Although this review is about the Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi, it has equally to do with Booking.com and their uncaring and dismissive attitude towards a 10 year loyal customer with Genius status.
I had made a very early booking to the Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi, in Thailand, for a trip from 13 November to 19 November. Having later discovered that November is usually the rainiest month in that part of the world, I cancelled the booking soon thereafter. It was shown as – and still is – cancelled on the Booking.com website; and so I did not give it much further thought.
Imagine my shock and horror, therefore, when my bank informed me that the above resort had billed an amount equivalent to above 2000 USD; and that the amount had been paid to to the Centara Resort. When questioned, the resort cited their standard reservation conditions, by which I was listed as a “No Show” and therefore liable for the full six night room charges. Apparently, my cancellation request had not been conveyed to them by Booking.com.
Naturally, I immediately contacted Booking.com an informed them of the situation. After promising me to look into the matter, they sent me a pro-forma reply, which was virtually a cut and paste job from the Resort’s cancellation policies – and effectively washed their hands off the whole situation. In short, they blindly accepted the Resort’s explanation; and apparently made no effort to conduct an independent enquiry. When I asked why was it, then, that their own website was listing the booking as cancelled, they did not respond. If this is the way they treat repeat customers, I shudder to think how they would handle genuine grievances of new customers. To add insult to injury, in their customer survey, I gave them the lowest possible rating and cited the reasons for doing so. And what was their response? Dead silence.
Needless to say, I will never patronize Booking.com again; and I would others to interact with them with abundant caution.
