Bordeaux Traditions

I never ended up staying here. This is about my dealings with Bordeaux Traditions, or BT. I cancelled my reservation soon after booking when I noticed the €500 deposit for a five-night stay. Given what happened afterward, I’m glad I didn’t pay it. I should have spotted it earlier, though I’ve travelled frequently and never had to pay a deposit for a short stay before. I’d selected “free cancellation” until October, which cost extra, but BT took the payment right away. The refund came slowly, and currency changes left me about €25 short. That’s not a huge sum, but I expected the full amount back under the option I paid for. Why take the money before the cancellation period ends? While I was waiting for the refund, with the booking already cancelled, my bank told me BT was trying to charge my account again for around €500. On the bank’s advice, I rushed in to block and cancel my card. When I asked BT what was happening, someone was incredibly rude and refused to take any responsibility, as if I’d made it up. There wasn’t even an apology for the trouble. I can forgive an honest mistake, but this was a lot to deal with. I booked through Booking.com and think they should take more responsibility for the companies they host and promote. Their app also wouldn’t let me review BT. Why not let future customers hear about this awful experience? The positive reviews are highlighted while the negative ones are buried, and I’m tired of being misled. I don’t have time to check every detail for “surprises.” After years of using it, I’ll be trying other travel apps in future.

“Free cancellation” feels like a big lie, almost a scam. Read the other comments below so you know what you might be getting into. I wouldn’t risk it. I’ve never come across anything like this in other countries. I’m speechless.

My son got sick, so we couldn’t stay at their apartment. Even though the free-cancellation period had ended, they let us cancel and refunded us for each night someone booked before our check-in. They’ve already returned all the money. I thought that was really kind of them, and we’ll stay there when we visit the city.

I’m still trying to get my money back for a booking with free cancellation, but the property hasn’t refunded me. I’ll be happy to remove this comment once I get the money. This is unacceptable!