Never “USE Booking.com”

I have never been so disappointed with booking.com after 10 years of using them and with a genius level 3, I have been seeing cracks from them for the past 2 years which I chose to ignore because I was skeptical to try other travel/booking agencies. Until recent, June 2023 3rd we booked accommodation on their app and paid a full amount as per their terms, on arrival to our accommodation we got a shock of a lifetime, we were ****med, and tried several times to call the host with no luck, then I was traveling with my husband and our 5 year old twins. We got hold of booking.com and we waited for assistance dealing with several people from them until it was dark(6-7pm). When we finally got someone to help us, we were told to book another accommodation, pay it for from our pocket while they are still investigating the matter. Mind you our family was about 6000km away from home, stranded in a city we are not fami**** with, with 2 toddlers. We booked a hotel in town for a night, the following day we booked another accommodation still with them, we had no other option since we were there on winter holiday vacation ( NB!! we paid this accommodation again from our pocket, while waiting for the outcome of the investigation). Nobody contacted us for the whole 36 hours, regarding the outcome of the ****. We got to other accommodation, another shock to us. The place was like one of those horror movie house, like a haunted mansion. We.hardly slept, past midnight I wrote to booking.com regarding that accommodation and we asked to send photos and we did as asked. The following day the hosting agent was fighting us, asking why we didn’t contact them first. To cut a story short, we left after a night stay, we cancelled everything even our plans and drove back home. In all this, I’m the one doing follow up, booking.com is not helping instead during my calls I deal with different call center personnel and in each case I have to relate our dilemma. It’s almost 6 weeks now, we still haven’t received our refund from booking.com, I have spoken with more than 20 people in their call center and each time I have yo go through the same process explaining what happened. Today 7th August, I was requested to send a proof of payment and a statement from my bank, and I did send them ( 2bd time sending a proof to them, I sent one on the 3rd of August already). I am now told that my proof of payment doesn’t show any currency hence they are unable to refund me. I’m so over the word ****ed, if I could of which I hope this review will, never in your life no matter how urgent it is “NEVER USE BOOKING.COM” they **** people and you will never have your money back, and if you do, you would have fought your lungs out for your refund