First it is necessary to understand what vio.com is used for… It is used to do online booking for any hotel at any location in the world. Basically it is an online travel agency which is used to book hotels in different areas of the world. It functions just like other travel agencies like Booking.com, Agoda, TripAdvisor, Kayak, Trivago and many more. But it is really important to know if vio.com is a legit website or if it is a fraud before you proceed to make your next vacation bookings with the platform.
Vacation is the time when no one wants any trouble for themselves; everyone wants to enjoy their vacation with their loved ones or friends. Thus it is really very important that the booking someone is making for such a time is with a company which is trustable and authentic; no one wants to entertain any uncertainties or inconveniences for their vacations.
Despite these concerns, Vio.com has a high trust rating, a valid SSL certificate, and uses an external review system, indicating that it is a legitimate platform. Thus we are going to review whether vio.com is legit or not. And should people use it for making their bookings with them or not, the explained review of the website is given below.
What is Vio.com and What Services Does It Provide?
Vio.com is an online platform for booking hotels, motels, and other accommodations. It offers a unique feature called “Deal Freeze” which allows users to lock in a booking price and pay later. The site provides easy-to-use search filters to help users find accommodations with specific amenities. Vio.com’s booking process is straightforward and can be completed on their website or through partner sites.
Is vio.com legit ?
Though the design and interface of vio.com is quite legitimate then also many users have some doubts regarding the legitimacy of the website. This is because of the mixed reviews of the customers on different websites like Trustpilot, TripAdvisor, and other such platforms.
Vio.com, known for its exceptional online hotel booking services as it connects travelers with a wide range of hotels globally and ensures a smooth booking experience. Initially it was established in 2016 as FindHotel and later rebranded to Vio.com, from that time it has assisted more than 100 million travelers in finding accommodations that meet their needs and preferences.
On these platforms some users have expressed their joy after booking with vio.com and saving a lot of money for their stays while other show their concern regarding the problems they had faced after booking with vio.com and not getting confirmed booking after reaching the property and also about the problems they faced when they tried to contact the people on the other side of the website.
Some of the concerns raised include issues with booking confirmations and overbookings. In some cases, customers arrived at their hotels to find that their bookings were not confirmed or that the room was overbooked, leaving them in a difficult situation between Vio.com and the hotel.
Despite these challenges, many customers have had positive experiences with Vio.com, indicating satisfaction with their bookings. It’s important to note that not all customers encounter problems, and each travel experience can be unique. Additionally, just like any online travel agency, Vio.com acts as a middleman and does not have control over the services and standards of the hotels listed on its site. And vio.com claims to partner with other travel networks like Google, TripAdvisor and many more; thus caution is advised to the people.
Know More: Krutrim AI vs. ChatGPT and GPT-4
How does vio.com work?
To begin using the Vio.com booking platform, start by searching through thousands of remarkable properties worldwide to find your ideal deal. Once you’ve selected the best option, confirm your booking on the site.
It’s important to understand that Vio.com acts as an intermediary between you and the hotels. They facilitate the connection but do not own the hotels. Vio.com is your go-to resource for reaching these hotels.
On Vio.com, you can explore a variety of hotels in numerous locations globally and book your choice directly through their website. If you need to cancel a booking or request a refund, you’ll handle this through Vio.com, not the hotel directly. However, be aware that this process might not always go smoothly.
Additionally, Vio.com allows you to search for hotels listed on other third-party sites like Expedia, Booking.com, Kayak, and TripAdvisor. After selecting a hotel, you’ll be redirected from Vio.com to the third-party site to complete your booking. Vio.com is not responsible for any issues that may arise after this redirection.
Functions performed by Vio.com
Vio.com is a platform that compares the prices, and sees to deals and discounts and offers the best discounts available on the website for the customers benefit. The main features on which vio.com works are:
Price Comparison
Vio.com streamlines the process of price comparison for travelers. By inputting your travel information, Vio.com swiftly compares rates from all major travel providers, allowing you to effortlessly find the most cost-effective deals. This approach saves both time and money, eliminating the need to visit each travel site individually to compare prices.
Loyalty Programs
Vio.com offers loyalty programs, an excellent benefit for regular travelers. By participating in these programs, you accumulate points and rewards redeemable for future travel. This is an effective strategy to reduce costs on upcoming journeys.
Read more: – Is ChatGPT5 Coming Soon With the New Tech?
Discounts and Deals
Vio.com regularly provides top deals and discounts, granting you easy access to a wide array of savings options all in one location. This feature is especially beneficial for those aiming to maximize their savings.
Vio Legit Key Takeaways
- Operational Since 2016: Vio.com has been serving customers for over 7 years, offering a platform to compare rates from major travel suppliers.
