Nikolai
Russia · July 2024
“The host requires debit card information to be provided in the 3rd party app service.”
The room itself was fine. Can't say too much about the cons. However, after a hot shower, the heating device started making strange noises in the middle of the night. I fixed it by switching the water valve to a cold one.
I find the host's check-in policy to be deceptive. When I made the booking on the website, I had no information about a system called 'Travelio' that I had never heard of before. Just 2-3 hours before check-in, while I was on my way on the plane, the host contacted me about the check-in policy. They asked me to register in their system, upload my documents, and make a deposit there. The host provided suspicious links. I did not agree to these terms because I would never provide my debit card details on a 3rd party app service outside of booking.com. Upon arriving at the address, exhausted from the long journey, I was met by the 'room boy' (as the host referred to him). I tried to pay the deposit in cash, but both the 'room boy' and the host refused, insisting that I register in their system and provide my debit card details. I declined. I started receiving numerous calls and messages from unknown numbers. I attempted to contact Booking support through chats, but received no response. I also tried calling the hotline, but it was not working. At that moment, I felt unsafe and asked if I could cancel my booking. Only then did the host agree to accept the deposit in cash, promising to return it via bank transfer. Following my check-out, I provided my bank details to the host to receive my deposit back. However, 10 days later, I have yet to receive any communication regarding the return of my deposit. P.S. I received a response from Booking support only 4 days later. This has been my worst experience with booking, and I will not use this service again.