Booking.com - too good to be true?

It is a known scam to list places on Booking.com that don't actually exist (well, they do, but they're just a residential house/flat and the owner is a bit surprised when you rock up saying you have a booking). So, I'd be suspicious.

Can you google the address? Got a link to the properties?

Aren't there quite a few stories of apartments being either non existent or listed without the owners knowing, people turning up on their doorstep insisting they'd booked their house/home. With zero feedback I wouldn't risk it without strong evidence.

The other trick is to let you book what looks like a fantastic property, then at the last minute get in touch with you to say they can't fulfil the booking (duplicate booking, or the place has had a fire) and switch you to some utter grotsh*te place at the same price.

I'd be very wary

Thanks team. If it’s too good to be true it usually is. 

makes me concerned about the normally priced one I’ve looked at. Think need to go with reviews!

If it’s residential there is a lot of bait and switch going on. On arrival the agent tells you there is a water leak but can put you in another place that isn’t as good. 

May simply have a place is disrepute next door. Great if you’re an aging politician, not so much if travelling with the kids. 

Could be a cleaner letting it out while  clients are on holiday, who then expect guests to clean and strip beds.

What area of London? There are some great hotel deals at the moment outside of half term. This place has just had a refurb, looks half nice: https://www.ft.com/content/8ef079e4-e143-4b9b-91b1-de2a58748c4c

We've an Airbnb, which we've never listed on booking.com, but had a couple arrive for a holiday that had booked on there... The listing had been cloned unknown to us over to booking.com. the listing had used all out photos and text - essentially a like for like listing so it seemed completely genuine. The guy who had booked had a knightmare finding us as the listing had used a local church as the physical address, only reason he did find us is that he asked a passer by who happened to know where we are.

When you list a property on booking.com the verification process takes about a week but is easily to scam. Airbnb required much more stringent processes.

Its odd how many scams there are on BDC as they don't pay out funds to the listing for about a week or two after the stay - so the scammers can't get access to any funds if the listing is reported....

Personally I wouldn't trust the site since that experience, although I know that there are some great genuine properties on there - these usually also either have their own websites or are listed on multiple platforms.

I've been held up many a time trying to check in to hotels while some unfortunate punter was told by the receptionist they had no records of the booking, and the hotel was full.

Booking.com always seemed to be the guilty party. Appreciate that's hotels not apartments but I'd be very wary of them.

We got caught by this in Poland. Photos' reviews, the whole lot. Arrived and then told by locals a lot of people had been caught out but we managed to find alternative accommodation ourselves.<br /><br />Mailed booking.com and received a personal reply inside 20 mins. refunded within 24 hrs and they took the property down. Which is why we keep using them.

Thanks team. Sounds like airbnb is the better option mr monkey!

I usually use booking.com to find places, then book direct with the venue and tell them I've done that. booking.com take a hefty slice of the fee so sometimes the owner takes it off, or splits it, or is just grateful. Which is to recommend using booking.com as a directory but verify it by booking direct.

I usually use booking.com to find places, then book direct with the venue

This is the way. Their "secret hotels" are searchable with a bit of google-fu, my ex was a master at it.

We were once bitten by booking dot com's foibles. On holiday in France, we turned up at the hotel miles away from **** all and the proprietor had no knowledge of the booking. We showed him the printout and he accommodated us - just - but if they hadn't have had the space we'd have been sleeping on the street.

It's a handy resource for finding stuff but I'd never book through them again.

I usually use booking.com to find places, then book direct with the venue and tell them I’ve done that. booking.com take a hefty slice of the fee so sometimes the owner takes it off, or splits it, or is just grateful. Which is to recommend using booking.com as a directory but verify it by booking direct.

This is also why they are sometimes much cheaper. While Booking.com take a big chunk, AFAIK they do guarantee the booking will be paid to the owner, so if its looking like they're going to be empty, it goes on sale at a bargain price. I found that out from the owner of a place new to booking.com who was surprised when they asked me what I had paid, and it was what booking.com was paying them with no margin at all. So in answer to the OP's question, I booked a place cheaper than it arguably should be via booking.com and it was great.

I always book direct with hotel, if not a better price just email them and get a match.  Far too many scams and you are a bit stuck standing at reception or street with suitcase in an unfamiiar area.

Just booking a London trip in january and cheapy chain hotels are only 50 quid a night.

booking.com take a hefty slice of the fee so sometimes

The Girl ordered a takeaway from the Chinese down the road, via an app because something something bloody millennials something. I went to collect it, the woman serving practically begged me to order directly with them next time. Not only do Just Eat skim a percentage because of course they do, Convenience Tax is their business model, but their prices on the app were higher than the menu prices in person. They'd added 10-20p on every item.

cheapy chain hotels are only 50 quid a night

On this,

Due to a various collision of circumstances, a little while ago I found myself stranded in Leeds late one night. Now, there is last minute pricing, and there is "you could at least have used some lubricant" Last Minute Pricing. I might've ended up in a stables, had the chances of Leeds coming up with three wise men and a virgin being so remote.

I eventually fetched up at a very orange "Easy Hotel." My prejudices abounded but, ports and storms and all that.

But, do you know... it wasn't bad. It was hardly a first choice of honeymoon destination but it was functional, it was clean and it was surprisingly comfortable. For an overnight city-centre crash space for not much money at all it was perfect.

Earlier this month we decided to take a last minute trip to Ibiza and we were searching Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb - all the ones we usually use. We also found a "Brand new property" with great reviews at a super keen price. It didn't take too long to spot it wasn't real. Click on the reviews and there was nothing there except to say "reviews were on an alternative site".
Yes we took the advice - if it looks too good to be true it probably is. Spent a good bit more and didn't regret it as it's unusual for us to stay somewhere really nice.

Reading all those responses is getting me nervous about what Mrs dB has booked for our NZ trip, think I'd better do some sleuthing..

I don’t know why people would scam you more on BDC than anywhere else. BDC don’t pay the accommodation provider until a week after you leave so if it turns out to be not as described then don’t stay there just walk away you will get a full refund.  The scammer will get nothing. Well worth checking if it’s genuine though and carefully checking out the reviews.

Mailed booking.com and received a personal reply inside 20 mins. refunded within 24 hrs and they took the property down. Which is why we keep using them.

Yep. I've not been scammed but on a few occasions have had to contact booking.com to make changes for various reasons, and found myself talking to an actual human, not reading a script and being helpful. Which is why I keep using them, alongside direct bookings, chain bookings, airb&b and the rest.

Took a punt on BDC in Central Paris. Amazing location next to the Louvre, 1/3 the price of other apartments nearby. Thought it would deffo be a scam so even scoped alternstive hotels to decamp the family to. 

Was amazing, massive apartment, lovely landlord who just wanted hassle week free rentals.

so if it turns out to be not as described then don’t stay there just walk away you will get a full refund.

Yeah, dead easy, especially if you are a family group, and maybe some small, tired kids, possibly a load of luggage, and you now need to find somewhere to stay for the night/weekend/week with no notice. People are such whiney gets, eh?

Looking for accommodation in London last week and had an almost identical experience.  Found a flat half the price and twice as nice as anything else not far from Waterloo.

The flat address was in the middle of what I believe is TFL's head office when I looked it up and did a street view.  It certainly wasn't a residential block.