- Wide Range of Partnerships: Collaborates with Google, TripAdvisor, Bing, Agoda, Kayak, Skyscanner, Trivago, and more.
- User-Friendly Platform: Known for its easy-to-use interface, a special Gems membership program, and strong customer support.
- Acting as a Middleman: Vio.com serves as an intermediary between customers and hotels, handling any issues with the hotel on behalf of the customer.
- Limited Responsibility for Third-Party Providers: While it shows deals from other travel agencies, it’s not responsible for bookings made through these third parties.
- Booking Confirmation and Overbooking Issues: Some customers have reported problems with booking confirmations and hotel overbookings.
- No Control Over Hotel Standards: Vio.com does not control or guarantee the quality and services of the hotels listed.
Vio.com Pros and Cons
There are always positive and negative sides of everything just like a coin has two sides. Thus the pros and cons of using vio.com are mentioned below:
Pros
- Offers a variety of payment options.
- Positive online reviews on certain websites like Trustpilot.
- Vio.com serves as a middleman between users and the third party websites.
- The platform offers a comparative price with the best offers available on different hotels.
Cons
- Vio.com is not responsible for any bookings.
- It does not have any access to the services of the hotels thus it is not responsible for any inconvenience caused.
- The bigger problem with the website is confirmation and overbooking issues.
Tips to follow while using Vio.com to book
- Always go through the terms and conditions of the website before using it for your booking. Thus it is recommended that you should be aware of any cancellation and refund policies of vio.com.
- The user should always see the photos of the hotel and rooms they are booking to avoid confusion.
- Always look at the amenities which are being provided by the hotel and check whether they are suitable for you.
- To avoid any problems at the time of check-in always use the pay at hotel option.
- Always review your booking details before confirming the booking.
- Always go a step further by confirming your stay with the property directly to avoid issues after arriving at the property.
User Experiences & Review with Vio.com
Tripadvisor Reviews Warning Against Scams: Vio.com Image with rating
“Have You Also Been Scammed by Vio.com?”
- Initial Complaint
A year ago, a user reported being scammed by Vio.com, after booking a hotel in Cancun. Despite receiving a confirmation email, the hotel had no record of the booking. Attempts to resolve the issue with Vio.com, who lacks a phone number, were futile. The user ended up paying substantially more for a last-minute booking, and although Vio.com refunded the original payment, they did not compensate for the additional costs as promised.
- Community Responses:
- Confusion and Skepticism: Some users expressed confusion, noting that Vio.com seemed like a typical search engine, redirecting to third-party booking sites. They suggested booking directly with hotels for safety.
- Warnings Ignored: Others pointed out the importance of researching and avoiding fraudulent companies, a step the original poster seemed to have missed.
- Insights from Other Experiences: Additional insights were shared about Vio.com’s practices, including their recent name change from FindHotel.net, and links to their terms of use, indicating caution when dealing with them.
- Further Discussion:
- Misleading Appearances: The original poster clarified that Vio.com appears as a consolidator but also operates as a booking engine, often showing cheaper prices to attract customers.
- TripAdvisor’s Role Questioned: Concerns were raised about TripAdvisor linking to Vio.com, potentially misleading users about the legitimacy of the site.
Reddit User Reviews Mixed Experiences with Vio.com:
Varied Encounters with Vio.com
- Positive Experience at Disneyland: One user shared a positive experience with Vio.com when booking a stay at the Clarion Hotel for a Disneyland trip. Despite initial worries due to lower prices and unfamiliarity with Vio.com, the reservation was confirmed by the hotel, and the stay went smoothly without any issues.
- Founder’s Assurance: Oz, the founder and CEO of Vio.com, responded, highlighting Vio.com as an Amsterdam-based travel startup aimed at offering the best accommodation deals. He emphasized their commitment to customer satisfaction, even in cases of ‘non-refundable’ bookings, and invited users to join their ‘Plus’ loyalty program for better deals.
- Successful Booking in Cancun: Another user recounted a successful experience with Vio.com while booking a hotel in Cancun. They remained cautious, ensuring free cancellation and regularly confirming their reservation with the hotel, which resulted in a smooth and enjoyable stay.
- Skepticism and Warnings: Some users expressed skepticism about using Vio.com, questioning the rationale behind choosing a less-known booking site. Others pointed out the mixed reviews on Trustpilot and the previous name change from FindHotel.net, raising concerns about potential scams.
- Negative Experience and Warning: A user warned against using Vio.com, sharing a negative experience where their reservation in Cancun was not recognized by the hotel. Despite Vio.com’s assurances and a refund of the original payment, the user faced additional expenses and criticized Vio.com’s customer service and business practices.
