After having read positive reviews on this site of Garden%26#39;s Apartments in Old Town Split, I booked %26quot;Zelena%26quot; for 8 nights in May 2010 through HostelBookers. I paid a deposit and was sent a confirmation of my booking. Yesterday I received a phone call from Croatia from the owner saying that HostelBooking prices were wrong; he must cancel my booking; and he would send me his own website address and I should book through that. He said that the deposit that I had %26quot;lost%26quot; with HostelBookers would be used for my new booking. When I received the owners website address and accessed it, I was astounded to read that the apartment fee had increased by 135% to Eur85 per night...Hotel prices surely! I emailed the owner to check that I had understood him correctly. He confirmed that I had, and offered to refund my deposit. I have phoned HostelBookers and they are looking into it. They were as shocked as I was.
Can I please ask if anyone has any advice or has had a similar problem. I feel that several issues come to light here:-
1. Can the owner put up prices at anytime, even near to a holiday with no forfeit, even when a booking has been confirmed?
2. Is a booking contract only one way? ie. If the renter breaks the contract they lose their deposit; if the owner defaults they are simply obliged to return any deposit.
3. Do good Trip Adviser reviews encourage apartment owners to put their rates up unreasonably? Might this not lead to gazumping... travellers offering more to rent an apartment that has already been booked?
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Why would you want to spend 8 days in Split anyway.
give it a miss and hit Trogir and daytrip if necessary to Split.
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This is an ugly situation! I would say that the owner is just one of the apartment owners who cannot see anything but money and the greed for few more euros is far greater than a need to establish a good relationship with HostelBookers or his clients on a longer period.
All sorts of %26quot;bastards%26quot; are renting apartments and that is not like with hotels that you have someone to complain...
It should be that the owner must return you the deposit and that would be the best option.
Like Mausgrass said, why staying in Split all 8 days? Islands for few nights?
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Thank you for your responses. I have decided to try Trogir. I must admit that I hadn%26#39;t done my homework and wasn%26#39;t really aware of the options.
I still haven%26#39;t had my deposit returned from the defaulted booking. Even though my credit card payment was to Hostelbookers, they insist that the apartment owner needs to repay the money!
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Good choice in staying in Trogir, a much more charming place anyways. Sorry to hear about your troubles and hopefully everything goes well for you with that.
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Removed on: 5:17 pm, August 25, 2009|||
I haven%26#39;t found hostelbookers to be very good when I had a problem with them in the past.
If they and the apartment owner are batting back and forth about who owes you the money, just let your credit card co. know the problem and ask them to refund you. They will then pursue hostelbookers for you.
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Sir,
We are so sorry to hear for all your troubles !
I do NOT how how is possible that You booked %26quot;Zelena%26quot; for 8 nights in May 2010 through HostelBookers in August 2009 ? ( Date 17 Aug 2009 )
It is true that I saying that HostelBooking prices were wrong; because in August 2009 I do not add prices and availability calendar at agency HostelBookers for 2010 ? and I must cancel Yours booking . After that I was contact agency HostelBookers and he said that the deposit beck to You !
Is nice to hear from You that You read positive reviews on this site of Garden%26#39;s Apartments in Old Town Split , but I do not understund why You not contact me directly like my other guests ..... ? tripadvisor.com/VacationRentalReview-g295370…
Please look us up if you decide to come back to Split as we would like to provide You with the most memorable stay you could experience if given another chance.
Sincerely,
Management Team of Garden Cottages %26amp; Apartments - Old City Split
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I too have had problems with hostel bookers, not in Croatia though ... once you pay them they don%26#39;t seem to have a great follow-up service, or even care if you have any problems with the property when you are there.
I%26#39;ve also used Garden Apartments in Split and had a wonderful stay. Don%26#39;t write them off because of a bad hostel bookers experience.
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