Imagine looking forward to a trip after booking the tickets and planning the whole vacation, only to be told by the hotel at the last minute, that, 'Your booking has been cancelled as per your request'. Akshay Kapoor, a 37-year-old resident of Safdarjung Enclave in Delhi, got this jolt before his trip to Mumbai. He has claimed that he was fooled by OYO Rooms, a leading hospitality company that offers hotels at budgeted rates, on the pretext of his reservation being upgraded. While he did not pay and hence did not lose any money, he underwent mental agony in the process. The family had to desperately find another hotel and managed to book it.

Akshay, who works with a shipping consultancy firm, had booked the OYO Townhouse in Andheri East, on March 28. The booking was for two rooms for four people - Akshay, his wife, mother and father (both retired) - for the period April 16 - 21. Although he hadn't paid the hotel since OYO offers a pay at the hotel facility, Akshay had booked tickets from Delhi to Mumbai, and planned the sightseeing.