3 Common Scams When Booking Hotels Online and How to Avoid Them

It’s easy to imagine your holiday starting with a sun-soaked balcony, a perfect hotel view, and a glass of something cold waiting for you on arrival. But for some travellers, the trip starts with a very different scene: arriving at a hotel that doesn’t exist, discovering unexpected charges at check-in, or realising too late that the glowing reviews were anything but real.

Online booking makes travel easier. It also makes scams easier. The good news? Most travel scams follow patterns, and once you know what to watch for, you’re far less likely to get caught out.

Here are three of the most common booking scams UK travellers are facing in 2025, and what you can do to avoid them.

1. The Fake Website That Looks Almost Real

You search for a hotel in Rome or a boutique stay in Lisbon, and a sleek website pops up. It has professional photos, a working booking engine, and even a logo that looks vaguely familiar. You go ahead and book, only to find out later that the site wasn’t real.

Scammers now build fake hotel sites or near-duplicates of well-known brands. Some even run ads to appear at the top of your search results. The payment goes through, you get a confirmation email, but when you arrive? There’s no booking. Sometimes there’s no hotel at all.

How to avoid it:

• Always double-check the URL. Scammers often use slight misspellings or extra characters that look close to legitimate domains.
• Look up the hotel on a verified booking platform or go directly to the chain’s main site to cross-check.
• If the price seems far too low for the area or season, pause. Deep discounts can be a red flag.

2. Reviews That Don’t Match Reality

You scroll through a hotel listing with hundreds of 5-star reviews. Everything looks great: “Spotless!” “Best stay of our trip!” “Highly recommend!” But then you show up, and the place is… not that.

Review manipulation is still a major issue in online travel booking. Some property owners pay for fake reviews or write their own. Others offer perks to guests who leave five stars, skewing the feedback. In some cases, the glowing reviews refer to older ownership or have been copied from other listings entirely.

How to avoid it:

• Sort by most recent reviews and skim for patterns — are people mentioning broken fixtures, noise, or unexpected fees? If so, trust the trend.
• Look for details in the reviews. Generic praise like “great location!” or “very clean!” tells you little. The most useful reviews mention staff names, room numbers, or specific dates.
• Use a mix of platforms. A property with glowing ratings on one site but poor feedback elsewhere might be worth questioning.

3. The Hidden Fees That Show Up Late

You book what looks like a reasonably priced hotel, only to find an extra fee tacked on for “resort fees” or surprise taxes at check-in. It’s frustrating — and it’s still common.

In some cities, these fees are technically legal, just buried in fine print. In other cases, they’re added without disclosure, hoping you’ll just pay rather than argue at the desk. This tactic isn’t limited to hotels either. Excursions, tours, even airport transfers can sneak in unlisted charges.

How to avoid it:

• Before booking, scroll through the full terms. Look for sections that mention local taxes, cleaning fees, or facility charges.
• On booking platforms, click through to the final price breakdown. Some platforms add fees only at the end of the booking flow.
• When booking activities or tours abroad, message the provider directly. Ask for a full quote before you pay anything.

A Few Extra Red Flags to Watch For

Some scams don’t fit into neat categories. Here are a few others worth keeping in mind:

• Direct messages offering “special rates” after you visit a listing, but don’t book right away. Scammers sometimes pose as property owners using third-party messaging apps to lure you into paying off-platform.
• Overly complicated cancellation policies, often in tiny print. Some properties advertise “free cancellation” but charge penalty fees anyway.
• Listings without real photos or with only a few low-resolution images. A good property will usually want to show itself off. If all you see are vague stock shots, tread carefully.

Staying Safe, Staying Connected

Most booking scams rely on one thing: you being out of reach or out of balance. Whether it’s a delayed confirmation, a payment dispute, or a need to rebook quickly, having reliable mobile service makes a big difference.

That’s where an eSIM card comes in handy. It gives you access to local data immediately after you land — no queues, no fiddly plastic SIM cards, no roaming surprises. And if a booking does go wrong, you can sort things out on the spot, whether that means contacting support, checking maps for nearby options, or double-checking receipts.

The ability to stay connected, securely and quickly, makes you harder to scam. You’re informed, in control, and one step ahead.

Final Thoughts

Most travel bookings go smoothly. But when things go wrong, they often go wrong in familiar ways — fake websites, misleading reviews, or unexpected costs. By knowing the warning signs and keeping your connection secure, you can avoid the worst and travel more confidently.

You’ve earned your holiday. Don’t let a scam ruin it before it even starts.