Is SnapTravel a Scam? Wading Through the Thousands of Customer Complaints

When Justin was researching hotels in Las Vegas for an upcoming trip, he was enticed by the low prices on a new travel service: SnapTravel. "I was a little leary planning a trip while COVID was still out there, but SnapTravel had a big banner at the top of their website stating they would work with you and their partners if your plans were impacted by COVID."

Of course, two days before his trip, one of his traveling companions tested positive for COVID. "Even though his symptoms were very mild, we just didn't feel right traveling and possibly spreading it. We contacted the airline and even though they were very busy, the rep at Southwest was sympathetic and able to rebook us. SnapTravel, however, was impossible to work with."

SnapTravel's Slow and Unhelpful Customer Service

SnapTravel prides itself in offering discounted bookings through text message. "While it was very quick to book a hotel through their messaging app, actually contacting a person takes forever. We sent a message stating we needed to rebook due to COVID, and each reply took a half hour or more! And there is no phone number listed anywhere on the app or site to actually talk to a real person."

"Since it was taking so long, we contacted the hotel directly," Justin states. "The hotel said they would be happy to rebook us due to COVID, but that the reservation was owned by SnapTravel and only they could change it."

"Finally, after staying up half the night to reply to their messages which were mainly the same questions we already answered, SnapTravel stated they would contact the hotel to rebook our stay. However, they didn't actually contact the hotel until after our check-in date, even though we contacted them 2 days prior! By then, we were marked as a 'no-show' and no re-booking or refund was possible."

Thousands of Negative SnapTravel Reviews

Justin is not alone in his experience with SnapTravel. Many of the reviews in the App Store also show serious issues with the service.

One user "ALLTHINGSPRETTYCLT" writes:

I booked a week or more ahead!! I arrive to my hotel & they can’t find my reservation... The supervisor found my reservation and it was canceled for no reason... they couldn’t reinstate my reservation because it was through snaptravel... I contact snaptravel and they told me they escalated my issue and I would get a call back... I waited over an hour I received a phone call and they literally only asked me the same questions as when I first called.. they told me they would call back.... minutes later they tell me the hotel is now sold out.. I was INFURIATED in that timeframe I could’ve booked directly through the hotel ... I drove hours and had a car full of children and it was late at night!

Another user "tincho227" writes:

Reserved a hotel in nyc and was told a week later that it was no longer available. No worries…Was given a credit and booked a new hotel since we were still a week out. When we arrived at night in NYC, we realized that the hotel hasn’t officially opened yet and was still under construction. Somehow, this app was able to get us reservations for a business that doesn’t exist. We ended up having to book a new hotel at near twice the price the same night through a different provider. Customer service was atrocious. Agent was nice but not at all empowered to do anything, could not transfer us to a person at a higher level and could not provide any email address or contact issue to help us resolve the issue other than “to create a ticket in their system”. I suspect this is by design. Don’t get scammed!

A quick stop at SnapTravel's page on the Better Business Bureaus website contains over 1,200 complaints files against the company.

We reached out to SnapTravel to comment on Justin's case, but SnapTravel did not return our request. Justin is instead turning to the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. "If anything," he states, "I want to make sure others are aware of the risks involved with SnapTravel."

Is SnapTravel a Scam?

Despite its innovative approach to hotel booking, SnapTravel has been the subject of controversy due to concerns about its legitimacy. The following are some of the reasons why some people believe that SnapTravel is a scam:

Lack of Transparency

One of the main issues that people have with SnapTravel is the lack of transparency in its operations. Many users have reported that the platform does not provide them with enough information about the hotels they are booking. Some users have also complained that they were not able to see the hotel's name until after they had made the payment.

No Refunds

Another concern that people have with SnapTravel is the company's no-refund policy. Many users have reported that they were unable to cancel their bookings or get a refund, even when they had a valid reason. This has led some people to believe that SnapTravel is a scam and that the company is only interested in taking their money.

Hidden Fees

SnapTravel has also been accused of hiding fees and charges from its users. Many users have reported that they were charged additional fees, such as resort fees or taxes, that were not disclosed to them before they made the payment. Some users have also reported that they were charged a higher price than what was initially advertised on the platform.

Alternatives to SnapTravel

So what can consumers do to protect their money when booking travel?

• Try booking directly with the hotel. It might be slightly more expensive, but you greatly reduce your risk of lost reservations, and you retain the rights to make modifications to your booking.

• If you don't want to book directly, stick with more reputable travel websites such as Expedia and Booking.com.

• Use a credit card to book your travel. You can try to dispute the charge with your credit card company if the hotel fails to provide the service you paid for.

• Before submitting your booking with the hotel, see if they have insurance available in case you need to cancel at the last minute. Also, you may want to contact your credit card company and see if there are any travel insurance benefits automatically included when using your card.