Tribus-Gites Urbains Carcassonne

I sent proof that the payment went through, but they still said they hadn't received it. I also got no response when I tried to sort things out over the phone. The booking made on their own website was never confirmed, so I cancelled it. The woman I spoke to denied receiving the booking and didn't confirm the cancellation either. Mistakes happen, and that alone isn't a big deal. What matters is trying to find a solution instead of denying everything.

Booking.com eventually stepped in and helped us find somewhere else to stay. We'd arrived in the rain and cold expecting an email with instructions for getting the keys, but it didn't come until 5:00 PM. No one was there, and our calls and emails went unanswered, leaving us stranded outside. Completely unprofessional.

We spent 20 minutes driving around trying to find parking, even though the listing suggested it wouldn't be difficult. The apartment itself has a great concept and location, and it's very well equipped, with wonderfully comfortable bedding. But it felt neglected: there were tissues and dirty papers in the room when we arrived, the shower still had an old bar of soap, and the faucets need replacing. The handles were broken, and the worn woodwork made sound and heat insulation disastrous. There was no internet despite it being advertised, the TV didn't work, and the honesty bar was missing too. It could have been great, but it wasn't.

We really liked the vintage look and the location, and the king-size bed was both large and very comfortable. Still, a lot of details fell short of the level of service we expected. The bathroom and kitchen weren't clean enough, the shower faucet was loose and badly damaged, and the toilet door handle was broken. Several lights were out in the bedroom and kitchen. The extractor hood was greasy, the freezer was full of ice, and the coffee pods mentioned in the arrival text and on the website weren't there. The TV didn't work, and there was no honesty bar as advertised. It also seemed a shame that the welcome booklet hadn't been reprinted with the new owners' names, given the price and standard of the accommodation.