- Customers have reported cancelled bookings, phantom reservations and prolonged refund delays
- A Liverpool traveller paid an extra £276 after finding her apartment had been withdrawn
- A South Korea honeymoon couple faced weeks of delays reclaiming accommodation costs
- Scams using WhatsApp messages have emerged as additional consumer concerns
- Booking.com has confirmed a refund for the Korea case and will review other complaints
Conor Pope’s consumer travel section I the Irish Times has heard from Booking.com customers have been reporting serious difficulties with cancelled reservations and inadequate support responses
The online travel platform has faced mounting criticism from travellers who have experienced sudden cancellations, phantom bookings and prolonged delays in obtaining refunds during the 2026 summer season. One customer arriving in Liverpool discovered her apartment had been withdrawn months earlier, forcing a last-minute replacement that cost an additional £276. A honeymoon couple in South Korea witnessed their Busan hotel booking cancelled in full, then endured weeks of delays reclaiming the difference after paying for a more expensive suite. Another group booked a Suffolk house only to discover it was a private home, leading to multiple failed alternatives and hundreds of pounds in extra costs for hotels and meals.
Customers have described navigating endless automated loops and long hold times when attempting to reach responsive human support during crises. Many users have reported receiving offers of travel credits instead of cash refunds, leaving them out of pocket for alternative accommodation. The platform’s policies require properties to keep availability up to date, but travellers have encountered situations where confirmed stays were cancelled by hosts due to alleged rate errors or overbooking. Scams and phishing attempts have emerged as additional concerns, with hackers targeting database or property accounts to send fake confirmation messages via external apps including WhatsApp.
Booking.com has confirmed it will review the cases and has already processed a refund for the Korea booking. The company has stated properties must maintain accurate availability information in their systems. Travel experts have advised customers to keep all communication within the official platform, confirm reservations directly with properties before arrival and document all transactions with screenshots of confirmations and payment receipts.
A Booking.com customer service representative shared properties must keep availability up to date and the team would review the cases, confirming a refund for the Korea booking.
