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Judit Csanyi, from Ruislip, London, paid for a villa in Majorca through Agoda, she claimed, only to turn up on the Spanish island to find that it hadn’t been booked out
A family were stranded on the streets after arriving on holiday to discover they had no where to stay.
Judit Csanyi booked and paid for a villa in Majorca back in April this year, “anticipating a wonderful summer vacation”. Everything looked set for an excellent week away for the family, who arrived on the Spanish island on August 13.
It was only when the Ruislip family arrived at their holiday home for the week that they discovered that it hadn’t been booked, meaning they had no where to stay and little time to figure out what to do as the night drew in.
“What should have been a relaxing holiday in Majorca turned into an absolute nightmare, leaving us abandoned on the streets with two young children late at night,” Judit – whose children are 12 and 14 – told the Mirror. “We stood up in front of the entrance but nobody was there to let us in. We waited nearly an hour, pushing the ring-bell, but nothing.”
The mum has been left furious at the customer service she received from booking company Agoda, which confirmed to her on the day that the “booking has been rejected” – four months after they paid for the holiday.
“Upon arrival the villa owner was nowhere to be found, and despite our frantic attempts to contact Agoda, we were met with shocking indifference. Agoda’s customer service informed us they could not provide alternative accommodation due to high demand, stating that only higher-priced options were available and they wouldn’t cover the difference,” Judit continued.
“They did offer a refund of the original booking and a mere $1,200 (£900) in compensation—nowhere near what we had to spend to find new lodging. In the end, we were left stranded on the street with no support.”
After that point, “the situation only worsened.” The family were left to find a holiday for the night, Judit claimed, as a severe storm rolled across the Spanish island.
“The stress of searching for new lodging during peak season, especially with two small children and an elderly mother, was unbearable. To make matters worse, a severe storm hit Majorca on August 14, grounding flights and driving hotel prices even higher. In our desperate search for accommodations, we were scammed through a booking on Tripadvisor, which led us to file a police report,” Judit continued.
“Thanks to a rental car, we were able to explore the island to find accommodation, but the costs were astronomical. We ended up staying in a modest two-star apartment, a far cry from the villa we originally booked, and had to spend an additional $5,503 (£4,100) on top of the initial booking cost.”
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“We spent our holiday at the police station and scrambling for accommodation, instead of enjoying any rest or relaxation.”
Judit has spent the weeks following the holiday attempting to have her full costs covered by Agoda, while arguing that she is due compensation from the travel firm. Emails sent by the company and shared with the Mirror show the original villa has been refunded and compensation of around £1,000 had been offered, but Judit feels this is not enough.
One of the emails from an Agoda customer service representative reads: “First and foremost, I would like to extend our sincerest apologies for the distressing experience you have encountered with your recent booking with us. We understand the gravity of the situation, especially given the mention of child endangerment and the trauma it has caused. Please know that we take these matters very seriously and are committed to resolving this issue promptly and to your satisfaction.”
An expert from insurance firm Aviva offered some advice for what holidaymakers should do if they have an issue with their accomodation.
“In the first instance, customers should contact their tour operator, ABTA, ATOL or credit/ debit card company to see if any costs could be recovered,” they said.
“If they still find themselves out of pocket, customers could then approach their travel insurer to see if they can help with any losses incurred. It’s worth noting however this will depend on the type of cover they have under their travel policy. Every policy is different and will vary amongst insurers, so it could be worth contacting your insurer directly to check.
“Travel insurance is designed to help you in the case of an unforeseen emergency and by taking out travel insurance as soon as you book your trip, it will give you peace of mind knowing that you are protected, both in the lead up to your trip and while away.”
Agoda has not responded to requests for comment.
