Introduction
Booking.com is one of the most well-reputed online platforms tourists use to pre-book their hotel rooms, flights, and other rentals for ease when they visit another city or country. With the recent hike in tourism, bookings have been at an all-time high and subsequently, many people cancel their pre-bookings if their plans change. Booking.com has the policy to address such cancellations and refund the pre-paid amount to their customers.
Booking.com has several policies that are agreed upon by the customer when they’re confirming a booking. These policies include several restrictions, such as age requirements, damage deposits, rules regarding pets, and other policies. Since booking.com is a platform for different service providers to advertise their services that are available for rent, the discretion of forming cancellation policies also lies within the service provider solely. This means that a specific service provider, for example, an individual renting a room in his accommodation may refund your whole amount in case of a cancellation whereas another person renting out his room may deduct a fee for cancellation of the booking. The policy is mentioned in each advertisement and has to be read and agreed upon by the customer to confirm the booking.
Refund Policy:
According to the Booking.com refund policy, customers who have pre-bookings can get full refunds in case they intend to cancel their bookings for any reason. Usually, there are two types of bookings, refundable and non-refundable. For refundable bookings, it is very simple to get your money back, however, for non-refundable bookings, it is complicated. Some service providers may be inclined to refund the amount even if the booking was non-refundable, but this is rare.
Steps For Getting A Refund:
To apply for a refund, the customers have to follow some simple steps to cancel their bookings first. The steps are mentioned below.
- Find the confirmation E-mail provided by booking.com.
- Scroll down to find the “Cancel Booking” tab in the email.
- Tap the “Cancel Booking” tab and the cancellation page would open.
- Click on “Yes”.
These are the steps to cancel your booking. After you’re done with the cancellation process, you can request a refund via several options.
- Through Email
- Through a Phone call
- Through Third-Party service providers like DoNotPay.
At the moment, booking.com does not offer refunds through their website, mobile application, or, in person.
Duration Of A Refund:
Refunds are handled by the service provider themselves and therefore, the waiting time would vary for each service provider. Usually, refunds are made seven to ten days after the booking cancellation and refund request.
Terms and Conditions:
The terms and conditions are imposed by booking.com to ensure a pleasant experience for both the visitor and the service provider. The salient features of booking.com refund terms and conditions include:
- Customer is responsible for reading the applicable policies and the fine print before confirming a booking.
- In the case of cancellation or not showing up, any cancellation fee or similar fee that may be charged is up to the service provider’s discretion.
- In case of late arrivals, it is the customer’s duty to inform the service provider beforehand so their booking is not canceled.
- The customer has to ensure reasonable behavior when enjoying the accommodation, rentals, or any other service that they have paid for.
- The person under whose name the booking is conducted is responsible for the behavior of the group (If any).
Booking.com Responsibilitis:
Booking.com is simply a platform for service providers that pay a small fee to the company in refund of advertising their services. Booking.com takes reasonable steps to ensure that all the data uploaded is as accurate as possible, but errors are still possible as booking.com gets the information directly from the service providers. Furthermore, booking.com is not a party to the contract between the customer and the service provider, and therefore, booking.com cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfactory experiences which come because of the contract. If the customer faces any issue with the platform itself, the booking.com customer care team is available to resolve any issues.
Age Restrictions:
According to the privacy policy of booking.com, any individual who intends to use the platform has to be at least 16 years of age, unless it is stated otherwise. This age restriction is imposed for security reasons to protect underage children from any potential dangers.
Payment Options:
Booking.com has two types of payment options, which are mentioned below.
- In case Booking.com organizes the payment itself, booking.com takes the complete responsibility of transferring that payment to the service provider. The customer’s booking would be considered complete as soon as they transfer the amount to booking.com.
- In case the service provider charges the customer himself, which is usually charged at the time of the customer’s arrival. If the service provider requires an advance payment, these payments may be non-refundable. It is strongly suggested to check the refund policies before sending payments and completing the bookings.
Conclusion:
Booking.com is basically just an online platform like craigslist, Ebay or Wish, where individuals offer their services and products on rent. Booking.com takes no responsibility for any issues within the contract between a customer and a service provider, however, certain security and safety policies have been set by booking.com to ensure the safety of customers and service providers.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Booking.com a safe platform?
Booking.com is a well-reputed service provider and has been trusted by many tourists who visit foreign countries on a regular basis. Therefore, booking.com is a safe platform.
Is it safe to pay through credit cards?
Credit card payments are usually backed by the banks, but frauds do take place with such transactions, especially when conducting online payments. If there is an option to pay in person for the service, it is advised to opt for this option instead of a credit card payment.
