I am having the same experience. Each time I make the dates available but when I check back I dont have a booking however the dates are closed. This has being happening just recently. There is a need for concern, because something has gone wrong on the platform.
My experience mirrors Sam's. When the guests cancelled or no-show and there is a charge based on our policy, often times we still are not able to collect payment for rooms that would otherwise be booked, maybe not on booking.com but by other booking sites. This is because (a) the credit card declined (b) cannot process payment ,or (c) guests do not respond to messages or calls regarding confirmation of reservation, arrival time etc. I believe some guests deliberately restrict their cards so as not to be charged cancellation fees. This is grossly unfair to us as host because we are losing business and although Booking.com state that they will pay for cancellations if reservation not replaced, it is not happening. Further, Booking.com has a habit of sending out emails to guests about free cancellation and that rates got cheaper in area etc. This is very bad for business because this has resulted in high levels of guest cancellations when guests realize that another property has offered a cheaper rate than they reserved for.
It is really a challenge to keep up with Booking.com offering the guest everything from free cancellation to fee waiver, while host properties are left unable to collect from guests who just simple don't show up and restrict their credit card from being charged. I appreciate it if a guest request cancellation in an emergency situation or have to cancel because of circumstances beyond their control and this is communicated to us.
Maybe this doesn't affect owners with large amount of rooms, however, we only have 3 rooms and certainly can't afford to have the rooms tied up when they could have been booked by other serious guests.
I am sorry but I don't think business owners are getting the required support needed from Booking.com. A better system of securing payment is required, credit cards do expire as well as we can only view card information for 10 days. What about reservations that are made for example 6 months in advance, how do we retrieve card information? What is the risk of us having the guests card information stored manually Versus being able to retrieve such from the extranet on request?
I am also new on Booking.com. What I find is that the guests are booking our place, however Booking.com keeps sending them emails about free cancellations and cheaper properties in area etc. I have personally book other properties and the tonne loads of emails I get to cancel for free and about other rates going down in area etc. I think this is very bad for business and reflects poorly on bookers when it is booking.com that is creating these problems by allowing guests to cancel because another booker just offered a cheaper rate.
Also, when guest book it is expected that their card be charged based on cancellation or payment policy. However, sometimes the guest cancelled or no-showed after making reservation well in advance (several months), I think in this case booking.com should allow bookers to be able to retrieve card details again up to three days after a no-show or cancellation to allow bookers to collect fees.
I am having the same experience. Each time I make the dates available but when I check back I dont have a booking however the dates are closed. This has being happening just recently.
There is a need for concern, because something has gone wrong on the platform.
Hello,
My experience mirrors Sam's. When the guests cancelled or no-show and there is a charge based on our policy, often times we still are not able to collect payment for rooms that would otherwise be booked, maybe not on booking.com but by other booking sites. This is because (a) the credit card declined (b) cannot process payment ,or (c) guests do not respond to messages or calls regarding confirmation of reservation, arrival time etc. I believe some guests deliberately restrict their cards so as not to be charged cancellation fees. This is grossly unfair to us as host because we are losing business and although Booking.com state that they will pay for cancellations if reservation not replaced, it is not happening. Further, Booking.com has a habit of sending out emails to guests about free cancellation and that rates got cheaper in area etc. This is very bad for business because this has resulted in high levels of guest cancellations when guests realize that another property has offered a cheaper rate than they reserved for.
It is really a challenge to keep up with Booking.com offering the guest everything from free cancellation to fee waiver, while host properties are left unable to collect from guests who just simple don't show up and restrict their credit card from being charged. I appreciate it if a guest request cancellation in an emergency situation or have to cancel because of circumstances beyond their control and this is communicated to us.
Maybe this doesn't affect owners with large amount of rooms, however, we only have 3 rooms and certainly can't afford to have the rooms tied up when they could have been booked by other serious guests.
I am sorry but I don't think business owners are getting the required support needed from Booking.com. A better system of securing payment is required, credit cards do expire as well as we can only view card information for 10 days. What about reservations that are made for example 6 months in advance, how do we retrieve card information? What is the risk of us having the guests card information stored manually Versus being able to retrieve such from the extranet on request?
These are my experience and concerns.
Pat
Hi Stepahnie,
I am also new on Booking.com. What I find is that the guests are booking our place, however Booking.com keeps sending them emails about free cancellations and cheaper properties in area etc. I have personally book other properties and the tonne loads of emails I get to cancel for free and about other rates going down in area etc. I think this is very bad for business and reflects poorly on bookers when it is booking.com that is creating these problems by allowing guests to cancel because another booker just offered a cheaper rate.
Also, when guest book it is expected that their card be charged based on cancellation or payment policy. However, sometimes the guest cancelled or no-showed after making reservation well in advance (several months), I think in this case booking.com should allow bookers to be able to retrieve card details again up to three days after a no-show or cancellation to allow bookers to collect fees.
Thanks.
Pat