- Mixed Trustpilot Reviews: Users discussed the presence of Vio.com on Trustpilot, with some pointing out the large number of positive reviews, while others remained cautious due to reported negative experiences.
- Concerns Over Booking Issues: Another user was facing current issues with a booking through Vio.com, expressing frustration over the lack of a customer service number and the unconfirmed reservation at a hotel in Washington DC.
Trustpilot Diverse Experiences with Vio.com: Reviews Compilation
Mixed Reviews on Trustpilot for Vio.com
- Negative Review: Poor Resolution Procedures
A user named Kenneth expressed dissatisfaction with Vio.com’s resolution process after encountering issues with a booking. Vio.com’s response indicated limited intervention capacity due to the problem being with the hotel, not their service. - Positive Experiences: Effective Communication and Assistance
Several users, including Tal Netter, John Kilworth, Jeff Marsh, and others, rated Vio.com positively. They praised the platform for efficient communication, no hidden fees, successful issue resolutions, and overall satisfactory booking experiences. - Mixed Feedback on Accommodations and Additional Charges
Some users like Jeff Marsh and Eric reported mixed experiences regarding room quality and additional charges. While praising the overall service, they pointed out specific issues with their accommodations. - Issues with Cancellations and Additional Fees
Sherry J experienced problems with undisclosed additional fees and non-refundable bookings. Vio.com’s response emphasized the display of all fees in the booking process, suggesting a possible oversight by the customer. - Praise for Customer Service and Competitive Rates
Users like Eva Steele, Paul Lynch, William Eldridge, and others complimented Vio.com for going above and beyond in customer service, offering competitive rates, and providing efficient support for booking amendments. - Concerns Over Customer Service and Booking Corrections
Frank Walker criticized Vio.com for a lack of live customer support and difficulties in correcting a booking mistake. Vio.com’s response highlighted their adherence to hotel policies and offered alternative contact methods. - Appreciation for Emergency Support and Transparency
John Sims and Alexander Kirfel appreciated Vio.com’s customer support during emergencies and its transparent comparison of rates with other providers, respectively.
Conclusion
Vio.com, established in 2016, can be called a legit platform which lists hotel deals from globally recognized online travel agencies such as Hotels.com, Expedia, Bookings.com, Agoda, and others.
Yet, despite its legitimacy, there are key factors to consider before using its services:
- Vio.com operates as an intermediary.
- It does not have authority over the services provided by the hotels it lists.
- Vio.com is not accountable for bookings made through third-party Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) featured on its site.
- Customers may sometimes face issues with booking confirmations and overbookings when reserving through Vio.com.
But the platform is quite safe if you follow the cautionary tips while making a booking as it will save you from any threat which some customers have mentioned in their reviews.
The above information has been taken from various websites to check the legitimacy of vio.com, as we have included user experiences and reviews from different websites by many customers.
The sources used for reviews and other information for reviewing the website are mentioned below:
Article Source
- User experience and reviews from https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i12290-k14243982-Have_you_also_been_scammed_by_vio_com-Bargain_Travel.html, https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/yp3vqc/viocom/, and https://www.trustpilot.com/review/vio.com
- Website reviewed from https://www.vio.com/
- How does it work from https://www.vio.com/about
- Pros and cons from https://www.centerpost.org/vio-com-reviews-is-vio-com-scam-or-legit-travel-booking-website/
- Other websites visited https://www.ecomsay.com/is-vio-com-legit/, https://zacjohnson.com/is-vio-com-legit/, and http://letusgoto.com/2022/12/14/vio-com-best-and-legit-website-for-accommodations-deals/
FAQs
Is Vio.com legit?
Vio.com is legit according to some reviews and can be a fraud according to others. but according to the reviews the website is quite legit if used with precautions.
How does vio.com work?
Vio.com acts as a middleman between the users and the third party websites which are used by the customers to book hotels, motels and other stay options for their travels.
What is one of the unique features of vio.com?
Vio.com offers a unique feature called “Deal Freeze” which allows users to lock in a booking price and pay later.
What are the functions performed by vio.com?
vio.com performs functions like price comparison, offers discounts and deals, and also runs loyalty programs.
Since when is vio.com operational?
Vio.com has been operational since the year 2016 under the name FindHotels and then it was renamed Vio.com.
Vio.com has collaborations with which other similar websites?
Vio.com has collaborations with Google, TripAdvisor, Bing, Agoda, Kayak, Skyscanner, Trivago, and more.
What are the main issues faced by the users with vio.com?
The main issue which is faced by the users after arriving at the hotel is confirmation and overbooking.
How can the issue of confirmation and overbooking be avoided?
The issue of confirmation and overbooking can be avoided by choosing the payment method as pay at hotel and by reconfirming the booking with the property directly.