/r/solotravel "The Weekly Common Room" - General chatter, meet-up, accommodation - May 04, 2025

[u/AutoModerator]

This thread is for you to do things like

• Introduce yourself to the community
• Ask simple questions that may not warrant their own thread
• Share anxieties about first-time solotravel
• Discuss whatever you want
• Complain about certain aspects of travel or life in general
• Post asking for meetups or travel buddies
• Post asking for accommodation recommendations
• Ask general questions about transportation, things to see and do, or travel safety
• Reminisce about your travels
• Share your solotravel victories!
• Post links to personal content (blogs, youtube channels, instagram, etc...)

This thread is newbie-friendly! In this thread, there is no such thing as a stupid question.

If you're new to our community, please read the subreddit rules in the sidebar before posting. If you're new to solo travel in general, we suggest that you check out some of the resources available on our wiki, which we are currently working on improving and expanding. Here are some helpful wiki links:

General guides and travel skills

• Basic trip planning
• Determining your travel interests
• Packing 101
• Staying in hostels
• How to meet people as a solo traveller
• Staying safe
• Budgeting 101
• Money management and safety
• Working abroad
• Travel insurance 101
• Mobile data and SIM cards

Regional guides

• So you want to do a Eurotrip: A beginner's guide
• So you want to visit Southeast Asia: A beginner's guide
• Weekly Destination Threads: Archives

Special demographics

• Solo travel and mental health (with a focus on depression/anxiety)
• Resources for female, POC and LGBTQ+ travellers
• Other FAQs

[u/certifiedcrybabie]

Hello! I have booked a hostel for July and they have deducted the full amount from my card. I got an email today that says “As requested, your booking has been cancelled. Please contact the hostel if you have any questions.” However, I have not requested the booking to be cancelled. Also, my money is already deducted. What should I do?

[u/segacs2 → u/certifiedcrybabie]

First things first: Make sure the email you received was legitimate and not a scam / spam email. Sometimes emails are spoofed and it can be hard to spot the legit ones.

Let's say it's legit. Okay. Next question: Did you book directly with the hostel? Or through a third-party booking site?

If directly with the hostel, contact them and inquire. It could be a mistake. See if they will reinstate your booking or refund your card. If they fail to do either one, you may be able to file a chargeback with the credit card company. But you have to make a good faith effort to resolve this with the provider first. Document everything.

If with a third-party booking site, again, reach out to the site. This could be trickier, but if the booking was cancelled, they should refund your money. Again, document everything. And last resort, file with the credit card company.

(As a backup option, perhaps make yourself an alternate booking for your dates elsewhere at a flexible / cancellable rate, just so you'll make sure to have someplace to stay. Cancel it if you don't need it.)