Have great4hotels gone bust?

LucyLocket

I'm getting a bit panicy , I have £700 of hotel booked with them for december. The website shows no availability anywhere, ever and someone on another site has reported getting to Tenerife and finding their room not paid for. I fel a bit sick, hope it's baseless but have a bad feeling :-(

daz27

Have two hotels booked in Florida and was alerted by the Dibb. Now panicking as unable to get any search result and people on Dibb advise unable to get through to someone on phone.
Does anyone have any more information?

isplumm

Hi,

Did you pay on CC? Have you travel insurance? If not I get it quick, so you can claim on it ....!!!

No idea whether they have gone bust .....

Mark

SimbaSimon

It wouldn't surprise me, the website looks and feels really shoddy and they aren't bonded in anyshape or form.

As others have said, if you paid on your credit card your be fine.

apt

Travel insurance does not usually cover a supplier going bust and would certainly not cover you if you took out a policy after the event. Credit card would offer protection and there is the VISA chargeback route if you have paid by VISA debit card or electron.

FloFlo

On the dibb someone reported speaking to consumer protection and there could be a problem getting a refund even with a credit card as apparently payments went through worldpay which is classed as a third party.

I have no idea if this is true just repeating what was heard.

daz27

It's been confirmed that they have ceased trading. This is a copy of the email that I've just received from the MD.
Dear Customer,

It is with great sadness that I inform you that all trading activities of Great4Hotels Limited ("the Company") have now ceased as the Company is not currently able to fulfil its obligations to its customers and suppliers.

Due to cash flow difficulties the Company has been unable to make the payments to the suppliers (or wholesalers) required to allow the customers to stay at their chosen hotel. Accordingly, your reservation will be cancelled and I ask that you contact an alternative supplier or the hotel directly to make a new booking and to make payment directly to the new supplier or the hotel.

In the event that your booking was paid for using a credit card (or certain debit cards) you should immediately contact your card issuer to make a charge back claim. If your booking was made by an alternative payment method I advise that I am currently seeking advice regarding the options available with respect to future of the Company and will be in touch shortly with further details.

With apologies,

Guy Griffin
For and On Behalf Of Great4Hotels Ltd

I've put a dispute in with my CC co. and have my fingers crossed for a refund.

Paul1000

Can anyone advise if this company was ATOL or ABTA protected? Or if indeed this would be of any use. Excuse my ignorance but as I cant gain access to the original website, I am unsure.

also potentially £738 out of pocket and only booked 2 weeks ago - so annoying.

Has anyone else had any further updates about the next step on how to claim - my reservation is not until December.

Thanks for your help

cantonasboots

Id booked in july a room in Orlando, i go in less than 4 weeks and today i recieved a creditors voluntary liquidation form, I contacted eleanor williams (who it advises to contact) on 020 7535 5344, she basically told me if you've booked with debit card you've lost your money, its then down to your bank to pay you back if they will, I was also told to contact the hotel to see if my booking still stands, I did and the lady told me my booking is still on the system but to contact her nearer the time just in case the cancellation notice hasnt come through.
If I wait nearer the time though ive then got to find the money and also find a room preferably at the same hotel as we were going with 2 other people.
Im panicking now because Ive bought tickets,flights, I booked way back in july but for some people who were booking on their site about a week ago its nothing but theft that the firm has taken their money.

cantonasboots

Ive had a few emails stating its definetly been cancelled, id paid by debit but Barclays have said ill get my money back (£330) cannot fault them at the moment.

rustyg

I booked last week (Tues) to go to Italy at the weekend. Tuned up at the hotel in Rome on Sunday armed with my confirmation email and was told the room had been cancelled on Friday. I hadn't checked my emails as I'd been on a tour and Rome was one of the stops en route. Was totally confused as was the hotel receptionist who forced me to pay again a much higher rate.

Arrived home today to find the creditor's voting form on my mat. I agree it's total fraud that they could accept my booking on Tuesday and then go bust on Friday, just three days later. Can't do chargeback on credit card cos it cost less than £100. I'm looking into claiming on travel insurance.