By Christopher ElliottGuest ColumnistStephen Stein arrives at his hotel for a family gathering only to find his reservation missing. Booking.com promises to cover the extra cost of a new room but then traps him in a cycle of endless paperwork. We booked two rooms directly, which cost $126 more than the original Booking.com reservation. Booking.com should have secured your reservation at the Homewood Suites, or, if the hotel was overbooked, it should have immediately found you comparable accommodations. You can prevent this in the future by calling the hotel directly a few days before your arrival to confirm your reservation, especially when traveling during peak periods.