What to know about Weekendesk, the specialist in thematic short stays

Origins and founding

Weekendesk was founded in 2008 by Pierre-Édouard Sterin, the French entrepreneur who also created Smartbox. The company launched to meet the rising demand for thematic short stays, allowing travelers to get away for a weekend with packaged deals that bundle lodging and activities.

Evolution and expansion

Since its inception, Weekendesk has seen significant growth. In 2016, the company raised 5 million euros (about $5.4 million) from its long-time backer, Otium Capital, to fund its European expansion. Already operating in France, Belgium, and Spain, it moved into the Netherlands with plans for further European reach. By 2015, Weekendesk reported 2 million unique monthly visitors and 340,000 bookings, generating 65 million euros (about $70 million) in business volume.

Varied themes and high-end lodging

Today, Weekendesk offers a range of thematic getaways that include both lodging and activities, catering to interests like wellness, gastronomy, romantic escapes, or family trips.

The company sets itself apart by negotiating exclusive deals with hotel partners to provide compelling packages. Weekendesk aims to position itself as a creator of exceptional weekend experiences by carefully selecting and negotiating stays with quality hotels ranging from 3 to 5 stars.

Discover all offers
https://www.weekendesk.fr
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Reviews of Weekendesk

Summary of 4 reviews
2/5
Average rating
-1 rec +2 -3 Score weighted by contributor expertise level: a recommendation from a level 3 member counts as 3.
Total recs

Average ratings by criterion

Customer service
2/5
Reliability
1.8/5
Value for money
2.3/5

WEEKENDESK Site absolutely not recommended !!!!!

Weekendesk: a catastrophic experience, not to mention damaging, with deplorable and contemptuous customer service.<br>I want to share our very bad experience with Weekendesk to spare other travelers from going through the same situation.<br>We had booked a stay from July 25 to 31 at a hotel. The chosen offer was clearly presented as a half-board package with dinners included for the entire stay. Our booking confirmation pointed to this as well.<br>Upon arrival, a surprise: the hotel had a completely different file. According to the information sent by Weekendesk, only a single dinner, the one on the evening of our arrival, was scheduled. The other five had simply vanished.<br>The hotel manager was stunned herself. To understand where the problem came from, she simulated a booking on the Weekendesk website and noticed the same inconsistency. Even worse, she told us this was not the first time she had encountered this type of glitch with Weekendesk.<br>The next day, after 45 minutes spent on the phone with customer service, the advisor acknowledged this anomaly by comparing the various details in our file. She promised us an email confirming that our claim was being handled... an email we never received.<br>We therefore had to spend another part of our vacation writing a detailed claim, instead of enjoying our stay. Beyond the wasted time, we had to reorganize our days and bear unexpected dining expenses.<br>What is most shocking is not just the booking error, but the lack of follow-up, the lack of consideration for the customer, and the sluggish handling. When an error is acknowledged, the least one can do is assume responsibility and quickly propose a satisfactory solution.<br>We are still waiting for compensation proportionate to the damage suffered. In the meantime, I can only advise against Weekendesk. If you book through them, double check every service directly with the hotel before you leave, because the booking you receive is clearly not always the one sent to the property.<br>An extremely disappointing experience that seriously ruined our vacation.
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Thalasso getaways at great prices

I regularly saw promos for thalasso getaways on this site, without really knowing if the offers were actually worth it or not.
I gave it a try, everything went great, and after checking the prices, I realized I got a good deal.
So I recommend it!
Heads up to anyone interested, they also have offers for Valentine's Day... I'm just putting that out there, in case anyone is reading ;)

21
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Always fully booked in high season...

Last week I wanted to use the Weekendesk gift box our kids gave us, and what a disappointment. I called 4 hotels. One in St Raphael, and the answer was that it is booked solid. Two in Cannes, for one I could have gotten a suite by paying an extra fee of course, and for the other, they only had weekly rentals left. In Juan les Pins, it was fully booked too.

Can you only use these gift boxes during the week, in March or October when the weather is gray???? It is all well and good to use them for advertising, but afterwards you have to play the game. What a disappointment for our kids. Besides, after asking around, it turns out this is common practice. The gift boxes are expensive, so we should be able to expect the service that was promised.

18
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Services canceled

As far as I am concerned, Weekendesk is turning into a "weekend letdown" as the days go by.

You book a weekend and, bad luck, there is no availability (the site wasn't kept up to date). You struggle to find another weekend with the same price point, and once again the service is canceled (they don't offer it anymore). The result is they have our money, but on our end, we have no weekend (for now). I won't even go into the headaches and all that.

As a bonus, I couldn't find any phone number to contact customer service (aside from the one for bookings). Just more proof that they are running away from their responsibilities!

18
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