13/10/2026
A reminder for both guests and small business owners.
Running a small accommodation business isn’t as easy as it looks, especially when you’re operating through subleased units with fixed monthly rental obligations, utilities, maintenance, and other expenses to cover.
Recently, we received a reservation for December at a rate that was significantly lower than our intended rate. Due to a technical issue with our booking settings, guests were able to book dates beyond our intended three-month booking window at an unreasonably low price.
Our first request to the guest was to cancel the reservation, since we should not have been accepting bookings that far in advance under those settings. We immediately explained the situation and the technical issue as soon as we received the booking. When cancellation was not resolved, we discussed an additional payment to match our intended December rate.
When Booking.com contacted us regarding the guest’s complaint, we reiterated our position. However, the guest’s partner later forwarded an email from Booking.com suggesting that we had agreed to honor the original rate without any additional payment. This was incorrect, as we had never agreed to that arrangement.
At this point, we no longer wish to proceed with the reservation. We have recommended that the guest cancel through Booking.com and receive a full refund rather than continue with an arrangement that is no longer workable for our business.
We understand that guests expect the price they see when booking to be honored. That expectation is reasonable, and we acknowledge that the technical issue was on our end. However, we also believe that when an obvious pricing or booking configuration error is identified and communicated immediately, there should be room for a fair resolution between both parties.
We are not a large hotel chain with substantial resources to absorb every unexpected loss. We are a small business operating through subleased units, and our fixed expenses continue whether a unit is occupied or not.
This experience is a reminder of how important it is for hosts to regularly review their booking settings, document every conversation, and communicate problems as soon as they arise. It is also a reminder that communication between accommodation providers, guests, and booking platforms needs to be clear and consistent to prevent misunderstandings from escalating.
We value our guests and always aim to provide a good experience. At the same time, we have a responsibility to keep our business sustainable.
To fellow small business owners, learn from our experience and double-check your booking settings. To guests, please remember that small businesses are run by real people with real operating costs and responsibilities.
We hope for fairness, understanding, and better communication on both sides.
