Sebastianushof

A terrible hotel experience. I accidentally booked the wrong dates, then noticed five minutes later and tried to change or cancel. The website wouldn't let me. Booking.com told me the hotel had to approve the cancellation before I could book again, and said they'd contacted them. I called the hotel straight away, but they said they hadn't received a request. I explained the mix-up and said I'd book the right dates. Over the next 24 hours I emailed several times to ask about the cancellation or changing the dates. No reply. I then booked the correct, earlier dates, assuming they'd see both reservations and understand I was fixing the mistake, not simply cancelling. I emailed again after paying twice, still with no response. When I arrived, reception was closed, as they knew it would be, and they'd left a key card in a lockbox. It didn't work. Some restaurant workers who were still closing up let me in, and one gave me a new card. We got to the room and found one queen bed, although I'd booked two separate beds for my sister and me. The restaurant workers couldn't help. Reception was open for only a couple of hours on Saturday, which we missed. I finally spoke to them in person on Sunday as we were leaving. Even with someone translating German for me, they refused to approve cancellation of the later, incorrect booking. I'd paid them twice and hadn't even received the room setup I'd booked. There was no apology, understanding, or empathy. It would have taken one click to return my money, but the receptionist stood there lying. First she said it couldn't be done because I'd booked through Booking.com. That's not true: I have an email from Booking.com saying the hotel could approve the cancellation and had declined. Then she said it was because they were a "small hotel," as if that meant they could knowingly take advantage of my mistake after I tried to fix it both minutes after booking and in person after staying there. Avoid. Edit: The hotel's response below is misleading. I called minutes after booking and explained the date mix-up, not a request for "free cancellation." I'd already called Booking.com, who said they'd asked the hotel to waive the cancellation fee and told me to explain that to the hotel so they could approve the cancellation and I could rebook. The hotel refused. Booking.com apologized and said there was nothing they could do because the hotel had said no. The emails they ignored went to the hotel's official address on its website, not Booking.com. As I write this, they could still refund the second booking if they chose, but would rather keep the extra 160 euro. I regret trusting them with a second booking, especially since I booked directly through their site so Booking.com wouldn't take a cut. Very stupid of me.