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| Hotels.com New York apartment 'didn't exist', family says | Hotels.com New York apartment 'didn't exist', family says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A family of eight who booked a break in New York arrived to find their accommodation "did not exist". | A family of eight who booked a break in New York arrived to find their accommodation "did not exist". |
| Vince Baker paid Hotels.com £1,100 for five adults and three children to stay in a holiday apartment in Manhattan. | Vince Baker paid Hotels.com £1,100 for five adults and three children to stay in a holiday apartment in Manhattan. |
| After making the 3,300-mile trip, they arrived expecting "a lobby or reception" but were instead met with a locked-up building. | After making the 3,300-mile trip, they arrived expecting "a lobby or reception" but were instead met with a locked-up building. |
| They were forced to ring around to find somewhere else to stay. Hotels.com has apologised and paid compensation. | |
| Mr Baker, from Sawley, Derbyshire, said he had been concerned by some reviews on Hotels.com when he arranged the festive getaway. | Mr Baker, from Sawley, Derbyshire, said he had been concerned by some reviews on Hotels.com when he arranged the festive getaway. |
| But, he said, the website's staff had assured him there would be no problems. | But, he said, the website's staff had assured him there would be no problems. |
| "We were expecting a lobby and some sort of reception but it was just a private block, all locked up. | "We were expecting a lobby and some sort of reception but it was just a private block, all locked up. |
| "The contact number we had just went to a holding message. Our holiday apartment didn't exist. | |
| "So we were just left there on the street with no where to go. It was 9pm, our bodies thought it was 2am and we had three children aged 8, 6 and 1. | "So we were just left there on the street with no where to go. It was 9pm, our bodies thought it was 2am and we had three children aged 8, 6 and 1. |
| "In the end we had to find ourselves a place - not easy in New York during the festive season - and pay what they asked." | "In the end we had to find ourselves a place - not easy in New York during the festive season - and pay what they asked." |
| 'Ceased booking' | 'Ceased booking' |
| Hotel.com have now refunded Mr Baker for the £1,100 and paid him £1,250 compensation. | Hotel.com have now refunded Mr Baker for the £1,100 and paid him £1,250 compensation. |
| Mr Baker added: "Like most people we were looking for a good deal and this one fitted the bill. | Mr Baker added: "Like most people we were looking for a good deal and this one fitted the bill. |
| "We got our money back and some compensation but I think it is important for people to know the risks they run using these sites. | "We got our money back and some compensation but I think it is important for people to know the risks they run using these sites. |
| Hotels.com said the apartment was a "genuine property" but following a number of issues, it had ceased taking bookings for it. | Hotels.com said the apartment was a "genuine property" but following a number of issues, it had ceased taking bookings for it. |
| "We have processes to find alternative accommodation for customers at no additional cost and we are very sorry that this process didn't work as it should have done in this instance." | "We have processes to find alternative accommodation for customers at no additional cost and we are very sorry that this process didn't work as it should have done in this instance." |