Booking.com Nightmare: Family Arrives at Closed Hotel After Paying $1,200 Online

A Dream Vacation Turns Into a Nightmare

Imagine booking and paying for a hotel online, only to arrive and find it permanently closed. That's exactly what happened to Brian Sexton and his family when they drove to Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks for a getaway.

The Shocking Discovery

Instead of a warm welcome, the family was greeted by garbage trucks in the parking lot, a locked gate, and a "No Trespassing" sign. A quick Google search confirmed their worst fears - the hotel they had reserved through Booking.com was shut down for good.

"I was confused. I was like, there's no way. How are we going to find a place? I was so angry. I was upset," said Sexton.

The Immediate Aftermath

Sexton tried calling Booking.com immediately around 8:30-9:00 PM, but nobody answered. "That's when I disputed it with the credit card company," he said.

Despite finding another hotel that night, Sexton still wanted his $1,200 refund from Booking.com. "At first, they were like, 'We can't do anything for you because you didn't check in,' and I'm like, 'Well, I couldn't check in because the property is closed.'"

The Customer Service Battle

Sexton emailed Booking.com repeatedly but kept receiving the same response - the company was waiting to hear back from the property. "After hearing that a couple of times, I finally said, you know what, I'm going to get a hold of Diane Wilson," referring to the investigative reporter.

Booking.com's Response

When Wilson reached out to Booking.com, a representative stated: "Our Customer Service team investigated this matter and, unfortunately, in this case, the accommodation did not notify us of its closure, which briefly left the listing active. The listing has since been removed. We can confirm that the customer initiated a chargeback through their bank, which currently prevents us from issuing a refund. Our Customer Service team has been in touch with the customer to explain next steps and remains available should the customer choose to cancel the dispute with their bank and instead proceed with our resolution."

The Resolution

It took some time, but Sexton's credit card company ultimately ruled in his favor, and he received a full refund of his $1,200 payment.