"his was one of the worst experiences I’ve had at a hotel. They are 2-star at best, and only because we didn’t find any bugs. Here’s what I sent to the hotel and the third party site I used for the reservation. The hotel refused to provide a refund because the rate was non-refundable, the third party site has left me to fend for myself… I’m getting no response, but they say a refund has been initiated. However, I have received no details regarding the refund or the actual refund. In fact, customer service didn’t respond when I informed them that the site to upload documentation wasn’t working and included a screenshot and description of the issue. I requested an email address to send it to, no response. The link now states that my deadline to submit documentation has passed. Contacting support through the app has yielded no results. Both the TP and hotel seem to think they can advertise whatever they want in the listing, not deliver what you paid for, and still expect you to pay for it. Also, the TP site will not allow me to rate the hotel on their app.
Dear Bart,
Thank you for your response.
I booked this reservation expecting a 4-star property, as advertised on Booking.com, at a rate of nearly $300 per night. However, upon arrival, it was immediately clear that the condition of the unit did not reflect the listing. The room had a persistent odor, visible cleanliness issues, and overall failed to meet even basic quality standards. I documented these discrepancies with photos and compared them directly to your online listing—what was advertised is not what we received.
Your statement that housekeeping did not notice anything unusual only highlights a deeper concern: that the condition we encountered is viewed as acceptable by your staff. The odor and the visibly dirty grout alone made the space uninhabitable—especially at this price point.
While I understand the reservation was marked non-refundable, this situation falls well outside the bounds of reason. Guests are entitled to receive the product they paid for. When a property is misrepresented in listings, it undermines the fairness of a no-refund policy.
I respectfully ask that management reconsider and issue a full refund. Had I known the true condition of the room, I would never have booked it. Although the receptionist offered a different room, I ask you to please inspect it personally. Go to the refrigerator and touch the handle as if you’re about to open it—did you feel the food or unknown residue? You don’t need to answer—I already know. The second room was still dirty, with the same visibly soiled bathroom grout and other indicators of poor housekeeping that left us unable to trust the cleanliness or safety of any room in the building.
Regardless of your decision about the refund, I strongly urge you to update your listing photos to accurately reflect the current condition of the property, and ensure the rooms are maintained to acceptable cleanliness standards. I understand there are costs associated with renovations, and I am not expecting a brand-new facility. But where age exists, it should be offset by exceptional cleanliness, reasonable amenities, professional staff, and overall care for guest experience.
We did not leave because the property was old—we left because of the odor, poor housekeeping, misleading advertising, and our resulting lack of peace of mind. These are not matters of personal preference, but of basic hospitality and guest safety. We cannot be penalized for your team’s failure to uphold those standards.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Thalia Williams"
