By Shari VahlReporter, You and Yours
A north London woman says she has been hurt by the number of tourists who flocked to her home after listing her private address on the Booking.com website.
Pilgrims from Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and Los Angeles came to the house of Gillian, whose full name has not been disclosed, throughout July.
He should have turned them away and told Booking.com it was a scam.
The company says its building has been “completely removed” from its location.
Gillian told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours program that on the 4th of July she was surprised by unexpected visitors to her home.
“Someone knocked on my door, I opened it and it was this poor and very tired woman, probably from Hong Kong, her daughter it seemed to me, obviously [they] came from the airport.
‘Looked aghast’
“They said they booked my house on Booking.com.
“I said, ‘No you haven’t, because it’s not on Booking.com’. I’ve never let this house.
“He looked and I said, ‘You have to go back to them. I’m sorry, there’s a misunderstanding’.
“A few hours later, about three or four people came knocking on my door and said they booked my house on Booking.com.
“They came from all over the world: Australia just arrived, there were some people from Saudi Arabia, some people from the north of England, and I couldn’t believe it.”
The couple from Hong Kong were the first of about 100 people who thought they had booked Gillian’s property through the booking website, arriving there between 4 and 29 July.
On July 5, Gillian reported to Booking.com that many people came to her home and finally pulled the listing six days later.
But Gillian said that 23 groups of people came to her house throughout the month.
‘Feel very vulnerable’
“It was definitely a scam, and someone used my address. I felt so bad for those tourists knocking on my door. It was all I could do. then I will drive them out.
“I feel very concerned about it. They are very good people, but maybe one day we may knock on the door of people who are very aggressive. I feel very weak.”
Jo Duckenfield booked Gillian’s house as they planned to see Lady Gaga at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Gillian found the listing for her address on the web but the photos were from a completely different property, in Chelsea, and were illegally copied from an illegal site.
Jo Duckenfield and her daughter, Olivia, are two tourists who come to Gillian’s house to stay for the weekend from their home in Portsmouth.
They dated on July 13 and planned to attend Lady Gaga’s concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“I started looking around for a place to stay [and] found this flat on Booking.com,” said Ms Duckenfield.
‘Unscrupulous fraudsters’
He said he inquired about the condition of the property the morning of his arrival with Booking.com, and was sure it would be fine.
Ms Duckenfield said: “I won’t use it again, ever.”
Gillian said that 23 groups of tourists came in July to stay in London
A spokesperson for Booking.com said: “We take safety and security very seriously, and every week, we make it easier for millions to stay and do more things without a problem.
“Unfortunately, fraud is a battle that many industries face against unscrupulous fraudsters who try to take advantage of it and this is something we are working hard on.
“We can confirm that this property has been completely removed from our website and all customers are being contacted by a representative of our customer service to apologize and offer any support required in relation to refunds, repairs and additional fees, as well as expansion of funds. We apologize to the owner of the building.”
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Is it better to book hotel online or call?
If you are planning to book a hotel online, it is better to compare prices over the phone. There is no difference between the prices. When booking a hotel by phone, it is cheaper to pay a small fee. You also have to pay a commission to the hotel.
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Is it better to book a hotel online or over the phone?
I got the idea from Consumer Reports magazine. Their customers say they got the best hotel rates by calling the hotels directly. That’s compared to online services that promise discounts, or using hotel websites, even if the guaranteed price is low.
How far in advance should you book a hotel room to get the best rate?
The best time to book a hotel room is just 15 days before your trip, according to a 2021 NerdWallet study. Looking at more than 2,500 hotel rooms between 2019 and 2021, NerdWallet found rates to be about 13% cheaper when booked 15 days in advance compared to four months ago.
Do you get a better room if you book direct with hotel?
Advantages of Directly Booking a Hotel You can often get better prices by buying directly, and this is a concern for budget travelers. By calling a hotel directly, you will find out about any special benefits or packages available. In some cases, you can get a better room for the same amount of money.
Why is it cheaper to book a hotel online?
When you book on an official website for a hotel or hotel, they keep most or all of the money (minus a small fee if the hotel uses an external booking system). So if you book a hotel online or just walk in with cash or a credit card, the hotel stands to make more money if you pay the same price for the room.
Is it cheaper to book direct with a hotel?
Hotel rooms are cheaper when booked directly than on sites like Booking.com. Hotel websites like Expedia and Booking.com don’t offer vacationers the cheapest prices, a study shows.
Is it cheaper to book a hotel room online?
Using a mobile app can help you find the cheapest fares and make your travel plans. However, there are other benefits to booking a hotel by phone. If you are planning to book a hotel online, it is better to compare prices over the phone. There is no difference between the prices.
Is it better to call a hotel directly?
Advantages of Directly Booking a Hotel You can often get better prices by buying directly, and this is a concern for budget travelers. By calling a hotel directly, you will find out about any special benefits or packages available. In some cases, you can get a better room for the same amount of money.
Can you book a hotel room over the phone?
After you find a room you like, reserve the room online by filling in your name, your travel dates, and uploading your credit card information. You can also call the hotel directly to see if they can offer a better rate and then reserve the room over the phone.
How do you call a hotel room directly?
You must dial the number of the room you are trying to reach. If the guest is on the phone or does not answer, the call goes to the front desk. more than last year. more than last year.
Is booking com safe and reliable?
Is booking com reliable and safe? Booking.com is reliable and secure. They have been in the business for many years now and they are one of the biggest websites out there. If you need to book for your next trip, Booking.com is a very secure platform that you can use.
.
Is Expedia or booking better?
| 48% | Promoter |
|---|---|
| 18% | Skin |
| 34% | Harmful people |
Is booking com the same as Expedia? Expedia has several websites such as CheapTickets.com and Hotels.com. The company also owns Booking.com, Hotwire Group, Orbitz, Trivago, and Travelocity.
Why is Booking Holdings better than Expedia?
Booking Holdings seems to have a better economic decline than Expedia due to its strong market share and market share. In addition, it also gets more direct traffic and is less dependent on Google compared to Expedia.
What travel site is better than Expedia?
TripAdvisor is one of the best options in Expedia, although it started as a website where you can find the hotels you like to book, and find out everything about them.
Why is booking better than Expedia?
Financial performance. Over the past 10 years, Booking Holdings has had better revenue growth than Expedia, as well as earnings-per-share growth. Delivering higher EPS growth is easier when a company is more profitable.
Is booking com or Expedia better for flights?
Expedia has the most filters you might need when looking for a flight, but TripAdvisor is second and Booking.com comes next. All three have basics like an airline’s final filter, number of stops, departure time, and arrival time.
What travel site is better than Expedia?
TripAdvisor is one of the best options in Expedia, although it started as a website where you can find the hotels you like to book, and find out everything about them.
Is Expedia trustworthy for plane tickets?
In fact, Expedia is one of the most trusted travel agencies out there. Millions of people use Expedia every year to book their flights, hotels, and other travel, and there have never been major security concerns.
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