My experience with ATKV Natalia has been extremely disappointing.
When I made my booking through Agoda, I specifically paid extra for the FREE CANCELLATION option to protect myself in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened, and I cancelled my booking within approximately 14 hours of making the reservation.
According to Agoda, refund processing should take between 10 and 15 days, yet I was informed by Zelda from ATKV Natalia that my refund would only be done in 6 weeks. Despite providing proof of my booking terms and the free cancellation option, my concerns were not properly addressed.
What upset me most was not only the refund delay but also the manner in which my enquiry was handled. The response I received felt dismissive and disrespectful. As a customer who paid extra for booking flexibility and presented clear evidence of the terms that applied to my booking, I expected a more professional and customer-focused approach.
My simple question remains: Why pay extra for Free Cancellation if the terms and timelines advertised by the booking platform are not honoured?
This experience has left me deeply disappointed. I have always viewed ATKV as a respected holiday brand, which makes this situation even more upsetting. Based on how this matter was handled, I will unfortunately not be making future bookings at ATKV resorts.
I would also caution prospective guests who book through Agoda or Booking.com to carefully verify how cancellation and refund requests will be handled, as my experience did not align with the expectations created by the booking platform's stated terms and conditions.
ATKV had an opportunity to turn a difficult situation into a positive customer service experience. Regrettably, that opportunity was missed.
Date of stay: Not applicable (booking cancelled)
Booking platform: Agoda
Reason for review: Refund and customer service experience after exercising paid Free Cancellation option.