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Wasted $200 on a supposed 'hidden gem' hostel booking site
I found this site that claimed to have secret deals on hostels in Europe, so I booked 4 nights in Barcelona through them. Showed up and the place was a rundown bunk bed in someone's actual apartment with no lock on the door. Lost $200 because the site had a 'no refunds' policy buried in fine print. Anyone else get burned by those third party booking scams?
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grantp2816d ago
Yeah and this is exactly why I always say book direct or stick with Hostelworld. Those third party sites are nothing but middlemen with zero accountability. They take your money, give you a fake address, and then hide behind their "no refunds" policy like it's some kind of legal shield. The worst part is they know most people won't fight it because $200 isn't worth a lawyer. But it adds up for them, that's the whole business model. Honestly I'd dispute the charge with your bank, tell them the service wasn't what was advertised. That's your best shot at getting anything back.
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scott.jana19d ago
That $200 hit is brutal. I lost $150 on a similar booking site for a Lisbon hostel last year. Same deal cheap price, nice pictures online. Turned out to be a converted storage closet with a mattress on the floor. No lock on the door either. The owner lived in the other room and kept watching me through a crack in the door. Real creepy situation. I had to book a legit hostel the next day and eat the loss. Those scam sites prey on people trying to save money.
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davis.ruby19d ago
That "hidden gem" site sounds more like a scam than a deal. Those third party booking sites often don't check the places they list, they just take your money. Next time book directly with a hostel or use a well known site like Hostelworld where reviews are actually real.
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