An Irishwoman booked a hotel over the Internet for a weekend in Paris. It was recommended by the French tourism body. When she arrived, she found it had dirty sheets, plaster falling off the ceiling, a broken shower, and dirty bathroom, and that there was a filthy smell in the building. She asked to be moved to a different room, and when the hotel refused, she requested a refund, which was also refused. She had to pay for another hotel for the weekend.
The ECC in Dublin contacted its counterpart in Lille, France. It acted promptly, referring the case to the Fraud Repression Department in France, which removed the hotel's two-star category. It also contacted the website hosts, who agreed to put additional information on the site so that consumers have an actual address when running into difficulties. It contacted the hotel asking for a refund of the consumer's 440 French francs, and the money is still being sought.