Booking Venice Hack: 3,500 Fake Reservations at Hotel Antigo Trovatore

Uneven compensation

Among those affected was Floriana Bellitto, who travelled from Catania with her mother and grandmother to celebrate a birthday. After finding that her booking did not exist, she phoned Booking from the hotel reception. Many guests were first offered 30 euros, though Bellitto says she was eventually told she could receive up to 261.94 euros.

Other travellers were moved to properties outside Venice, even as far as Dolo, while some accepted the first compensation offered. The criteria Booking uses to decide refunds are not known.

Investigation under way

Hotel director Alberto De Toffoli reported the incident to Italy's Postal Police. Investigators still have to establish how the attack happened and which systems were compromised. They are also looking into whether personal and banking data were stolen, which has not been confirmed.

Booking says it is investigating the illicit activity linked to the incident. The company says it suspended the hotel's listing to prevent further fraudulent reservations and is working to rehouse the affected guests and support the hotel.

The case shows how an apparent compromise of a hotel's account can turn a booking platform into a channel for fraud, leaving travellers stranded in a high-demand destination. Anyone with a booking that looks unusually cheap should be cautious, especially in peak season.