Teenager arrested after friends smashed up holiday apartment
A 16-year-old girl has been arrested after friends she invited to a holiday apartment rented via booking.com caused £40,000 of damage.
The guests allegedly tore down walls with sledgehammers at the luxury flat in Belfast, which had been booked by a woman for her teenage daughter for one night.
The booking rules clearly stated that parties and events were banned but the teenager invited people to the flat on Saturday night using the short messaging service Snapchat.
The owner of the apartment, who doesn’t want to be named, told Belfast Live the extent of the destruction was ‘unbelievable’.
"There is now a hole in the wall between the kitchen and hall because they used sledgehammers to break through.
"The windows have been smashed, doors broke, the kitchen and bathrooms are wrecked, everything is ruined."
Up to 40 youths are believed to have descended on the apartment, which is usually let for around £200 on Saturday nights. The owner said the repairs will costs around £40,000, but the girl’s mother is believed to have paid a deposit of just £100.
‘I’ve contacted Booking.com to report what happened and their solution was to waive the £9.80 commission fee which isn’t going to be much help," said the owner. "I have no faith that I will get a penny back from those responsible."
He said he has also had to cancel 42 bookings and give refunds to potential customers.
"We were fully booked over Easter and it was heartbreaking having to cancel on people who were looking forward to their holidays and give full refunds, which is just extra money lost on top of the refurb costs," he added.
"The contractors have said the place should be ready again within a month but this has really put me off doing anything like this again."
A Booking.com spokesperson said: "We support our accommodation partners fully and will cooperate with law enforcement in their official investigation as necessary.
‘In this instance, we have also taken additional precautions to block this customer from making any further reservations via our site."
Police said the girl has been released on bail pending further enquiries.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026