Holidays 2022.

kilmaccumsey

Well-Known Forumite
Holidays. Talk to me about holiday insurance. Where do i Start. I was thinking getting an annual one but some don't cover some countries like Malta and Turkey. (i may go to Malta next year).
Anyway ive booked my flights to Italy and now looking for insurance. So much to decide...
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Holidays. Talk to me about holiday insurance. Where do i Start. I was thinking getting an annual one but some don't cover some countries like Malta and Turkey. (i may go to Malta next year).
Anyway ive booked my flights to Italy and now looking for insurance. So much to decide...
Malta is Europe, is it not covered? I never realised, good job nothing happened as assumed my annual was fine.
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
Holidays. Talk to me about holiday insurance. Where do i Start. I was thinking getting an annual one but some don't cover some countries like Malta and Turkey. (i may go to Malta next year).
Anyway ive booked my flights to Italy and now looking for insurance. So much to decide...
I just go with a reasonable one from compare the market. Usually the Gold or Platinum, never the cheapest. Only claimed once though in Northern Cyprus.
 

SketchyMagpie

Well-Known Forumite
I can't really have "holidays" with my job (I'm a freelance artist, don't often know how busy I'll be more than a month in advance) so I tend to use gigs and the like as mini breaks throughout the year, when I can I'll book a date for somewhere out of town and stay over for the night then have an afternoon wondering around before I come home.

I'm not staying over this time because it's a matinee, but I'm off to see the "Mad House" play with David Harbour and Bill Pullman in London today.
 
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Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
Heads up for anyone who has booked with Booking.com. Call the accommodation that you have booked directly to confirm that they have your booking.

I booked a twin room at Kenwick Park, Lincs for Superbikes at Cadwell Park with Booking.com and when we arrived to check in I was told that they hadn't got my booking and were full.

The customer service people at Booking.com didn't understand what my problem was and just rambled out any old pre-scripted crap that they thought would shut me up.

Then I got an email from them to say they'd cancelled my booking and were glad my trip was now sorted!!!!

Then to add insult to injury they emailed with a "comparable" hotel in some village 20 miles away near Skeggy. When I say comparable I had booked a spa hotel with swimming pool, golf course, etc, etc and what I was offered was a room in this grotty village pub for £50 more!!

Screenshot_20220829-064052.png


Their last email stated that if any refunds were due then I needed to contact the hotel. My response was that I had no "contract" with the hotel but I did with Booking.com and they should be the ones contacting the hotel not me.

Avoid using Booking.com like the plague, they don't give a shite about you after they've cocked up.
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
Heads up for anyone who has booked with Booking.com. Call the accommodation that you have booked directly to confirm that they have your booking.

I booked a twin room at Kenwick Park, Lincs for Superbikes at Cadwell Park with Booking.com and when we arrived to check in I was told that they hadn't got my booking and were full.

The customer service people at Booking.com didn't understand what my problem was and just rambled out any old pre-scripted crap that they thought would shut me up.

Then I got an email from them to say they'd cancelled my booking and were glad my trip was now sorted!!!!

Then to add insult to injury they emailed with a "comparable" hotel in some village 20 miles away near Skeggy. When I say comparable I had booked a spa hotel with swimming pool, golf course, etc, etc and what I was offered was a room in this grotty village pub for £50 more!!

View attachment 12860

Their last email stated that if any refunds were due then I needed to contact the hotel. My response was that I had no "contract" with the hotel but I did with Booking.com and they should be the ones contacting the hotel not me.

Avoid using Booking.com like the plague, they don't give a shite about you after they've cocked up.
Disappointing to hear as these are my go to for hotels. Never had an issue with the either but will heed your advice.
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
Disappointing to hear as these are my go to for hotels. Never had an issue with the either but will heed your advice.
I hadn't until this weekend and Booking.com's customer service is absolutely appalling and they just left it for us to try to sort out with the hotel.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
I've used Booking.com a few times in recent years ... (including my last time in Stafford at the Vine Hotel, a nice quiet stagger to town and some of my old haunts) and so far they've been OK. However the thought of being hundreds of miles from home and suddenly faced with nowhere to stay is a bit scary !!
So advice noted.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Thanks for warning . (There was a couple trying to check into a Worcester hotel in front of us once who had booked through Booking.com. The hotel hadn't got any record of their booking and no rooms available. Hotel said nothing they could do as not booked through them)
We've always booked UK holidays direct with hotel and got price matched or cheaper.

The apartment that we are going to next week is on Booking.com . But we have booked direct with the owner and at a much lower price. He saw us looking at them from outside whilst staying in the hotel next door earlier in the year as he was doing some maintenance around the swimming pool area. He arranged a viewing on their changeover day . Showed us around , gave us his mobile number and did us a really good deal if we booked direct with him as he has to pay Booking.com 20% . (Got next years holiday booked in with him as well at that good price).
 

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
Thanks for warning . (There was a couple trying to check into a Worcester hotel in front of us once who had booked through Booking.com. The hotel hadn't got any record of their booking and no rooms available. Hotel said nothing they could do as not booked through them)
We've always booked UK holidays direct with hotel and got price matched or cheaper.

The apartment that we are going to next week is on Booking.com . But we have booked direct with the owner and at a much lower price. He saw us looking at them from outside whilst staying in the hotel next door earlier in the year as he was doing some maintenance around the swimming pool area. He arranged a viewing on their changeover day . Showed us around , gave us his mobile number and did us a really good deal if we booked direct with him as he has to pay Booking.com 20% . (Got next years holiday booked in with him as well at that good price).
Friends of mine from Yorkshire stayed in the Wetherspoons.
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
What I find with booking.com is that I get a notification and confirmation off the accomodation. I suspect without that, that's when potential trouble can arise.
I have never had a confirmation from the property with Booking.com but also I've never had this issue with any bookings I've made so far.

They will never get my custom ever again after effectively leaving us stranded in Louth and not giving a shite about us!!!
 
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