HOLIDAY LET DOWN

[linlit]

this is just a rant after weeks of looking and planning a family holiday for my children and grandkids found the hotel we wanted emailed hotel with our dates and type of rooms we wanted no problem.so i booked and payed for flights and deposit for hotel all good.

This was our christmas present to our family a 10 day all inclusive holiday to corfu i was really looking forward to it as it would be all 5 of my grandkids first time on a plane.

then today i get an email from our travel agent to say our hotel will now not be opening until 3 days in to our holiday and offerd 3 days in another hotel on half board basis stating it was a better hotel and a upgrade.

our oldest grandchild is 7 and on there websiteit states booking for over 12 only so no facilites for kids and the smallest swimming pool i have ever seen and they call this an upgrade.

sorry about the rant but i feel so angry that they can treat people this way and get away with it as it stands we may have to cancel the holiday and i now feel so depressed and cant stop crying i was so looking forward to this

holiday

lin

[hamble99b]

I'm not surprised you're angry, check the new hotel out on trip advisor, they should offer you better and an option for the whole holiday.

[gillyb59]

Hi linlit

Stand your ground and ask them to offer you something that your whole family would enjoy go to the site of your agent pick another hotel and tell them that that is what you want and you want it for the whole hoilday not just the 3 days otherwise you will be cancelling the whole holiday and would be asking for compensation and reporting them to abta /atol as they should of known that this hotel was not open for you complete booking

Hope you get the holiday that you want

Gentle Hugs

Gillyb xxx

[Wol2502]

That's terrible I would ask to speak to someone higher and demand they sort it out explain to them this is the first kids holiday and how important the holiday us to u and your family they should be giving u a 5 star with big pool and loads of stuff for kids to do I would keep on at them after all this is a present hope u get sorted and your family get the holiday u deserve wish u all the best warren

[linlit in reply to Wol2502]

thanks warren

[linlit]

thanks sandra and gilly i have checked out new hotel on trip advisor thats how i found just how small their mini pool was also on side of hotel with a low wall then people walking by can see u sunbathing or swimming not good anyone could lean over the wall and grab one of the kids.

I have phoned the travel agent and told them it was not acceptable and any change would have to be on same board basis and a family freindly hotel, i also emailed the marketing director at the origonal hotel to check if it was true as i had prevously had contact with and she had given me a price from the 4th to book direct through hotel.

MY husband has also emailed the managing administrator with options including changing the start of the holiday to the 7th at no extra cost to us

if we have to cancel i will go on trip advsor for evry one of there hotels warning evryone not to book there hotels and tell my story it might not do anything but it may make me feel better

lin

[moonstonebright]

That's awful! As someone else said, I think you should stand your ground and ask them to place you in an alternative hotel to suit your families needs for the whole holiday not having to move after 3 days. We had a less serious problem with our first and only family holiday abroad this year when the disabled facilities room wasn't available the day before we were emailed and so had to sleep four of us in a one double bedroom apartment and my kids 16 and 19 had to sleep on the living room sofa's for the first night. They moved all our stuff the next day for us but even so it was a dampner on the start of the holiday but at least we didn't have to move complex. It's awful that however carefully we plan a holiday they still mess it up. I feel so sorry for you.

I hope you can get things sorted and end up having a great family holiday.

Good Luck!

[linlit in reply to moonstonebright]

thank u i hope so too

lin

[fairycazzie]

Dont give in fight your corner!

Tell them your requirements and if cannot you want re funding and a 'free' holiday next year i know this is not good answer but i have fought in past and paid off.

Its so not nice when all hyped uo for it and excited so its down to them to make sure you have 'like for like' !! Nothing else

Goodluck

Higs

Cazzie xxx

[linlit in reply to fairycazzie]

oh dont worry what ever way it goes its going to cost them my husband is very good at fighting for this sort of thing thank u

lin

[Sarah-Jane]

I really feel for you. Its this kind of thing that puts me off, as I have been let down in the past. What I have found with everything is, don't give up or lose your temper. If you remain calm and willing to discuss things the person you are talking to won't feel under attack and may understand your frustration better if not having to deal with someone incomprehensible. Don't tell the kids anything yet.

Having watched plenty of programmes about such happenings, do tell them you are not going away. Don't 'settle' too soon. This is what they want. How did you pay? Are you covered by ABTA? Write down what you need, what you want and see if there is any lee way, as you said a slight change in dates. Could they offer you what you booked but in another resort - of equal everything? Would you consider that? Remember why you chose that holiday in particular.

