British Tourist Duped by Nonexistent Hotel on Thai Island

[Jonathan Swift]

Booking dot com is owned by Booking Holdings Inc in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA, not far from the house I own and stay in the summer. I have sued them twice for refusing to refund airfare. The airfare was $165.00 US. To settle the lawsuit it cost them $1000.00 US. It was easy, I got a phone call from their negotiator whom I told I would be happy to drag all of them in front of a judge to explain themselves. Nah they didn't want to do that and spend $5,000.00 US on attorneys plus pay me. So, $1,000.00 it was. They also own priceline and agoda. back to court this year because agoda refused a refund after the airline (Thai) tried to cheat me on baggage and a guitar. I'll probably talk to the same guy as last year, whom I will tell to clean up his act or he will likely hear from me on a regular basis. 

[Liverpool Lou]

"British Tourist Duped by Nonexistent Hotel on Thai Island"

 

...but was fully refunded/compensated for his booking that was not for "a non-existent hotel" but for a one-bedroomed house, and it seems from the OP that the rental was, in fact, a house.

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Booking dot com is owned by Booking Holdings Inc in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA, not far from the house I own and stay in the summer. I have sued them twice for refusing to refund airfare. 

 

   Why did you want the airfare refunded ?

[Jonathan Swift]

They do this all the time. Booking, Priceline, agoda are all under the same company, Booking Holdings Inc in Norwalk CT USA. Expedia and Hotels dot com also did it to me. They HAVE to refund your money. If they don't you can have your credit card or whomever you used report it as fraud and claw back your money. If you're in the US you can sue them in small claims court, slam dunk win. They will call you and negotiate a settlement, don't take any less than $1,000.00 US, I've done it twice. 

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

...paying £282 (around 13,000 baht) ...

Parke booked a 59-night stay at the apparent Lek Lek Residence ...

On arrival, he found that the supposed one-bedroom house was in fact just a small roadside shop.

The name of the place being "Very Small Residence" maybe should have been a clue, not to mention the less than £5 (B230) per night charge.

Edited April 27 by Liverpool Lou

[Nick Carter icp]

9 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

 Nah they didn't want to do that and spend $5,000.00 US on attorneys plus pay me. So, $1,000.00 it was. 

 

8 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

 So, $1,000.00 it was. 

 

3 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

 They will call you and negotiate a settlement, don't take any less than $1,000.00 US, I've done it twice. 

 

   Is that three times that you've done it now ?

[Jonathan Swift]

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Why did you want the airfare refunded ?

I was entitled because they had changed the flight schedule. Also other issues of crookedness, misleading baggage policy etc. The airline and the booking agencies gave me a runaround for 2 days and then I said, not gonna play this, we'll do it the hard way. Wasn't my first rodeo, I'm 67 and have collected from a lot of bad guys over the years, I can do it in my sleep. Same thing happened during Covid, the airline promised the refund but wouldn't deliver, I sent a letter and notice of intent to their Bangkok office and the money was in my bank the next day. I told them I had spoken to Siam Legal who would represent me (that was a bluff) You have to know how to play the game, which is basically let them know that it will cost them a lot more money to try to cheat me than to just pay me. It's poker and chess. The advantage is always mine because I do it all myself and it costs me nothing.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

   anyway losing 13,000 baht is hardly news worthy

He didn't lose it!

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, Excogitator said:

Something strange about this whole story...

nothing prevented this guy from booking a few nights in a cheapish hotel, rent a motorbike, and then shop around for a better deal while on-site..

Perhaps he didn't have a bike licence?

[Excogitator]

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Perhaps he didn't have a bike licence?

Walk, rent a bicycle, e-bike, Grab, Lineman, Taxi.. so many options...

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Seems like Glen Parke booked a 59 day stay at Lek Lek residence for  13 000 Baht, then moved to a more expensive hotel costing 120 000 Baht and he wanted booking.com to cover the difference between 13 000 and 120 000 Baht .

Seems like Glen wants a free holiday 

 

    Here's more to the story , 

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/left-7k-debt-finding-hotel-083125421.html?

He's clearly a liar, also, judging by that Yahoo! article.

[Cabradelmar]

This happened to someone I know who used the Oyo platform to book a room... The hotel didn't exist. Seems like a new Thai scam... Put an address on the platform that isn't really a hotel and take reservations (paid in advance).

