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Booked wrong hotel - refund?

Hi,

I recently traveled abroad and booked a hotel via the internet. The hotel was part of an international chain and required me to pay online in advance to secure a better rate. As far as I was concerned I had booked the correct hotel.

Upon arrival at the hotel and after completing a check in form I was given a key to a room. For some reason I queried something else and spoke to another member of staff at the desk and was subsequently informed that in actual fact I didn't have a room at the hotel. It later turned out that I had booked at one of the other hotels in the chain based in the same city but quite far from where I had planned to stay. I asked if they could simply swap the reservation over to this hotel. They said this was not possible as I had paid in advance. Had I not already paid they told me this would be possible.

Subsequently, I did not stay at the hotel that I had paid for as it was too far from where I had planned to stay and ended up staying at a friend’s home.

My question is am I entitled to any kind of refund? I know that having booked online and paid in advance to secure a better rate would mean that I have much less chance but I still wonder if they might offer me something, worth a try? How should I approach the chain?

Many thanks for any help offered.

Comments

  • Kez100
    Kez100 Posts: 2,236 Forumite
    You say as far as you are concerned you booked the right hotel. What hotel does your paperwork from your online booking say? I assume as soon as you knew you would not use the booking you let the hotel know? Did you leave hotel 2 to stay with your friends as soon as you knew you would have to pay? What country was this?
  • mystic_trev
    mystic_trev Posts: 5,434 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Did you not check the address of the Hotel?
  • compoCase
    compoCase Posts: 19 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    It was in Spain. I didn't know the area well and the address looked fine to me, it was in the right city and it had the name of the town in the address. However, it turns out that the road had the correct town name but it was actually not the right town. I shoudl have been more careful when booking I know that now. Also I know know paying in advance is not a good thing! Just wondered if I have even the slightest 'leg to stand on'? I mean how hard would it have been to swap the booking from one chain to another?
  • withabix
    withabix Posts: 9,508 Forumite
    No chance of a refund, as you selected and booked it yourself AND the booking date has now passed.
    British Ex-pat in British Columbia!
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