When you prepay for a multi-night reservation, you have paid for exclusive access to that space for the entire agreed period.
Sunflower Hostel Berlin operates under a contradictory policy that attempts to have it both ways. Following a delayed arrival on a multi-day stay booked through Expedia, the hostel unilaterally canceled my entire reservation and refused to issue a refund for the unused days, claiming their internal rules allow them to retain 100% of the funds.
When I called the front desk to challenge this, the female receptionist on duty was completely unprofessional, called me "crazy," and hung up on me.
Shortly after, management sent a written message issuing a formal property ban (Hausverbot) under a fabricated pretext of "threatening behaviour" simply to shut down a valid billing dispute.
The fundamental flaw and legal violation here are obvious: a business cannot unilaterally terminate a contract, bar a customer from entering, refuse to provide the accommodation, and still keep 100% of the money for services it refuses to render. Under German law (§ 537, § 812, and § 309 Nr. 5 BGB), private house policies cannot override statutory consumer protections, and retained amounts must strictly account for saved operational expenses.
Locking out a customer while pocketing their money is a breach of contract. Their company policy is in clear violation of german consumer law.