[kingstonkid]

4 hours ago, Excogitator said:

Something strange about this whole story.

 

Sure, the booked accommodation (which was eventually refunded) was unsatisfactory, but nothing prevented this guy from booking a few nights in a cheapish hotel, rent a motorbike, and then shop around for a better deal while on-site..

 

Consider that this is Brit that is supposedly ripped off.  How many newspapers are usually trumpetting these things?  Only hearing crickets.

 

Also consider that looking at reviews there are a few that are recent and good.  If you google you can see what the hotel looks like. 

 

The bottom line is that there is not alot of noise being made anywhere but ASEAN now.  There are no dates.  You can not tell me that there were not hotels int eh area cheaper than 

 

The next point is that  "I got off the plane in Thailand and followed the map to where the hotel should be and it was just a small market stall - it just didn't exist. I told Booking.com that it didn't exist."

 

It does exist and that is definitely not a market stall

 

Possibility is that the taxi did a runner on him the first night but still someone should have done some checking.

 

Also Booking . com, I am sure, had hotels that were a lot cheaper than he could have gotten into to get settled.

 

Sorry, but the more I read, the more I think this is B.S.

 

I am wondering how long at Le Lek reads this they will be hiring a lawyer and going after Booking. com.

[kingstonkid]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I think it's safe to say that many of these stories have a lesson an inherent lesson.

 

If you're booking a hotel in low season, where you know the occupancy is going to be low and hotels are going to be easy to find, you book two or three nights, see how you like the place, knowing you can always extend it and get a good deal.

 

Life can be so simple sometimes when we try not to overcomplicate it. 

That's another point. Who would book 2 months without knowing the area or the hotel?  With a Cabaret around the corner, this is not a quiet area.

 

An interesting pooint though is tht they are nly registered with booking.com. It seems they do not qualify for Agoda

Edited April 27 by kingstonkid

[Wrwest]

4 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   The booking.com has photos of the accommodation , this photo of from the booking.com website , so its not actually a roadside shop , its accommodation which is above a shop .  

 

 

 

   It also has rooms going for 1000 Baht a night , which is about 25 Pounds .

Seems like Parke booked the room online and wanted something  bit better when he arrived and moved to somewhere better .

   The Hotel does exist  .

 

 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/lek-lek-samui.th.html?aid=356980&label=gog235jc-1DCAso3QFCDWxlay1sZWstc2FtdWlIJlgDaN0BiAEBmAEmuAEXyAEM2AED6AEB-AECiAIBqAIDuALl7rGxBsACAdICJDc3NjgyYzkwLTcyZTYtNGEwMi05YTU2LWE4ZjFjYmY1MzVjY9gCBOACAQ&sid=378ad98741c2d5a294c79b531743be18&all_sr_blocks=1053399302_386936275_2_0_0;checkin=2024-06-12;checkout=2024-06-13;dest_id=900040609;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=2;group_children=0;hapos=1;highlighted_blocks=1053399302_386936275_2_0_0;hpos=1;matching_block_id=1053399302_386936275_2_0_0;no_rooms=1;req_adults=2;req_children=0;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;sr_pri_blocks=1053399302_386936275_2_0_0__100000;srepoch=1714190840;srpvid=17d61bcaa78200d4;type=total;ucfs=1&#hotelTmpl

 

Thank you for this as I was disturbed about Booking.com being involved. I have used them regularly over the years throughout Asia and the USA and have found them consistently accommodating (sorry about that). 

[Nick Carter icp]

31 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

This happened to someone I know who used the Oyo platform to book a room... The hotel didn't exist. Seems like a new Thai scam... Put an address on the platform that isn't really a hotel and take reservations (paid in advance).

 

  Another Title reader and commenting before reading the story .

Just read the thread title and make a comment without knowing anything at all about what happened 

[Cabradelmar]

27 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Another Title reader and commenting before reading the story .

Just read the thread title and make a comment without knowing anything at all about what happened 

I did read the story, <snip>

 

"On arrival, he found that the supposed one-bedroom house was in fact just a small roadside shop."

 

Shared a similar experience somone had on Oyo. You self-important comment police are not only sad, but useless. And no one asked you to do it. Pissoff.

Edited April 27 by metisdead
Insulting comment removed.

[Nick Carter icp]

15 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

I did read the story, <snip>.

 

"On arrival, he found that the supposed one-bedroom house was in fact just a small roadside shop."

