Erika Mann made a cautious move when securing a hotel for the 2026 Formula One Grand Prix in Montreal. She reserved a four-room unit at Montreal’s Holland Hotel for $4,300 through Booking.com to accommodate her visiting relatives from the Netherlands. However, her excitement turned into frustration when both the hotel and Booking.com claimed the price was a mistake. They demanded over $17,000 for the same unit during May 22-24, 2026. This sudden price hike left Mann feeling shocked and disappointed.
According to digital rights expert David Fewer, incidents like this are increasingly common due to automated booking systems used by online travel platforms and hotels. Booking.com’s policy allows them to cancel confirmed reservations if they deem the original rate was an error, leaving consumers vulnerable, especially during events when prices skyrocket, known as event pricing.
Mann initially booked the accommodation before the official Formula One race dates were announced, reserving the unit for two possible weekends in May 2026 with free cancellation. When the race dates were confirmed, she canceled the extra booking as per Booking.com’s guidelines. However, weeks later, she was informed by the hotel that the price was incorrect and she must either cancel or pay the new rate. Despite her efforts to keep her original booking, Booking.com eventually canceled it, leaving Mann in a difficult situation as flight prices and accommodation rates in Montreal were on the rise.
The Holland Hotel attributed the pricing issue to a synchronization error with Booking.com, which briefly displayed non-event pricing for two units. The hotel explained that their automated software updates prices through Booking.com’s system, making manual rate adjustments impossible. When the Formula One organizers confirmed the race dates, the system should have automatically switched to event pricing.
Booking.com reviewed the case at the hotel’s request and supported the property’s claim that the posted rate was an error. While alternative accommodations were offered to Mann at a similar price, none were suitable for her group. Booking.com’s terms state that obvious errors and misprints are not binding, allowing for reservation cancellations in such cases.
Following media intervention, Booking.com reconsidered Mann’s case and decided to honor her original booking without any extra charges. Mann expressed relief but emphasized that consumers should not have to involve the media to resolve such issues. Fewer advised travelers to take precautions like taking screenshots during the booking process, confirming rates directly with hotels, and using credit cards with strong dispute policies to protect themselves in similar situations.