Filippo
Google
I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience deserves to be documented.
I had a reservation at Hotel Palais Mailberger Hof through Booking.com. During the pre-stay period, I received two separate WhatsApp scam messages containing my full name, stay dates and booking details. Fortunately, I immediately recognized them as fraudulent, but had I been an elderly or less experienced guest, I could have easily been scammed.
What disappointed me most was how the hotel handled the situation.
Despite acknowledging the issue, they repeatedly stated that it was “not their responsibility” and attributed everything to Booking.com, offering no gesture of goodwill whatsoever — not even something symbolic like breakfast or spa access. From a hotel positioning itself in the upper segment, this was unexpected.
Additionally, it was never clearly communicated in advance that the rooms booked were attic rooms, which only added to the frustration.
I understand legal responsibility can be complex, but good hospitality is about standing with the guest, not distancing yourself from a real problem. Other high-end hotels I have stayed at worldwide handled comparable situations with far more care and professionalism.
In the end, I chose to cancel the reservation.
The issue was not the scam itself, but the rigid, defensive and customer-unfriendly attitude shown throughout the communication.