charne s.

We use to make all of our Leisure bookings through Booking.com. And we always made use of Booking.com for all our business accommodation. Unfortunately we wont use this booking agency again. And we will not recommend it to anyone.
The agents in the call centre, are incompetent, rude and not very helpful. The guarantee that the rates are the best rates that one will find is not true, and the policy that you will refund the difference if there is another agency that has better rates than Bookin.com is a hoax.

Last week we decided that we want to go to Sun City for our wedding anniversary. We had two options to book with our Holiday club credits or to book via Booking.com. We chose the latter.
I went online to search for accommodation using Booking.com. So I made the booking at the Cabanas Hotel at Sun City Resort, and paid R3956.
While searching online for activities to do in and around Sun City, I came across the website http://www.go2africa.com/ and saw they advertise accommodation as well. Fully knowing that Booking.com guaranteed that they offer the best price I ignored the advertisement and went ahead searching for activities. I then read that on a Tuesday they have a whiskey tasting evening but I have already made a booking for Wednesday April 20 Friday April 22. I realised we are going to miss it, so I thought maybe we should book an extra night that includes Tuesday April 19. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Go2Africa are way cheaper than Booking.com. So I went ahead and typed in April 20 April 22. And then I got a shock. R2140! I just paid R3956 at Booking.com. I immediately emailed Booking.com, telling them I found exactly the same accommodation with lower rates than that what I just paid at Bookin.com.
I emailed Booking.com on Thursday April 14,2016.
Friday late afternoon, Booking.com has still not phoned or emailed me any reply. So I phoned the calling centre and spoke to one of the agents. He admitted to receiving my email.
Why hasnt Booking.com followed up on my email with the other agency?
Why havent I received any communication from Booking.com regarding my enquire.
The gentleman that I spoke to (Zaijneb) went and check the link of the website that I have forwarded containing the evidence that the rates are a lot cheaper than Booking.com and agreed with me on the price on the website that it stated clearly R2140 for the exact same accommodation.
And then he told me that he is not sure but he thinks that they have not included taxes. And if I add the taxes of 14% and the amount of R2140 it will be much more that Booking.com. Now if you ad 14 % to R2140 you get the total amount of R2439. 60. Still way cheaper than Booking.com. Anyway he told me to go and find out if the total amount includes taxes.
I then emailed the agency Go2Africa and enquired about the costs of the accommodation. The agency emailed me back, and assured me the following:

Sun City Cabanas Hotel
Dates: 20 22 April 2016
Room: 1 x Standard Twin Room with shower can accommodate 2 adults

Daily room rate from: R 1 070.00
Total for 2 nights: R 2 140.00

The amount below is what you will pay, it includes Tourism Levy as well.

Rates include the following: Breakfast at the Palm Terrance Restaurant, entrance to The Valley of the Waves and a complimentary shuttle service within the resort to the various hotels / activities.

I then forwarded the email to Booking.com. No one at Booking.com contacted me.
Today I made a follow up call and spoke to another (very unhelpful) agent. She opened my communication that I have send to Booking.com and went to check on the link of the accommodation that the other agency (Go2Africa) offered. She told me the price on the website has changed and it is not R2140 anymore. She then told me the policy is not valid. Because the amount displaying today on Go2Africa is much higher than the amount I paid at Booking.com.
I was very upset because:
No one from Booking.com communicated to me from Thursday April 14 either via calling or emailing up until today when I made contact again.
The agents arent helpful at all, they didnt even went to check whether the other agency has a better price.
Zajneb the agent cant do maths. And assured me that 14 % adding to R2140 equals much higher than R3956.
My first communication regarding the better offer I found was on Thursday and not today. I told Booking.com on Thursday that I found a better offer. I also told them on Friday. The agent agreed with me, but told me he THINKS (not know) it doesnt include taxes, and that I must go and make sure, and phone back with the proof. Well I did. I went and emailed Go2Africa and I forwarded the proof to Booking.com.
The Booking.com agent I spoke to today went and check and told me the price on the website is much higher today than Friday. But the thing is I already contact Booking.com on Thursday. My first contact was on Thursday and not today. So the rates that were on the website on Thursday April 14 and Friday should be valid. Today was a follow up (because none of the agents communicated back to me) so todays costs should not be brought into account.
The agency Go2Africa clearly states in the email (which I forwarded to Booking.com) that the amount of R2140 is still applicable and is inclusive of everything.
When I request to spoke to the supervisor the agent at Booking.com she refused. She upset me when she told me that the agent I spoke to on Friday afternoon (Zajneb) said that the amount displayed on the website of Go2Africa was more than the amount I paid at Booking.com. Indirectly I was called a liar. I was furious because he agreed with me on Friday that the amount is R2140 but he THINKS (not know) it doesnt include taxes. I told your agent that all phone calls must be recorded, thus Booking.com should go and replay the phone conversation between me and the gentleman. She then told me it cant be done.
Now it seems to me that Booking.com will use as many excuses as they can find to bypass the policy that they so eagerly advertised. Best price guaranteed what a misleading statement!