A travel influencer was stranded in Egypt after finding out a hotel he booked didn't actually exist. It was a stomach-dropping moment for the adventurer.
43-year-old Mark Jeavons thought he booked a four-night stay at the Pyramids and Sphinx View Hotel in Giza, Egypt. The going rates were a steal at $52 a night. However when he got there, he learned that the hotel didn't exist. There was just an empty alley way. The travel influencer immediately questioned what happened.
Booking.com showed a scenic rooftop area with reviews.
Speaking with New York Post, the travel influencer said, "There was nothing at the address. It was a back alley with no sign of a hotel. The taxi driver was asking people on the street but no one had heard of it. I was totally stranded - it was not ideal."
The incident happened back in January. He booked that at the address Gamal abd al nasser st nazlet elsemman, 12557, Egypt. Fortunately, he didn't make a deposit. He had planned to pay in person. However, he ended up on the streets in Egypt until he found The Sun and Sand Hotel, paying $104 a night.
Travel Influencer Scammed
"You just assume it is going to be good if the reviews are all good," he said. "I later found out on Google reviews that there were lots of people saying it was a scam and not to book it." The travel influencer ended up complaining to Booking.com, and the listing vanished.
Despite the issue, the travel influencer ended up having a good time. The travel influencer was glad that he was by himself when it happened. He noted it would have been worse on a family traveling for vacation.
He said: "There is more freedom when you are solo traveling. It would have been worse if there were wife and kids."
A spokesperson for Booking.com said: "We were sorry to hear about the experience of this customer with a property listed on our platform. While the hotel has successfully hosted a number of guests, we are investigating further and will be in contact with the customer directly to offer any further support."
