Saga Heed Carlberg, 18, and her family faced a shocking ordeal during their Italian vacation when their hotel booking turned out to be a scam. With no room available, they were left to sleep on the beach with their young children. Despite attempts to resolve the issue, the family is still uncertain about recovering their lost money.
18-Year-Old Saga's Italian Hotel Nightmare: Forced to Sleep on the Beach
18-Year-Old Saga's Italian Hotel Nightmare: Forced to Sleep on the Beach
Saga Heed Carlberg, 18, was eagerly anticipating a 12-day vacation with her family in Italy. However, upon arrival at the hotel, their trip took an unexpected turn.
– We ended up sleeping on the beach last night, with two four-year-olds, she says.
On Friday, Saga Heed Carlberg traveled with her family to Italy. The hotel in the town of Alimini was booked and paid for via Booking, according to Saga, but upon arrival, something was amiss. The hotel looked the same as in the pictures but had a completely different name. And it didn't stop there.
– When we tried to check in, the staff said they couldn't find any booking. We felt deceived and thought we had fallen victim to a scam. That's 20,000 kronor down the drain, says Saga.
The staff tried to sort it out, and hours passed. Eventually, they were told there was no booking, but they could make a new one for at least seven nights. This would cost twice as much as they had already paid, according to Saga.
– It felt like they were trying to scam us, she says.
Kicked Out by the Hotel
As the clock approached 1 AM and they couldn't secure a room for just one night, the situation became tense.
– Our four-year-old twins were sleeping on the couch in the reception, and yet they thought they could send us out onto the street. You can't be so heartless.
Forced to Sleep on the Beach
The family ended up taking all their luggage and the two sleeping children in their arms, not knowing where to go. After meeting some young people at a campsite around 2 AM, they found some sun loungers to sleep on.
– We have very brave children here who managed to sleep there, but it was quite cold last night, so we had to put on sweaters and cover ourselves with towels.
The family has been in contact with Booking, but it's unclear if they will get their money back. Neither Booking nor the family can reach the hotel they had booked, says Saga.
– It's a lot of money that we don't know where it has gone. It was a bank transaction but not through Booking. We'll see how it unfolds.
Expressen is seeking comments from Booking.