WARNING
WARNING: Do not book through Agoda if you expect honest communication or any form of customer support when problems arise. I booked a room at The Gillette in Gatlinburg, TN through Agoda and made an honest mistake on the dates. I contacted Agoda immediately to request a date change. What followed was one of the most frustrating, dishonest, and exhausting customer service experiences I have ever encountered. Agoda told me the hotel had not approved any changes to my booking. That was false. I contacted The Gillette directly and received a written email from a staff member confirming the room was available, the date change was approved, and that Agoda simply needed to process it. I forwarded this documentation to Agoda. They never acknowledged their false statement, never apologized, and never processed the change. By the time Agoda finished stalling, my conference dates had passed. I had already been forced to book and pay for alternative accommodations entirely out of pocket. I received absolutely nothing from the original $224.06 booking. Agoda then offered me a credit in the form of "AgodaCash" — not a real refund — which I rejected. They then quietly withdrew even that offer. When I demanded a cash refund, they called me before 7:00 a.m. and ultimately responded with a carefully worded email denying any responsibility and refusing any refund. Their final response mischaracterized the hotel's written approval as merely a "willingness to review" a request. That is not what the documentation says. The hotel approved the change. Agoda chose not to act on it. I am now pursuing a credit card chargeback and filing complaints with the Better Business Bureau, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs. Agoda had every opportunity to make this right. They chose not to at every turn. Book elsewhere — there are far more reputable platforms that will actually advocate for you when something goes wrong.