British tourist left high and dry as hotel vanishes on Koh Samui

An idyllic Thai getaway turned into a financial nightmare for a 30 year old British tourist when he landed on Koh Samui only to discover his booked hotel was nowhere to be found.

Glen Parke had his holiday dreams turn into a financial quagmire when he shelled out £282 (approximately 13,000 baht) for a 59-night stay at Lek Lek Residence on Koh Samui as advertised on Booking.com. But upon arrival, his dreams crumbled as he found no trace of the promised “one-bedroom house”. Instead, he was greeted with a meagre roadside shop, leaving him with no choice but to fork out a staggering £3,044 for alternative accommodation, hastily booked online.

To add insult to injury, the hotel the British tourist eventually found was fully booked, compelling him to splash out an additional £3,579 on a third hotel. Despite assurances from Booking.com for reimbursements, Parke found himself embroiled in a weeks-long battle for his hard-earned cash.

“I expected to spend two or three grand for the whole trip, but within the first two nights, I’m spending £7,000.

“I’d had enough. Getting the money back from the invoice for the third hotel was a real palaver.”

After persistent efforts and a slew of bureaucratic hurdles, Parke finally received his refunds, albeit after Booking.com was approached for comment.

“I was struggling for money. I really needed that three grand back sooner.”

A spokesperson for Booking.com expressed regret over Parke’s ordeal, acknowledging the mishandling of the refund process, reported Yahoo News UK.

They assured that steps were taken to rectify the situation promptly and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a secure and trustworthy platform for travellers.

In related news, a family’s excitement for their Hua Hin holiday took a turn as they fell victim to a cunning Facebook scam, leaving them high and dry. Amidst the bustling holiday anticipation, a family, with an individual named Kukkai as their representative, eagerly planned their annual retreat, scouring for a pet-friendly haven to accommodate eight to 10 people.