winniewenyi

I got the mail as following :
"Hi Wenyi, Unfortunately we are not affiliated with VIP backpackers and I cannot accept your booking. We did ask VIP Backpackers to take us off their site, and they confirmed that our account was deactivated, yet it seems that they are still taking bookings for us. I have tried contacting them numerous times since receiving your booking, however have not been able to get through. Perhaps you will have better luck. I will keep trying but I do suggest that you contact them and get your deposit back."
I have tried to contact VIP backpackers a few hours ago after I received the mail. Besides, what can I do? I prefer not change my schedule and get the accommodation which is at least the same location(not far), living quality and price.

And then I got another mail from Edinburgh's hostel I have booked. The following is our emils:
"wenyi tang
寄給 Paul
If it's free to change, could you amend the date like this " from 7/26 to 8/2" ? "

"[email protected]
寄給 我
Yes that is fine
Thanks
Paul"

"Paul Fletcher [email protected]
寄給 我
Hi Wenyi
I am sorry, these beds have now been taken so I only have vacancies from the 28th July onwards, please let me know what you wish to do?
Thanks
Paul"

As a Briton, how would you deal with these matters? Do you have any institute to help you?

bilboburgler

I have no problem booking hotels in the UK. I would look at

1) the major brands, I use middle price brands so Premier, Accor, TravelInn (though not often TravelInn) and these can be booked on their websites easily
2) individual hotels via booking sites such at hotels.com, booking.com etc which again make great bookings
3) individual hotels, if they have a good booking system
4) Tourist Information for the town or city required, normally the best bet for B&Bs
5) individual hotels and B&Bs without booking mechanism. Use of emails, is often fraught with problems and you need to chase them to get a booking and remind them that you are coming, do not assume they get or act on every email. I've had this problem all over Europe. Treat them like busy individuals and keep pushing.


Now throughout the world, not just UK there are fake hotel booking websites or badly designed autowebsites that operate. I would recommend you asking on sites like this one about the honesty of each one.

No there is no central institution, the internet is not controlled in the UK.

bilboburgler

Reading about a lost deposit is another issue
http://www.vipbackpackers.com/ if this is who you have used is an Australian website. I don't know the law in Australia but it looks to me that the UK hostel does not have a contract with VIP but you have a contract with VIP. So you may need to chase via the Oz legal route.

In the UK we have http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/ which is a government organisation whose role is to keep businesses honest without having to go to law. You can contact them directly and basically they will look to see if an organisation has had a bunch of complaints at which point they get involved and may change the organisation.

Alternativly you can use the small claims court
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTax...oney/DG_195118
which helps on cases of less than £500

I hope all this helps, but I'm not sure which bit of your issue you want help with. Come back with more info and we can advise

bilboburgler

this is edinburgh's tourist info again local government based
http://www.edinburgh.org/accommodation/ they should be able to book you something

winniewenyi

Thank you a lot. I just feel worried about this tour. I am not a English-native speaker. Now, I face problems even before departing. So horrible!

winniewenyi

"[email protected]
寄給 我
Yes that is fine
Thanks
Paul"

I think " yes that is fine" means the hostel promised me my change succeeded. But it told me it's not now.

bilboburgler

you are correct. The booking process can be very fast, you need to
1) ask
2) get a positive response
3) make the booking
4) get a confirmation

5) near the time send a checking email and get a positive response

Take it as a lesson learnt and make another booking

nytraveler

Agree that if you are booking hostels via email you need to act quickly.

If you ask and they offer you something - it's not yours until you have confirmed that you want it.

There are other people booking things all of the time. And if you have asked - but not confirmed - the bed/room will go to whoever confirms it first.

People often send out requests to 5 or 10 differnt places - and those hostels/hotels don;t hold anything until they get confirmation from the guest in writing.

nytraveler

"Yes, that is fine" means they have availability. But if you don't confirm with them - they don't know if you want it or not. They don;t know if you are comng or not. And perhaps they want a CC to hold the reservation.

winniewenyi

What do you mean "CC"?
THis hostel is booked by emails because they don't have booking system. Moreover, I have paid deposit when I booked at the first time.
I am still appreciate your reply and I don't feel helpless.

alanRow

CC = credit card

winniewenyi

oh, thank you.

Strawberry_fields

Next time try: www.hostelworld.com
I've been travelling for more than 10 years and everywhere I go this is how I book my hostel/hotel/B&B/camping site.
Easy to get up-to-date ratings, reviews and info on the different places, and all you need to pay to book is 10% of the total price.
I've never had any problems with this website, nor the places I stayed.

winniewenyi

Thank you. I also booked accommodation via hostelworld a few times.

Linblue

I had a quick look at the vipbackpacker.com website & it does claim to be an Australian owned company. If you paid a deposit to vipbackpackers for a European hostel that has since written to you to say it is not associated with vipbackpackers in any way, you may want to claim back your deposit. I would if I were you.

I suggest you first put your demand for a refund to vipbackpacker in writing quoting the hostels denial it is involved with vipbackpacker. If you do not get your money back, you could then contact the Australian competition & consumer commission at http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.../itemId/815327

It is the government authority that enforces Australian fair trade law involving Australian companies. It may help you deal with vipbackpacker. Good luck.

winniewenyi

I have already done this way, thank you.