Booked Pondicherry Service Apartment through Booking .com for 3 days from 29 January 2018. . Paid advance to the Host, vide bank transfer. Reached Pondicherry and was guided to their run down property over phone. The address is 92 B1 Vikas Garden Pondicherry 1. The address mentioned by Booking.com is 57, Pappammal Kovil Road and the apartment name is not mentioned. Booking.com’s confirmation no: 1963578578
Upon reaching I was told to fetch the flat key, which was kept hidden on the window still. No host to receive us. The flat was miserable by any standards, to the extend we had to buy bed sheets for our use as their’s was filthy. Our adult family of 5 had planned some cooking hence we had chosen a Service Apartment. but we decided against any cooking as kitchen too was unhygienic . There were heaps of old used soaps and Toothbrushes in the Toilet.
Within 30 minutes of our reaching the property, an unknown lady came and asked us for the balance amount in Cash. We refused and remitted it through Bank transfer. Host never visited us and did not even answer our calls. Since we had paid for it, we had to suffer our stay at that property.
The payment included Service charge and GST charges. After reaching home town, we contacted host for Bill and was told( what’s up) that they do not have a GST no. Complained to Booking.com and I have received a vague reply that the host is supposed to give Bill - which I know I will never receive.
Planning to approach Consumer Court against the Host as I realized that Booking.com has no traceable address in India and the only contact of the host is his Bank A/C no. and mobile phone no. Complaint would also be send to the competent GST authority.
Recently I checked up Booking.com for the above property and they have changed the name to Vaithikuppam Apartment, but had retained the old photos of the flat. Booking.com