China woman mistakenly pays US$8,300 for hotel room by confusing yuan and Korean won symbols
If rate had been in Korean won, it would have cost only US$37 for one night
A woman in China mistook the Chinese yuan symbol for the Korean won while booking a hotel apartment in South Korea on Airbnb, ultimately paying 60,000 yuan (US$8,300) for a single night.
The woman, surnamed Xiao, from Jiangsu province in eastern China, recently sought help online regarding her payment with Airbnb.
On October 13, she booked a serviced apartment on Jeju Island through the holiday rental platform for a night’s stay with a friend. After returning to China, Xiao was shocked to discover that a total of 60,904 yuan had been deducted from her account.
According to a message from Airbnb, the hotel’s one-night rate was listed as 51,944 yuan. In addition, Airbnb charged her an 8,000-yuan service fee, 800-yuan tax, and a 160-yuan cleaning fee.
It was at this point that Xiao realised the price was quoted in Chinese yuan, not Korean won.
“It is not a high-end hotel. We assumed it was priced in Korean won,” Xiao explained.
If the rate had been in Korean won, it would have cost only US$37 for one night.
