Upon searching for a hotel in Plymouth, Rooms by Bistrot Pierre came up on Booking.com. We were enroute to visit family in Cornwall so planned a 2 night stay.For an extra £17 Booking.com offered insurance to cover cancellation, which we duly took up. I hasten to add there was no small print available PRIOR to making the booking.We had to cancel one night as my partner's mother fell ill so we decided to head to Cornwall early. The hotel wasn't picking up calls so I emailed to explain our situation. We were still within the time frame to make changes to our booking.With no response I duly cancelled the one night and low and behold received a prompt response from the hotel informing me the booking was non refundable.Upon raising a refund request Booking.com directed me to Zurich, the insurance provider. Long story short, the policy will cover you in the event of redundancy, death, your house burning down or serious illness but not a simple booking amendment.Booking.com tell me to contact the hotel, the hotel says 'not our problem'. Zurich say 'sorry no evidence of a reason for your cancellation, no cover'.I have spent hours liaising with Booking.com, the hotel and Zurich to no avail, so we will simply have to write off the £310 to a bad experience. Please heed the warning because the hotel business will gladly take your money and despite them selling rooms to Booking.com won't even make a good will gesture.AND avoid Booking.com or at least don't take out the cancellation insurance because it's not worth the paper it's written on!
