Sea Spray

I booked this cottage through Expedia and received confirmation that my reservation was confirmed. I travelled around 300 miles from the south of England, while my elderly parents travelled from the north so we could meet there for a family break. On the day of arrival, I never received the promised key-safe information. After contacting Expedia, they were initially unable to locate my booking. I eventually obtained access details from a neighbour, only to discover that the property was occupied and unavailable. We then had to find alternative accommodation at very short notice. Following a lengthy complaints process, Expedia confirmed that my booking had been created and confirmed in their system, but that the property had failed to send the required payment instructions and ultimately did not honour the reservation. Expedia apologised for the inconvenience and offered a goodwill gesture, but I was left disappointed that such a situation was allowed to happen. I appreciate that Expedia investigated my complaint and eventually provided an explanation, but the experience was extremely stressful and disrupted what should have been an enjoyable family holiday. I hope Expedia improves its oversight of partner properties to ensure that confirmed bookings are genuinely secure and that customers are notified promptly if there is a problem.