[RANT] All it takes is a weird name: a booking problem

Social / Personal

Moved to the Netherlands two years ago outside of Western Europe, my name is a dead giveaway that I'm not a local. This summer I decided to spoil myself a little and have a little trip around Europe. In one of the cities where I decided to stay I made a big misktale: I paid for an apartment instead of a hotel.

Now, sure, the prices were the lowest, so should've suspected something. Sure, an owner of a private estate is not entitled to the same standards as everyone else. Sure, a significant part of the blame is on me as I didn't read the entire page carefully enough. But still:

I rented an apartmant at one of French cities for 3 nights for a price of 180 euros, non-refundable ("It's not like I'm cancelling it anyway!", thought u/Shevvv). Having notified the owner that I would arive between 8:00PM and 9:00PM (the train is scheduled to arrive at 8:18PM) I though I was done. Check-in time adjustment rejected: the owner only checks in between 5PM and 6PM. Very drily (and in French) I am advised to re-read the contract. Yes, it turns out that at the bottom of the page (way below the big blue "Book now!" button) there's a line saying "checking between 5PM and 6PM". My bad. Should've looked better. I ask whether an exception can be made with the help of Google.Translate as the owner is definitely inclined to have the conversation in French.

"Today I checked in two students who were both on time between 5PM and 6PM and from the European Union". Whoa. What does THAT have to do with anything? Kindly I offer my apologies for not having read the page from top to bottom and asking whether I can cancel my booking with a refund (made 8 hours ago, a month in advance). The reply is "yes, according to the terms of the contract. Not my problem you can't get here in time" (hint at "I get to keep your 180 euros since it said non-refundable"). Frustrated, I try to find another solution, like spending a night at a hostel maybe and checking in during the sacred 5 to 6 pm timeslot on the next day of my 3 night stay instead, while still paying the full price (since they are not giving a cent back). The reply to me asking to check in on the next day of my 3 night stay is "according to the terms of the contract you are to check in between 5 to 6 PM on %INSERT_DATE%. I don't get why you think you belong to a special group of people when everyone else follows the rules". Another hint at me not being in the same group with "everyone else".

I blow up and write to them in my politest English how I don't appreciate their implication about me not being from EU, their lack of politeness and the expectations that his cheap lodgings would exclusively be booked by EU tourists. Funny enough, the page of their lodging lists two available languages: English and French. Their reply to me having had enough of Google.Translate and ranting purely in English? "You are travelling to France, so speak French". Truly the double standarts in regards to information listed on their page: You do everything I say and I do none of what I have myself listed.

Am I the asshole here? I feel like I'm an easy person to scam when it's being done politely, but this, this was anything but polite. Even worse, I feel like the owner was just looking for an excuse to reject me simply because my name isn't European.

in expatsby Shevvv

67%

11d

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mimibaklava

11d

Can you contact booking.com and ask if they can do anything about this? A one hour check in window is unreasonable.

Shevvv

11d

Here's the result of my attempts to do so at booking.com

mayfeelthis

10d

Leave a bad review on every social media, tag booking AND the specific host.

Share it here and everywhere so we can upvote it.

People respond better when you hit their pockets, or even the threat of that bad publicity. Sucks to be that person shouting, but if that’s how they want to play it - go for it.

Screen shot the replies of the host and link to it in a review directly on their booking.com and other profiles they list the place. make the title BOLD and clear eg. ‘Before you book, read this.’

You’re not wrong, the person is being an AH. A bigoted one by the sounds of it.

You may not get your money, the truth can set you free. And hopefully they get their karma.

Shevvv

10d

I don't have much presence in the social media, but if I finally make a post about the situation in the coming couple of days, I'll sure drop a link here as well! As for the review, booking.com said that I can't leave a review because there was no stay at their place, and you can only leave a review on the property if you've had one.

Super frustrating that paying money creates problems rather than solves them and makes me spend an enormous amount of time I could've spent doing things I like.

mayfeelthis

10d

Leave a review on the google result, if they’re listed. It lets you if you have a gmail email.

I’m feeling petty on your behalf, cause this is just wrong. I’m not usually petty.

Shevvv

Got a message from them a couple of hours ago, with the manager agreeing to fully refund me because the whole misunderstanding wasn't intentional.

I'm just glad it's over.

mayfeelthis

Yay! Glad you got that sorted. And thanks for some silver lining news :)

lucylemon

10d

They won’t even refund the two days that you did not stay due to the fact that the owner would not let you check in?

I would go back to Booking and tell you don’t agree and that you were prepared to show up the next day.

Sorry this happened to you. But I don’t think this has anything to do with your name. The owner is just an ass and a scammer. I can guarantee you that if the EU students didn’t show they would have no refund either.