NEVER USE BOOKING.COM OR TOTALSTAY

Had an absolute ********** experience with Totalstay and booking.com

We booked some luxury accomodation in Camps Bay while visiting SA from the UK. This was done well in advance and for my wife, 5 month old baby and some of my siblings (total of 8 guests). Greedily I am forced into submitting my credit card details and receive multiple emails stating that the payment needs to go through to secure the booking.

2 days before the move in date I receive a message from Totalalstay saying that the booking has been cancelled. Shocked and furious we attempt for hours to call in with no response eventually getting through to someone the next day only.

When speaking to Pearl, Lee Anne and God knows who else, we are met with arrogance and a host of excuses. I asked for alternative accomodation for the dates and told that I can have a 6 sleeper in Seapoint (a far cry from Camps bay luxury) for the same price. Cheesed off i calmly stated that we were 8 people and should I leave my other 2 family members at home???? This obviously did not suit them and was told that they could not help me and those dates would remain cancelled otherwise.

Sad and dejected, I had to share the news with my family that our trip was cancelled. The next day I receive emails from booking.com and Totalstay warning that I have not confirmed cancellation and am therefore liable for the cancellation fee of the full amount R8k for the 2 days we would have stayed.

In a tizz I contact booking.com and explain that it was Totalstay who cancelled and not me. I was surprised to get a host of responses from numerous bookin.com staff blaming me for the cancellation. Reasons flung at me were - no partying allowed - non refundable bookings are liable in full. I naively tried to explain the situation each time and express my discontent but each time was told that Totalstay was in their right to hold payment. Eventually when I got slightly more serious, it was agreed that the payments would so "graciously" be reversed and they will "give me the priveledge" of a cancellation. My response was that why should it seem like you are doing me a favour, when you've actually inconvenienced me and ruined our holiday. If anything you should be compensating me for this utter blunder. But they had no remorse in their actions.

This was absolutely ******* service and a waste of my time and money. If I hadn't had my wits about me would have blatantly been ****** by Totalstay and booking.com. Reading reviews and chatting to peers, this is not the first time they have pulled this stunt and it seems like lots of arrogance and ************** from Totalstay once thy have your card details. Steer clear people especially to all of us tourists, we are soft targets for them