bucurilie3603

Booked a hotel in Bucharest with the above-mentioned agency. At the end of the estimate because of their worm heart they mentioned that,
a like 1% in Dollars they will support. I guess we had a special status after using them for so long. My wife went checked in and was informed that her credit card was charged, and everything was OK.
But you overcharged me over the agreed price, (like $25-30) this is the estimate we have from Booking.com. We don't know Ma-Am,
go ask them. And we did. They wanted proof, sent me a copy of your bank statement. We have the original estimate and the receipt from the hotel.
Now they want my bank info now. Left it hanging but never used them again. Now my friend is insisting to sue their ass.

Travel_Nerd

It night be a difference in exchange rates at the time of your booking vs. the time of your trip. If that is the case, Booking explicitly states there might be difference of such on their website.

Also, local taxes are not figured into that price at booking. This is ALSO stated on their website at booking.

I'm guessing you might be based in the US. Are you really going to sue them for $30? Filing fees in small claims court will be at or higher than the amount allegedly owed.

Not to mention, Booking is not an US-based company. Good luck suing a foreign company in US court...

Moderator1

Modified title removing unsuitable language

bucurilie3603

I wish was that. No, taxes were included in the charge. The whole bill was calculated at the time of booking. This isn't in my opinion the agency's mistake. The hotel is the one who did that thinking no one will get it.
But the agency should of do good and honor their original price.

dfourh

If indeed there is a discrepancy I am sure Booking.com will work with you to address it fairly and honestly. Booking.com has been the most remarkable, resourceful, responsible, and helpful booking agency I've ever worked with, and they continue to be nothing but remarkable, in these challenging times. If you work honestly and respectfully with them, they will do things right for you.

Jean

I also have faith that Booking.com will honor what is correct. I've never had a problem with them over dozens of reservations, and the only time things went sideways, it was MY fault.

If you don't agree with Booking's answer, I'd just... let... it... go. I understand you think it's the principle of the thing, but I'm old and have come to believe there's a point when it's not worth getting worked up and possibly ruining the (presumably) happy memories you have of your trip. You might consider what percentage of the entire trip cost this amount represents...

bucurilie3603

I agree with you, but, I agree with you.

janisj

"They wanted proof, sent me a copy of your bank statement. We have the original estimate and the receipt from the hotel.
Now they want my bank info now"

I am not understanding this at all. I 'think' you mean you reported the overcharge to booking.com, and they are asking for more information? Is that correct? If not, what actually happened?? Who wants your bank information?

But in any case - 'suing their a$$' over $25 seems silly. The $25 could be extra tourist taxes, or almost anything. Many Booking reservations say something along the lines of . . . 'local taxes and fees may be collected locally'

Traveler_Nick

Unless you paid in advance the estimate they gave you in $ (I assume $) is based on the exchange rate the moment you booked. What was the charge in Romanian Leu? Is that different?

Even if you had paid in advance the final amount can/will vary . Your bank may use a different rate or tack on a fee.

Travel_Nerd

The who here is key. The OP's title states Booking overcharged them. But they do not collect funds...and if they do, it is given to the lodging. I have had my cards charged in advance- but not by Booking, but by the hotel.

If this is a difference in rates...well, one third party website may have different rates than another, and all might be different than the hotel's actual rate, too. This is par for the course of dealing with a third party agency.

Regardless, OP, if you sue them, you will have to supply evidence in court. If you are saying Booking overcharged you and you have bank information to "prove" it, it is in your best interest to supply it if they are asking for it to substantiate your claim of this supposed overcharge. You cant make a claim to something and have anyone - the company or court - to take you on your "word."

Michael

The OP's title states Booking overcharged them. But they do not collect funds...and if they do, it is given to the lodging. I have had my cards charged in advance- but not by Booking, but by the hotel.


In one instance on our last trip to Europe in May-June, Booking.com used our credit card to pay for our stay. In the other we had problems because I had assumed that since booking.com had our credit card number that it would pay for our stay if we did not pay on time, as with the first stay.

Travel_Nerd

Thank you for that context - I was unaware as I have never had them charge me, even for advanced non-refundable stays and it has always been the hotel itself. 🤷‍♀️

Traveler_Nick

Before Covid they started a program to make it easier for smaller hotels or apartments to take credit cards. You sometimes see it with larger hotels but they tend to have a merchant account and don't need to pay booking to handle things.

When the program was launched they kept sending out sale offers if you used it. I think I saved €1.50 on a trip to Pisa

halfapair

"We have the original estimate..."
I think the operative word here is "estimate."

Michael

To clarify: my bookings were not for a hotel with a hotel clerk to hand out the key and presumably charge for the room; they were in the first case for an apartment rental, and in the second also an "apartment" located on the short term rental floor of a large office building converted into rentals or condos for the rest of the building. In neither instance was there any human contact to access our lodging.

janisj

Yes I saw that but with the other syntax and terminology issues in the OP - who knows what was meant . . .

Jean

The OP had another thread with questions about what might be the same booking. Poor syntax in that thread, too, and mention of a Romanian/French Foreign Legion pension (but no Romanian bank card), wanting to pay in local currency.... If it's the same reservation (although he mentions "November"), It seems likely that this is a misunderstanding of the terms of the booking.

Pay with local currencies

Christina

this post doesn't make sense to me, the first sentence in particular (not sure what it is saying about the 1 pct).

Also, you either prepay or you don't. So if you don't prepay, the hotel collects the payment, so booking can't be charging you later on for it, that is the part that doesn't make sense to me. If you prepay, that's that. Out of curiosity, I checked and booking will include local taxes on Budapest hotels, in the total due. I didn't know they did that.

I suspect the "bank information" is in reference to the credit card, that's all. Like a credit card bill to prove allegations or something.

BUt if it were just an estimate and included local taxes (Bucharest has a hotel tax), I suspect it could just be the foreign transaction charge by the bank for his credit card, something like that. $25 would be in that ballpark of 1 to 3 pct for a hotel stay, plus some credit cards could even charge more for all I know. I think I've head that some have a flat foreign transaction fee minimum.

If it wasn't prepaid, just payment at the hotel, then it was just an estimate and foreign exchange rates could change, as well as a possible foreign transaction fee, that is very likely. But you can't sue a Romanian hotel if you are in the US, which I presume is the case given the quotes are in dollars.

dfourh

Next post: go to your local Target store and buy multiple $500 gift cards, then post the serial numbers to me directly, do NOT post them on open thread.

OliviaRawlings

This is concerning. I've always paid with booking.com and never had issues. I'll have to re-check credit cards now!