A mother and her relatives were left feeling 'terrified' after discovering a stranger hidden behind a false wall at a Booking.com holiday rental. Therese secured the property for an overnight stay with her partner and two children following a family birthday celebration last weekend.
The home, marketed as owner-occupied, was conveniently located near the event. Shortly after arrival, things started to deteriorate. Therese met the landlord to get a key from a lockbox. He showed her around, and his clothes were in the dryer. She asked if he would be there that night, and he replied, 'Oh no, no, I won't be here.'
Discovery of the hidden man
When the family returned later, they noticed the washing machine was running and the key was secured in the lockbox. Therese asked her partner to check the rooms. He noticed a thin piece of plasterboard with a nail in the living room. When he moved it, it came off, revealing darkness. A voice said, 'Hey, hey.' Therese asked, 'Is there somebody behind that wall?' and the man replied, 'Yes.'
Therese said, 'It was pitch black, so you couldn't say a thing. And obviously, when you get frightened, you're not expecting to hear somebody go, "Hey, hey", from a wall.' The family left immediately. Therese confronted the landlord, who claimed not to recognize her. She asked why he did it, and he replied, 'Well, my Google reviews don't say that.'
Impact on the family
Therese described the ordeal as 'horrifying' and said it felt like being on a Netflix documentary. She added, 'The blood drained from my face. The kids were frozen in one spot. We had to physically move them.' The incident has put her off booking holiday homes in the future, and she said, 'I'll probably be hotels from here on in. I don't think the kids would want to stay. You just don't feel safe. Even in my own home now, it's crazy.'
Booking.com response
Booking.com confirmed an investigation has been initiated and the property listing has been suspended. A spokesperson said, 'We take safety and security very seriously. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we launched an investigation into the property, which is ongoing. The property has been suspended while the investigation is completed.'