 

Shared a similar experience somone had on Oyo. You self-important comment police are not only sad, but useless. And no one asked you to do it. Pissoff.

 

   The hotel was there , I posted a photo of it on the previous page , which you quite clearly didn't bother to look at .

  Shall we start this thread again for your benefit , or could you scroll back and read it ?

[sungod]

4 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

The figures quoted in this article makes no sense. In fact the whole article is frankly ridiculous.

 

Welcome to AI journalism, I was hoping with the takeover Asean now might get better.......

[susanlea]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Swift said:

I was entitled because they had changed the flight schedule. Also other issues of crookedness, misleading baggage policy etc. The airline and the booking agencies gave me a runaround for 2 days and then I said, not gonna play this, we'll do it the hard way. Wasn't my first rodeo, I'm 67 and have collected from a lot of bad guys over the years, I can do it in my sleep. Same thing happened during Covid, the airline promised the refund but wouldn't deliver, I sent a letter and notice of intent to their Bangkok office and the money was in my bank the next day. I told them I had spoken to Siam Legal who would represent me (that was a bluff) You have to know how to play the game, which is basically let them know that it will cost them a lot more money to try to cheat me than to just pay me. It's poker and chess. The advantage is always mine because I do it all myself and it costs me nothing.

Book flights direct through the airline. Much easier that way.

[Toby1947]

7 hours ago, petermik said:

13,000 baht for a 59 night stay....that should have raised a red flag from the start

Rubbish 

[Senior Player]

5 hours ago, WhatMeWorry said:

It seems like it always the British, do these people have a brain.

Considering the Brit got booking.com to cover the difference between 13,000 and 120,000 Baht, I'd say he's either a professional hustler or extremely erudite. After all, he got a free holiday out of it. 😁

 

 

[Perhaps2more]

More like Booking.com was scammed. ~ He was expecting a refund for an Invoice not in his name, no balance shown, no break down price and no number of guests.

From the main story;

( He said: "They told me to send them an invoice and they'd pay it, but then they moved the goalposts about.
"Booking.com kept asking for changes to be made on the invoice before they could payout. The hotel was booked through "my brother" and Booking.com knew this.

"This initial problem with the invoice was 'no balance shown', then it needed a price break down, then it needed to show "the number of guests", then it became an issue about it being in my name, then they promised to solve it if I sent a statement that correlated with the invoice, so I did. 
So I got a friend in Thailand to keep going to the hotel to ask them to change the invoice to send it to Booking.com but every time I did they would say it's not right. )

[garzhe]

4 minutes ago, Perhaps2more said:

More like Booking.com was scammed. ~ He was expecting a refund for an Invoice not in his name, no balance shown, no break down price and no number of guests.

From the main story;

( He said: "They told me to send them an invoice and they'd pay it, but then they moved the goalposts about.
"Booking.com kept asking for changes to be made on the invoice before they could payout. The hotel was booked through "my brother" and Booking.com knew this.

"This initial problem with the invoice was 'no balance shown', then it needed a price break down, then it needed to show "the number of guests", then it became an issue about it being in my name, then they promised to solve it if I sent a statement that correlated with the invoice, so I did. 
So I got a friend in Thailand to keep going to the hotel to ask them to change the invoice to send it to Booking.com but every time I did they would say it's not right. )

If it was booked through booking.com they would know what was paid and by whom. If it wasn't why would they pay. Dont believe this story. 

[Cabradelmar]

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 The hotel was there , I posted a photo of it on the previous page

Good for you. But what you post is not what is communicated in the article. 

[Letseng]

9 hours ago, arick said:

Booking.com had huge problems with non-existent properties I thought they cleaned up their act but obviously not

Property does exist.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

Good for you. But what you post is not what is communicated in the article. 

 

   Yes, I was pointing out that man wasn't being honest or truthful when he said that the hotel didn't exist 

[MangoKorat]

12 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

The figures quoted in this article makes no sense. In fact the whole article is frankly ridiculous.

Probably written by AI.

 

Guess we're going to have to get used to even more rubbish than we've had previously.

[balo]

This is a BS story.  My guess would be booking.com got scammed. 

 

[IamNoone88]

16 hours ago, sungod said:

 

Welcome to AI journalism, I was hoping with the takeover Asean now might get better.......

In my mind The Thaiger is just as bad🙄