Booking.com review: Reservation switch, cancelled destination after confirming multi times, discrimination

I am writing this letter for a refund of my recent trip to Mexico through your agency. I addressed this briefly while down in Mexico at this so-called resort,.

I claim both discrimination and disregard for an acknowledged, diagnosed disability. Plus seriously unacceptable accommodation as listed below. Further, a switch in my booking confirmed hotel and the actual.

The reasons for this request are outlined below with the accompanying photo’s.

#1. When I booked this Vacation in November through you I booked Hotel Villa Vallarta. It is a 4 star hotel and it represented the standards I am used to. (Photograph attached of COMFIRMED BOOKING AT HOTEL VILLA VALLARTA.

#2. Somehow after the fact the name suddenly changed, which I brought up with your staff; left unanswered. I was confused and decided that this was a name of one of the many on-site buildings of the property.

#3. During the period from November forward I received multiple requests from the Hotel to pay, although your site clearly stated “book and pay” at the hotel. I got in touch with your agency multiple times due to my concerns and was told to ignore all correspondence from the hotel and that I just go and pay when there. You may review the records and I as well have copies. (Photo Included)

#4. Arrived at hotel via Taxi and was told I did NOT have a reservation and that it had been cancelled, I asked by WHOM as I had no part in this. Ultimately it seems that the hotel had cancelled this. I was left in alarm, extreme anguish as you can imagine and complete and utter disbelief. Imagine going to a foreign country after repeated assurance from Booking.com that all is well and to just show up, to find yourself refused. It took a significant amount of time and many “proofs” of conversation (Screenshots) that I should ignore messages and pay when there.

#5. On top of this shock, my special request for this booking was a ground floor due to my disability.

Note, I have had this request for decades of travel due to my condition and know well that all rooms on the ground level are less desirable and less outfitted than rooms on higher floors.

NOTE: I was ultimately given a TOP floor. It was a terrible health crisis for me to not just endure this but the work I had to do to make it livable was extreme.. The entire time I woke with a massive headache; major body inflammation, sore and painful joints, and extreme visual impairment. As it stood, I had to wear instead of my bedclothes my special blocking clothes that I travel with : a long drivers coat and a fully shielding head cap! This was what I had to wear when in my room on the 7th floor!

#6. When finally I was given a room at what they said was the same rate (NOT) I asked to be put on the ground floor and went and looked at two rooms one right over the reception area (which I noted in my request to be away from that area due to heavier wifi signals so ended up on the opposite side divided by the elevator shaft.

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#7. On top of this shock, AGAIN my special request for this booking was a ground floor due to my disability.

Note, I have had this request for decades of travel due to my condition and know well that all rooms on the ground level are less desirable and less outfitted and ultimately priced lower than rooms on higher floors.

#8. The Room I was given smelled like sewer and remained as such throughout the whole stay. I had to plug the holes in the sink, the floor vent and another ceiling vent due to the overwhelming smell of feces. It was disgusting. The towel rod was hanging off the wall on one side, and there was constant driiling and hammering right under my window as construction crews were restoring the pool below! I could not even keep the window opened. This is/was 100% unacceptable.

#9. I ran into another Canadian couple who too experienced this same misery and were moved to the opposite tower in which, after I expect, through your intervention after my initial contact, expressed I should be moved to this other room. There was no information on this from the hotel except I had a generic form placed under my door after the first night all in Spanish (which I could not read). I called the front desk to identify what it was and was told it was probably a mistake given to guests the morning before check-out.

Due to my disability (electrohypersenitivity - diagnosed and on disability for this; the tower across the street had a giant cellular mast clotted with microcells and relay towers right beside it.! (PHOTO) This is a nightmare for my health. As it stood, I had to wear instead of my bedclothes; special blocking clothes that I travelled down with : a long drivers coat and a shielding hat! This was what I had to wear when in my room on the 7th floor!

#10. The Canadian couple also told me that I was entitled to a restaurant event on the beach for stays over X amount of days. I went down to the Front Desk to enquire about this and was told by “Alvira” (supervisor) :No. Simply…. No. That’s it. Also I was only given a Hotel Sheet, identifying the various restaurants and location only when I Ask specifically for a outline of the hotels amenities. Again, a great omission.

On my 2nd last day, and only through meeting a Mexican lawyer who intervened on my behalf was I able to get this elusive “coupon” for a special dinner on the beach (which for my health and wellbeing was paramount as this was on the GROUND floor so to speak and was not alarming for my body.

In conclusion, the beach was the only place I felt the inflammatory response and headache go away, however:

#11. Every second or more guest had their own sound systems wireless stereo’s blaring their own Spanish favourite music out, as well the Hotel outdoor bar, had their pop music playing. I could not even stay on their beach chairs due to the cacophony of divergent noise from all directions. It was absolutely stressful. This was supposedly not allowed however, there were no enforcers and it was up to me to ask people to turn down their music!?! This is not what one would call a Vacation on any level; and for the above reasons of discriminatory and extreme neglect I am applying for a full refund of this stay.

Sincerely

Cheryl Schuh

CONFIRMATION NUMBER. [protected]

5648

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