she attributes to booking.com.

DETAILS:

• Payment for the three‑day July stay was taken on November 11, the previous year.
• The property manager said the apartment had been withdrawn from short‑term rentals and that booking.com had been notified of this in February.
• Emer and her party had to secure another property through booking.com at short notice, resulting in the additional cost.
• The article cites three reader stories that illustrate similar issues with booking.com.
• Emer contacted booking.com’s customer care following the incident.

WHY IT MATTERS:

This case highlights the risk that travelers face when listings on major OTA platforms are not kept up‑to‑date, potentially leading to last‑minute cancellations and unexpected extra expenses.

FAQ

How much extra did Emer pay due to the cancellation?
Emer reported that the unexpected rebooking cost her an additional £276, which is about €323, beyond the price of the original reservation. The extra expense arose because the originally booked Liverpool apartment was withdrawn from short‑term rentals, forcing her to secure alternative accommodation at short notice.

When was the original payment for Emer’s Liverpool stay taken?
The payment for Emer’s Liverpool stay was processed on November 11, the previous year, even though the reservation was for three days in mid‑July. This advance charge meant the funds were already secured before the property was later removed from the short‑term rental market.

What caused the cancellation of the Liverpool apartment?
According to Emer, the apartment’s manager told her it had been withdrawn from short‑term rentals, and that booking.com had been informed of this change in February. The lack of up‑to‑date listing on the platform led to the sudden cancellation when she arrived on July 14.

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