Hostel World
Complaint 312241 Details

I recently booked a reservation through hostelworld.com, and everything seemed fine. It was my first (though will be my last) booking through them, and I was initially optimistic. We had scheduled our booking for three nights initially, and shortly afterwards, I had to change the reservation to one night only. Aware of the no-refund policy for cancellations, I did not elect to cancel the reservation, but instead to modify it, and to apply the deposit for the three nights to that one night. The policy shown on hostelworld.com says nothing about modifications, other than something like, "If you wish to cancel OR AMEND your reservation, contact the hostel directly." Fair enough. I contacted the hostel, and asked them to do it. This was well over 24 hours in advance, and they said they would do it. Well, they didn't do it. Instead, they cancelled the reservation so that hostelworld would refund my deposit, then charged me the full amount.

Upon my return home, I contacted hostelworld, because I had not received a refund (which should have been automatic if the hostel had cancelled the reservation). They said they would look into it, but did not get back to me. I had to contact them again two weeks later, and they said they would look into it again. After a few e-mails, they refused to refund my money, and hid behind their policy, which again, says NOTHING about modifications. For a measly $5 they could have refunded, they wasted all this time and money calling and e-mailing the hostel, and e-mailing me. They were very rude about it all, too. Heh, they might as well be called "HOSTILEworld." Even if it were the hostel's fault, they shouldn't penalize the paying customer, from whom they effectively destroyed what could have been a very long, mutually beneficial relationship.

It also turns out that the hostels don't make ANY money from this (as told to me by the hostel). The 10% deposits that you pay hostelworld.com, plus their service fees, go straight into their pockets, and the hostels themselves either lose money, or have to charge higher rates in order to offset their losses. I don't know whether or not hihostels.com or lonelyplanet.com operate this way, but at least hihostels.com operates an international network and membership, and lonelyplanet.com offers information, forums, and networking opportunities. I'd much rather pay one of these reputable companies to book my reservation than pay hostelworld.com.
If I have prevented anyone else from booking through hostelworld.com, I will sleep a little easier.