Lack of commitment to customer safeguarding
I have always trusted Expedia to step in when something goes seriously wrong during a trip. Unfortunately, this experience has completely shattered that trust. The most disappointing part is that we contacted Expedia as soon as the problems began on the first evening, around 6pm. We explained that our hotel room had brown water coming from the taps and shower, the room was in an unacceptable condition and we no longer felt comfortable staying there. We asked Expedia to move us to another hotel. They refused to help. Instead, we were told the booking was non-refundable and were left with no option but to remain at the property. As the situation escalated, it became a genuine safety issue. Another guest was given access to our room and walked in while we were both getting changed. Later that night, hotel staff repeatedly banged aggressively on our door close to midnight demanding to be let in, despite us refusing entry. On another occasion, the same staff member shouted our room number across a busy reception area for everyone to hear, completely disregarding our privacy and security. Throughout all of this, Expedia had already been informed that we were experiencing serious issues. Had they relocated us when we first asked, none of these later incidents would have happened. As two women travelling together, we are incredibly grateful that nothing worse happened. The hotel’s failures were serious, but Expedia’s complete lack of urgency and refusal to assist when we first reached out left us exposed to an escalating situation. Only after the incidents became extremely serious did Expedia begin taking the matter seriously. Customer service in travel isn’t tested when everything goes well—it’s tested when things go wrong. This was the moment Expedia should have protected its customers, and it failed to do so. I expected Expedia to advocate for its customers in a safeguarding situation. Instead, I spent hours trying to convince them that we were unsafe. I would strongly urge anyone booking through Expedia to consider what support you can realistically expect if you ever find yourself in an emergency. In our experience, by the time meaningful help arrived, the damage had already been done.