Hostelworld

They charged me for a reservation on a hostel, only to find out later that it was fully booked and cancelled it without warning, hours before my arrival. Instead of giving back my money on my credit card or cancelling the transaction, they gave me a voucher, which I did not ask for, and refused to give me my money back.

Very unreliable, AVOID USING IT.
Very very bad experience and their support just ignored me.

Hostelworld steals peoples money, I've paid 26euro as a pre-payment to book a hostel and I couldn't see the reservation confirmed on their app so I've sent an email. Days later they've come up with the money didn't come through but my bank says other way. I have the provision number and receipt but hostel world claims they didn't get the money and still doesn't confirm booking. Very good scam. Don't ever trust this agency.

This is a scam company, please please please avoid them or you will be a victim like me. (1) when you book directly at the hostel, it is cheaper (2) they charge a scam deposit under the pretense of "insurance fee" - this deposit doesnt even go to the hostel, but is unrefundable and pocketed by hostelworld (3) customer service is really bad

I booked a hotel through hostelworld. I paid a deposit and received a confirmation email. When I turned up at the hotel they said they had no record of my booking and had no available rooms for me. Although they said they would help me find another hotel, they said I would have to pay for it. Being New Year's Eve I didn't have the £300 to pay for another room and was subsequently kicked out on to the streets of London by myself for the night. Hostelworld blame the hotel and it had taken 8 days just to get them to acknowledge that my deposit needs to be refunded. Other than that iv had a measly apology for the 'inconvenience'. Trying to get a response from them is like trying to draw blood from a stone. The entire thing has been dealt with horrifically. They clearly have no regard for their customers safety and there is no way I would book anything through them again. I'd advise other to stay far away!

I was scammed by a hostel in Lisbon (they took my money from my bank account but I couldn't get inside or contact them for the 2 days I booked for). I booked through Hostelworld because I thought I would have some kind of protection for the huge commission they charge, but no. They really don't care. I haven't had any response from their customer service about this scam. They are just allowing these kinds of things to happen to their customers with no recourse.

Please folks

If you want to rent a room or hostel go directly to the hotel or hostel. The music city hotel gave me a refund and hostel world refuses to issue my refund. They pretty much kept my money fir no reason. They are thieves! If I would've went to music city hotel directly they would've given me my money back for a room I never stayed in. Boycott hostel world! Be safe guys

Use this site to get information, but advise against booking through them. I booked a hostel and paid $2.20 to reserve a room, but when I arrived the hostel had no notice of the booking. What did I pay for?

I cancelled two reservations within the legal deadlines to obtain a refund of the amounts paid.

I've never seen those values. The problem is that I received an email with a print screen saying that they had returned it to me, this never happened.

To my surprise, the cancelled hostel charged me the full amount. As soon as what happened, I sent an email to which they responded quickly asking for proof.

I sent the proof and they never responded. Situations like this cannot go unpunished.
Don't book in this platform, they are liars. Companies that cheat people shouldn't be in business.

I did some bookings during pandemic time, and the only thing that I get for the cancellation (it was a free cancellation), was some vouchers that the only discount that is made is for the deposit, what in normal is too low.
I have asked for the refund in cash, and they did not accepted, so I don't think that I will use that voucher, but what I have very clear is that I'm not going to use never again that web for the bookings

I made a reservation less than 24 hours before my expected arrival, and immediately canceled it. They refused to refund my deposit because it was less than 24 hours prior to arrival. This is a completely unreasonable policy.

Very bad experience, the reservations of hostels through this page do not guarantee the stay and do not return what you paid if for reasons of the hostel you can not stay. I booked hostel in germany for 6 and when I arrived they told me that I could not stay to sleep, I had to find another hostel and they did not return my money.

I paid a holding deposit for a hostel in Seville. The hostel cancelled my booking the day before I was due to travel. Hostelworld refuses to refund my deposit. I had to sleep on the street that night.

