Reserved booking was given to other people.

[Ryan671]

Hi, we booked at a hostel recently the day before and paid it. My friends arrived rather late night and found out that it is no longer valid and was given to another guest because it is beyond thr check in hours. My understanding is that we paid for the entire duration of the booking and it should still be valid. I cancelled the booking in hopes for a refund but im getting 0 of my money back.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Ryan671 

If you plan to arrive beyond the check-in time, it is better to ask the establishment before booking if that would be ok.  If you for some reason are running late, it is normal to contact the establishment and let them know.  Not letting the establishment know, you risk being regarded as no-show and the room might be given to others, especially on busy days with high demand.  But as airbnb is prepaid, I think they should think twice before doing so.

A good establishment would have assisted you finding somewhere else and they would have tried to contact you before giving the room away to others.  

You could try and contact airbnb and ask for a refund. Hopefully, you can prove your case.

One thing puzzles me though - it seems you booked on behalf of your friends.  That is against airbnb terms and conditions.  

[Ryan671]

Hi, I have booked myself and included my friends.  Its just that my flight got delayed and they arrived firsf.

The owner of the establishment was willing to refund me but they said they did not recieved the payment from airbnb. I checked and my credit card got charged.

Im currently returning back to my country and ill ask for a chargeback as both me and the hostel owner are willing to come into terms.

[Ange2]

@Ryan671    Hosts do not receive payment until after the guest checks in.  Airbnb still has your money, so it should be refunding you.  Make  sure you have a copy of  the hosts message saying they agree to refund you. Call Airbnb and explain the situation. I have heard it can take more than a week for a refund to be issued by Airbnb.  Some guests just call their Credit Card company and challenge the charge for a quicker resolution.

[Ryan671]

Thanks Anne and Ange for your inputs.