Reviews

Review Details

• Review fromStephanie P

  Date: 07/06/2024

  1 star
  I booked a hostel through Expedia for the wrong date. Expedia said to go to the hostel directly and the hostel said to go to their manager, Hostelworld. I was given a helpline number in ******, which was inactive due to an influx of calls during COVID. Meaning 4 or 5 years ago. The email address I received also bounced back, saying that it was inactive and to download the app to get to customer service. I made a login and downloaded the app, filling out the form. The first email did not answer my question and was a canned response about requesting a refund. I then asked for when the refund would occur as the insurance on the booking came back the same day (Monday) and by Friday, the rest was not in my bank account. The agent continued to emphasize that they knew nothing and had nothing to do with it, ignoring my requests to ask for management even to inform them of the erroneous contact information. While Expedia told me the refund would come in seven to 10 business days, they asked for an additional fee to speed up the process. Other people will encounter the same problem with Hostelworld and I hope dearly that I get my refund back.

• Review fromJay M

  Date: 10/25/2023

  1 star
  I'd give 'em 0 stars if I could. This is the epitome of an irresponsible business, always passing the buck and maintaining a policy of zero accountability to customers. I booked a stay through Hostelworld at an affiliated property. In making my reservation, I selected Non-Flexible Booking, which according to Hostelworld means that my deposit (not payment) is non-refundable. They state their cancellation policy as "24 hours ahead of your arrival date. After this date has passed, the property will be *********** charge a late cancellation fee, normally to the value of your first nights stay."When an emergency presented itself less than 24 hours before my scheduled arrival, I was forced to cancel my reservation. I emailed and called the property (neither email or voicemail was answered) and also emailed Hostelworld. Per the policy, because I was cancelling less than 24 hours ahead of arrival, I was prepared for and comfortable with the loss of my desposit + a late cancellation fee (one night's stay). However, the property continued to ignore my repeated calls and emails, shamefully and nefariously robbing me of the remainder of my payment refund to which I am legally entitled. As there was nothing more I could do to reach this property, I continued to request that Hostelworld look into this matter and hold this property to account. However, I received only fitful and fatuous responses from a rotating cast of Hostelworld associates, citing the aforementioned cancellation policy (which had been acknowledged and is irrelevant to this particular case) and inanely suggesting that next time I choose the flexible booking option. I repeatedly and painstakingly explained the situation, and I made it clear that for Hostelworld to continue to sidestep acknowledgement and responsibility for the criminal acts of its business partners makes Hostelworld complicit in the *******. Hostelworld should be censured and held responsible for this horrendous behavior. Avoid at all costs.

• Review fromJohn N

  Date: 07/19/2023

  1 star
  The site misrepresented the description and picture of the private room for the hostel I stayed at. When I spoke with the staff at the hostel they could not help me. Everything from the room given to the pricing did not add up. For this experience I even paid a direct fee to them directly. The hostel told me to never go through this site.

• Review fromWilliam W

  Date: 06/02/2023

  1 star
  After a non refundable booking was canceled without a change in the schedule, the staff refused to offer any help, attempting to cite policy, while leaving me completely robbed of $800. Although I am putting in for a new booking, I will no longer be recommending Hostelworld until and unless they pay back the full amount of the booking without further contest.

• Review fromRafi G

  Date: 08/12/2022

  1 star
  Horrible experience all around. I would strongly advise against using this company and instead deal with the hostels directly.I booked a stay at a hostel, then immediately wanted to cancel but was unable to using the hostelworld website. Hostelworld has no phone support, and their email support took many days to respond and was not helpful. I contacted the hostel directly and they cancelled and gave me a full refund. However Hostelworld refused to refund my $20 deposit, even though at the time I made the reservation I paid an additional $1 which was supposed to allow me to do just that.Very shady business and very shady business practices. Look elsewhere for travel accomodations!