Georgi D.
This isn’t a scam, but the reservation process felt strange. I booked through Booking.com for the next day and got a message saying I had to transfer half the stay by bank within half an hour or face a penalty. I called the host, who said I could book directly with him to avoid the bank transfer, so I cancelled on Booking.com. He sent a preauthorization link. Once my card was preauthorized for the stay amount, I expected accommodation details, but was told I also had to pay cash at a machine at another address. My wife read Google comments and thought it might be a scam, which led to a long chat with the owner. On arrival day, we called again and went to Via Nicolo Machiavelli 6 to pay. A very polite receptionist met us and explained that after the cash payment we’d get the code for the accommodation, which was seven minutes away at Via piave 41. I paid and found a large apartment there. I didn’t like that the room with two single beds had no window, and it could probably use new paint on the walls. At checkout the next day, I asked the owner to cancel the preauthorization; he did it quickly, and I got that initial payment back. My impression is that the owner wants a security deposit against damage and smoking in his properties. I also think he wants more people to book directly, which may explain the unusual Booking.com conditions. Booking.com’s commission is at least 15% and can reach 20%, and he seems to prefer cash to avoid Visa, Mastercard, and other payment fees. The price he asked for the apartment was good for Palermo.
