Around 50 tourists faced a distressing situation at the Standbyme Ramblas hotel in Barcelona. They discovered their Booking.com reservations were non-existent upon arrival. The group suspects an online scam after spending the night in the hotel's common areas without accommodation.

Tourists Left Stranded

The affected tourists, including families with young children, found themselves without rooms in a fully booked city. Bruno Queitano, one of the victims, expressed the group's frustration to TV3. "When we arrived at the hotel, we had no room. There are no rooms left. The city is full," he stated. Queitano highlighted the lack of solutions from the hotel, Booking.com, and the police. "Neither the hotel nor the police found us a solution. There are children aged three to four years," he lamented. He also criticised Booking.com, saying, "Booking charged us for the overnight stay. They should at least answer us. It's not just about charging, charging..."

Booking.com Cyberattack Disclosure

This incident follows Booking.com's announcement two weeks ago about a cyberattack. The company detected "suspicious activity" potentially allowing unauthorised access to customer data. Booking.com informed users via email that "unauthorised third parties" might have accessed reservation-linked information. This included names, physical and email addresses, phone numbers, and other details provided to accommodations.

Impact on Barcelona Visitors

The alleged scam has left dozens of visitors stranded in the heart of Barcelona, specifically on the Rambla, a central and bustling promenade. This situation underscores the potential risks of online bookings and the importance of verifying reservations, especially for international travellers. Authorities have not yet confirmed the nature of the incident, but the tourists' experience highlights a pressing concern for visitor safety and consumer protection in the city. Further investigations will likely determine if this is directly linked to the reported cyberattack or a separate fraudulent scheme.

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Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.