Host telling me to cancel my booking in exchange for a discount?
I booked through booking.com about 2 months ago, made a prepayment and everything. The place I booked has free cancellation up until 2 weeks prior.
Now, the host has e-mailed me offering me a discount on the payment if I cancel the booking? The host says that the booking will still be mine and it will still be reserved for me, they just want me to cancel it. The host also states that it is not mandatory, it’s just an offer.
Of course, this sounds so dodgy. I’ve already made a prepayment, so there’s no way I’m going to cancel it and trust the host?
Why is the host offering me this? It’s so strange.
Best Answer
TL;DR Keep your original booking.
It's possible that the host found out that the demand on accommodation for the period of your booking went up, so they will have no trouble renting the place for more money to someone else if you cancel. Or maybe they are already overbooked and are looking for the least expensive way out.
The thing you have to understand is that between the moment you cancel and the moment you rebook (with the same host or otherwise), you have no room. If you have free cancellation, at least don't cancel until you have a new confirmed booking on better terms.
Also keep in mind that booking.com provides added value to you compared to a reservation on the side. E.g. the host will be inclined to give better rooms to booking.com customers who can otherwise trash them in reviews.
If you go to a certain place regularly, it's a good idea to forego booking.com and get a reservation directly with the host you know and trust. This doesn't seem to be your case though.
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Can a host cancel your booking on booking com?
Depending on your policies, a guest may be able to cancel their reservation using a link in their confirmation email or via their Booking account. In some cases, you're able to initiate a cancellation request if a guest asks you to do so, or if there are issues with guest payments. See below for more information.Can you get scammed on booking com?
The answer is yes, Booking.com can be a scam, and this site can scam you out of a lot of money. That might sound extreme, but this is not the case in every scenario.How do I get out of booking cancellation fee?
Call the hotel to ask for a refund or ask to waive the fee. Explain why you were unable to keep your reservations. This is more effective if you have a valid excuse, such as illness or inclement weather that prevented travel.Does free cancellation mean refund booking?
First, a quick definition of \u201cFree Cancellation.\u201d We're referring to a booking wherein a guest can receive all of their money back if they need to cancel within a given window, perhaps up until 7, 14, or 30 days before the check-in date.Can Airbnb host cancel your booking?
More answers regarding host telling me to cancel my booking in exchange for a discount?
Answer 2
The person who has contacted you as "the host" may not be who they say they are. They could be a junior employee who is able to slip you the key to an unbooked room, while pocketing your reservation fee. They could even be a scammer totally unconnected to the accommodation who has found out you are staying there (maybe from your social media posts, or maybe they have hacked into the accommodation's booking.com account). They would take your money, but when you arrived at the accommodation you would have no booking.
Answer 3
Other answers have pointed out that the host probably wants to defraud booking.com. They're probably honest to you, but you may not want to count on probably.
One similar situation that is probably not fraud: suppose you're staying there already and want to renew your stay. You could do so through booking.com, or directly with the landlord. By then you'd already know them in person, and know the place, so it would be safer for you to do so.
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