I do think your suggestion of putting the holiday off by three days is an excellent one. Few people can change their dates like that, so they should be grateful. I do hope you all get away and have a great time. Make sure you get to relax when you get there! Also prepare for long delays coming back as we had to queue for hours, and with children that is no fun. Pack inflatables for the holiday, but also to rest on if you do have a wait. You can always bin them before you load your luggage!

Soft hugs

[linlit in reply to Sarah-Jane]

luckily they could change the dates except one who it could be awkward due to work commitments,

i dont think they will go for this option as the flights are quite a lot more and were not paying.

the problem is as were going so early there are only 3 hotels open on all inclusive and they other 2 i wouldnt send my worst enemy too if i had one.

yes we are abta & atol protected and i paid by debit card, i havent paid the full amount yet just flights and hotel deposit.

MYdaughter has read terms and coditions and as it is a major change to our holiday we can get a full refund and claim compensation, or we can accept the changes but send recorded delivery letter stating we are accepting the changes cant remember exact word she said but basicly if it is not good we can still claim compensation.

As it stands he is trying to get them to put us in a so called 5 star hotel 3 at best and give us money to cover lunch and drinks as it is only half board my husband has said its got to be £50 a day per adult we havent worked out how much per chid yet it is a bit better than the 1st hotel they offerd as it has a propper pool and is child freindly thanks for your comments

lin

[HELEN-PMA]

Hi, I'm not too clear how you booked your holiday? You mentioned contacting the hotel directly. Did you book directly with them, and then book your own flights? Or did you book the whole holiday through a travel agent? I am a self employed travel consultant, working from home (I had to stop working in a high street agency, due to the Fibro !!) Different types of bookings, have different rules. E.G. A conventional package holiday (which is one contract), is different to a dynamic / tailor made holiday (which has a separate contract for each element). It is important to know the terms and conditions. Which travel agent did you use? I wouldn't be able to give you specific advice, until I know more details. But usually, when a change like that is proposed, the agent will normally offer a refund, if you don't want to accept the changes to your holiday. Has this not been offered to you? Holiday's are much more complicated then they seem. For example, the hotel management, can decide to make changes to a hotel. In which case, the holiday operator has no control, so all they can do is offer another property (or usually a refund !)....It is never wise to book elements separately yourself, as you end up very unprotected. E.G. Some people book directly with a hotel, then book their own flights etc. Not a good idea !! If the flight company went bust, so you couldn't get to the hotel, then you asked the hotel for your money back, they often say "It's not our problem that you couldn't get here", and they are not obliged to refund your money. Likewise, it is the same the other way around. If the hotel shut down, your would not get a refund on your flights. If I sell a tailor made package = flights, hotel and transfers, all booked separately, with 3 different contracts. We secure the holiday, with an insurance called Supplier Failure Cover. So if one element failed, you would be able to claim money back, against all the elements. Holidays are very important to people, and a lot of hard earned money is spent. It is crucial, to get it booked by a skilled consultant. A bit like someone doing a bad DIY job at home, when a skilled workman should have done it in the first place (not that I am suggesting that you did this, I'm just trying to make you, and other readers aware of the pitfalls)...Regarding your holiday...if it is a conventional package holiday (where you would have paid one deposit, for the complete holiday), then you should be offered a refund. By the way that you explained, that you paid for the flights, and a deposit on the hotel, it sounds like a tailor made package. If that is the case, then the accommodation supplier, should still offer a refund (for the hotel only), if you don't like the alternative property they have offered. You would then need to ask your agent, to book new accomodation for you, with another supplier...Please feel free to ring me, if you need any more advice. My name is Helen, and I work for Hays Travel (the UK's largest independant operator) 02392 811617. Any other readers, are welcome to call me for a holiday quote. I will give discount to fellow Fibro sufferers !! Please don't despair over it. If you can get a full refund, then get one, and give me a call. I have been in the business for 11 years, and have a lot of repeat custom. We can start from scratch, and get you smiling again !! x

[linlit in reply to HELEN-PMA]

hi helen

we booked through bookable holidays for evrything.i only contacted the hotel to inquire if they had roooms with conecting doors as we couldnt get family rooms and they supplied prices for the dates we wanted.

The admin manager from bookable holidays is trying to sort things for us and we could have a full refund but the idea of finding another holiday for the same amount of money is daunting as flight prices have gone up since booking.and as there are 12 of us we cant afford to pay out much more.

thank u for your advice and i may be calling you soon

lin