Warning: Fraud and Hostelworld

I would just like to make everybody aware of an experience I have just had with hostelworld. I booked room in Sevilla at Hotel Acor for Semana Santa a couple months ago through there site. My quoted price, ON MY RESERVATION CONFIRMATION (which I still have), is 37 euros a person for a 4 bed room. Well I received an email today informing me that there has been a slight error, and they have made a mistake (I love how they are informing me of this 2 weeks before hand when Iv had the reservation for a good month and a half), it should have been 57 euros a person for a 4 bed room. I now must decide if I am willing to pay this price, if not, they will drop my reservation. Guess I have some decision making to do. Anybody else had bad expereices with this?????
Kelly

Kelar419,
Ouch!
Have you given any thought to using the Bancotel Spanish Website for the Bancotel vouchers? Compared to the amount of money you will be paying at the Hostel you can stay at a very nice 3 or 4 star hotel for 50 euros for a double room per night. At this Hostelworld the four of you would be paying $228 ? Wow! That's very pricey for a hostal. You can buy a Bancotel coupon for $250 and stay 5 nights at a nice place.

Booklady has a point. Well, I'm not one to bad-mouth any kind of "system" or business as I feel the best non-publicity is not mentioning it in the first place but I'm always skeptical of these reservation websites like the one kelar419 mentions above or others. I'd MUCH rather the hostels themselves have complete control over their own prices and reservations.

I've yet to use Bancotel (English version here) but just checked San Sebastián-Donosita and, well, nothing was available for all the dates I'll be there. Too bad. Well, it's late - my fault. FYI: Each Bancotel book check/ticket equals 50€.

Saludos, MadridMan

And don't forget MadridMan, you can use your Bancotel vouchers in the beautiful Paradors. Bancotel does not advertise it in their website, but if you call them they can tell you all about it!

Booklady, ALL the paradors participate in the Bancotel program??

Unfortunately, there are no Paradors in San Sebastián-Donostia.

MadridMan, when I spoke to them they said they did, of course they did say that the Parador at the Generalife and a few others generally were premium locales, I imagine like the Palace hotel, 3 coupons per night. But most were 2 coupons, and a few were one coupon.

Have you tried the Hotel de Londres y Inglaterra en San Sebastian? It is located alongside the Playa La Concha. it's rates seem a little steep at $120, but that is rack rate, I am sure if you tried Travelocity or another site you might get an excellent rate. This hotel was featured on p. 142 of the Conde Nast Traveler, February, 2003 issue.

I used Bancotel after a recommendation from a posting on this site 2 years ago. The reservation process was easy and saved me a ton of money. We spent only 1 night at the Palace but that was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in... a down mattress... The whole 5 ticket deal complicates things, but its well worth it if you can pull it off.

Yeah I did think about that, but the problem is this late I really doubt I will find ANYTHING in Sevilla for semana santa. Would fight it, but I think they would just drop my reservation it a second because they have such high demand for reservations at this time.

You're probably right, kelar419. I'd pay what they want at this point. Maybe the establishment had higher Semana Santa rates which were not yet entered into the Hostelworld database. Who knows, maybe they did this with everyone. Just put it behind you and enjoy your time in Sevilla!!!

Edit: By the way, I just noticed that you noted you were booked at Hotel Acor in Sevilla... Hostelworld books HOTELS. too???

Saludos, MadridMan

Yeah MM, I think hostelworld also books low price hotels, this hotel is actually listed as a hostel, in my guidebook, so who knows!!!
We originally booked there thinking the price was cheaper, because the room is a quad, something thats hard to find in budget hostels.

And the latest on the saga, we decided to stay for only 2 nights, save some money, THEN they emailed us back and say the price is even HIGHER for 2 nights, because the were giving us a discount for staying for 3 nights. So,l I think we will just pay up, stay for 3 nights, enjoy sevilla and NOT use hostelworld again.

Wow I REALLY cant believe that almost 3 months later Im back to drag this topic out yet again . Today I received an email (again!) from hostelworld.com once again regarding this booking I made back last semester for Semana Santa in Sevilla (see my first post). Well like I said we ended up paying up and going anyways, had a great time and the hotel was wonderful. HOWEVER, now they have emailed me saying that, they will NOW charge my credit card this month for an additional 20% of the booking price which due to a "system error" was not charged OR included in either of my quoted prices previously.

I emailed them back asking for an explanation (which im sure i wont get). I cant believe this is happening again, and Iv really learned my lesson and will never use hostelworld or any other "middleman" booking agency ever again!!! Anybody have ideas on on what more I can do, or had problems with this before??

Kelly

kelar419, have you seen the long thread on the EuroTrip.com message board entitled, " Is hostelworld.com reliable? " ? There are differing experiences with the posters in that thread.

Saludos, MadridMan

Kelar 419-Use the credit card company's process to dispute the extra charges. They can't just add charges to the amount you authorized with your signature.

I had a similar situation with a hotel in Paris and in the end it was credited.

Thanks for the idea Mongo, I will for sure look into it this week. Apparently I am not the only one to have received this email, some of my friends who were also abroad last semester and booked through hostelworld have received similar notices .

Here I am posting again, unbelievable. Ok, well the charge did post to my credit card. I emailed hostelworld asking for more information on the charge and I have found out....

-The email actually came from booking@hotels-book.net, however it stated hostelworld was responsible for the charge.
-The email was signed JOSE LUIS VEQUIN
-Hostelworld replied to me stating that they are in no way affiliated with booking@hotels-book.net. In addition, Jose Luis worked for them and Hotel Acor in Sevilla for a brief period of time but is no longer associated with either co.
-They told me that they had not made the charge and no charge should have been made.However, they believe this man stole numerous credit card numbers and is charging them illegally, under booking@hotels-book.net.
-I called my credit card company, cancelled my card, and the company will take it from there.

I just wanted to put the info out there in case anyone else receives an email from this man. Cancel your card immediately. I was only charged once, for around 100 dollars. However, others have been charged multiple times for higher amounts
Kelly

Here I am posting again, unbelievable. Ok, well the charge did post to my credit card. I emailed hostelworld asking for more information on the charge. In the meantime I have found out....

-The email actually came from booking@hotels-book.net, however it stated hostelworld was responsible for the charge.
-The email was signed JOSE LUIS VEQUIN
-Hostelworld replied to me stating that they are in no way affiliated with booking@hotels-book.net. In addition, Jose Luis worked for them and Hotel Acor in Sevilla for a brief period of time but is no longer associated with either co.
-They told me that they had not made the charge and no charge should have been made.However, they believe this man stole numerous credit card numbers and is charging them illegally, under booking@hotels-book.net.
-I called my credit card company, cancelled my card, and the company will take it from there.

I just wanted to put the info out there in case anyone else receives an email from this man. Cancel your card immediately. I was only charged once, for around 100 dollars. However, others have been charged multiple times for higher amounts
Kelly