Hostelworld is the worst booking platform ever. This company Hostelworld group should be investigated by each government around the world. I wouldn't recommended to anyone. Stay away from this Hostelworld.com, hostelbookers.com, hostels.com owned by the same company!

Awful experience with this shiet company. Unwilling to refund money eventhough it was a mistake on their side. Not willing to communicate with the hostel they provided us! Use this site only to find accomodiation but never ever book with them!

Hostelworld was fast easy to join and set up an account BUT the 'Flexible Cancellation' service, managing my account, and canceling a res. Within the 72 hour time frame, was not; so my credit card on file was charged. Email contact with Customer Service was not fruitful with us each reasserting our positions and their business model. The software seems intentionally clunky and I was charged for a stay I attempted in good faith to cancel. Additionally, Hostelworld had no info under Account/FAQ's/Privacy & Settings, on how to cancel my account. I had to Live Chat to get their support to close it! As Hostelworldgroup manage Hostelworld, Hostelbookers and Hostels.com, I will not be using any of their 'services'.

I made a solo trip to Florida and the hostel I had booked through hostelworld left me stranded at 130am without a place to stay. Both the hostel and hostelworld were completely unsympathetic about if.

My daughter booked with them …Had a issue with the credit card she tried to pay …I called the credit card n was told no one ever tried to send a charge thru …They canceled her booking n gave it to someone else without letting her know.She tried calling and spoke to someone very rude and refused to help her …I emailed them numerous times and the response I got was …we are looking into the issue n get back to you and was never … I will never book anything with these people ever again …lesson learned …my first experience will def be my last …*******@aol.com…-Awful customer service …rate them below zero

I used Hostelworld to book a hotel for early January 2023. The quoted rate was $100/night. I booked it. I paid Hostelworld $254.60 and $1455.39 for thirteen nights to the hotel upon arrival. My hostelworld account only showed the amount charged, not the amount quoted at time of booking. The amount charged came out to $131/night, not the $100/night I was quoted. When I pointed out the discrepancy and asked them to show me the quoted rate at time of booking they said they couldn't do that but if I had screenshotted the quote, they'd take a look at it. Of course, I didn't screenshot. Who does that? I won't ever use them again but if you use them SCREENSHOT EVERYTHING!

I created a booking, and I canceled immediately (within 10 mins). They did not pay any money to the hostel, but they would not return my deposit to me either because it was non-cancelable. I understand that it was my fault, but I lost $280, and they would not consider even letting me use it for some other booking. I am just disappointed by their policy. I would rather use Expedia or some other site to book who makes it extremely clear while booking, using red markers and warnings that the deposit would not be returned.

Do not using this cheaters Hostelworld, hostelbookers and hostelsdotcom owned by the same company. They have charged 20% of each reservation and masked this service charge like a,, deposit". Maybe because on the first page you can see,, No Fees", Very old software and there many bugs, but terrible customer service. I do not use it again. There are many inovative websites, like locktrip or hotelbonanza with 0% commission and 15-20% less from this fake company!

Well, as I mentioned in my post, although it may have been the hostel's fault, the paying customer should not be penalized. Hostelworld, if it were a reputable company, should have refunded my money and charged the hostel instead for messing up the booking. On the surface, Hostelworld acts as a representative of the hostel, going so far as to charge between 12% -60% of the fees that SHOULD be paid to the hostel, but if there's a problem, it essentially washes its hands and says, "Hey, we just provide listings

Hosteworld.com, Hostelbookers.com, Hostels.com, BedandBreakfastworld.com, Backpackonline.com, Scout24.com are all branches of the same poison tree - Web Reservation International

Refused to offer refund after paid extra to be able to cancel reservation. They also take a huge cut for themselves. Always book directly with the hostel.

CORPORATE PREDATOR!
They screw over hostel owners and the customers. You don't need to be paying a middle man that doesn't do anything but collect your cash and wash their hands of both parties, some of which are third world, so not much money to begin with. I know this from several hostel owners all over and the people that have gone through them including myself. DON'T DO IT!