Pune Family’s Mahabaleshwar Getaway Takes A Worst Turn
Pune Family's Mahabaleshwar Getaway Takes A Worst Turn
12 August 2024
Imtiyaz Saeed Shaikh from Guruwar Peth had a tough time during his weekend trip with his kids to Mahabaleshwar. He had everything planned, booking a room at Hotel Royal Inn in Mahabaleshwar through Oyo and even paid Rs 349. But when he got to the hotel, there was no room reserved for him. Poor Shaikh couldn’t find another place to stay and had to head back home.
After this incident, Shaikh took action by lodging a complaint with the Pune District Consumer Grievance Redressal Commission against Oyo Hotels and Homes Private Limited and Hotel Royal Inn. He accused them of engaging in unfair trade practices under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. In the legal proceedings, Shaikh represented himself in the case.
The complaint details Shaikh’s intention to enjoy the holidays with his family, planning a trip to Mahabaleshwar on March 16, 2022. He made a reservation through Oyo, an online hotel booking platform, and transferred Rs. 349 to Hotel Royal Inn. Oyo then sent a confirmation message to Shaikh’s phone via WhatsApp and SMS, confirming the booking for March 19 and 20, 2022, providing a booking ID.
Shaikh’s weekend trip turned into a real ordeal when he arrived at the hotel on the evening of March 19 with his family, only to be told that there was no booking in his name. Despite showing the booking details to the hotel staff, he was turned away. With it being late in the evening on a weekend, Shaikh and his family couldn’t find another place to stay and had to head back home that night.
This unexpected turn of events caused Shaikh and his family significant mental and physical distress. In response, Shaikh promptly reached out to Oyo’s call center, seeking a refund of Rs. 349 and explaining the entire situation.
The Commission, with Anil Jawalekar as president and Sarita Patil as a member, took action by sending notices to both parties involved. After reviewing the case, the Commission concluded that Oyo had received payment but did not fulfill the booking, which was deemed an unfair trade practice. As a result, the Commission instructed Oyo to compensate Shaikh with Rs 5,000 for the inconvenience and distress he experienced.
