holiday advice pls

~daisy~_2

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g297962-d575894-Reviews-Sherwood_Breezes_Resort-Antalya_Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast.html

we are meant to be going here in october but im starting to get a bit worried at the latest reviews
we never really chose this holiday or hotel - we were meant to be going to cuba but my hubby had a stroke so had to transfer to later in the year and nearer
the TA recommeneded this and we felt a bit co erced into it as it was transfer or lose our deposit - we also feel we have paid through the absolute nose for it as they knew what we were paying to go to cuba.....

has anyone been here ?
where do i stand on asking for a different hotel maybe ?

we are booked with thomas cook - any advice welcome xx

vicshippers

While I don't think the latest reviews are actually that bad (the most recent negative one actually says the rooms are nice, and is angry that a hotel in a muslim country wouldn't have a huge amount of alcohol selection, so take him with a pinch of salt) I would have to agree that a holiday here is not comparable to one in Cuba. However - it depends on the hotel you were booked into in Cuba. Could you link to that one?

If you have already accepted Thomas Cook's offer of this hotel, I'm really not sure where you stand. I would doubt that you can change it again - although I'm sure that there will be someone along soon that knows more than I.

HXDave

depending on how far away you are from date of departure, you may be able to change to an alternative holiday of your choosing. however TC may charge for EACH CHANGE (ie charge for changing destination, charge for changing hotel, charge for changing departure date etc etc etc).

and with regards to websites like tripadviset etc etc etc, just looking at the reviews on the above, some people liked it, some people hated it. That is the trouble with review sites. 1. most people only go to moan on sites like that. 2, Everyones views are different so i mike like something you dont, and likewise you might like something i dont.

If you are concerned, speak with the THomas Cook shop that you booked it through.

balletshoes

I think tripadvisor reports in general should be taken with a pinch of salt - unless every single recent review for the hotel is terrible, I'd go anyway, and probably have a fabulous time .

PompeyPete

balletshoes wrote: »

I think tripadvisor reports in general should be taken with a pinch of salt - unless every single recent review for the hotel is terrible, I'd go anyway, and probably have a fabulous time .

Spot-on.
I like TA, but not the hotel reviews section.
Anyone can write a review on TA, whether they've stayed at a hotel or not.
A lot of bad reviews are written by competitors.
A lot of good reviews are written by the hotel's own management.
I will, of course, trust a review if the poster is known, or has made objective contributions on the forum.
I also appreciate that everyone has to be a first poster at some stage. But on TA there are simply too many first posters posting extreme (both good and bad) reviews. Treat them with caution.

If I want advice then I'll use a dedicated Accommodation website such as Travel Republic or Booking.com. Reviews on such sites can only be written by invitation of that website. They know that you've stayed in that accommodation and so likely to write an honest and blanced review.

Have a great holiday!

~daisy~_2

thx everyone - think its just cos we have had such a stressful year that all of us really need a good relaxing holiday that really brings us back together as a couple and a family
maybe im just putting to much expectation on the holiday so stressing too much - we normally go to an apartment in portugal and have been twice a year the last 5 years and love it and see friends there each trip and its great but we decided to not be so boring hence booking for cuba - http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g666625-d256420-Reviews-Iberostar_Daiquiri-Cayo_Guillermo_Ciego_de_Avila_Province_Cuba.html - then my hub was poorly

we are due to leave on oct 19th - i wasnt planning on asking to change the holiday as such but maybe ask about changing to one of the other hotels on the same dates - can you do that ? im not very wise in the ways of package holidays as we usually do it ourselves seperatly

harz99

~daisy~ wrote: »

thx everyone - think its just cos we have had such a stressful year that all of us really need a good relaxing holiday that really brings us back together as a couple and a family
maybe im just putting to much expectation on the holiday so stressing too much - we normally go to an apartment in portugal and have been twice a year the last 5 years and love it and see friends there each trip and its great but we decided to not be so boring hence booking for cuba - http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g666625-d256420-Reviews-Iberostar_Daiquiri-Cayo_Guillermo_Ciego_de_Avila_Province_Cuba.html - then my hub was poorly

we are due to leave on oct 19th - i wasnt planning on asking to change the holiday as such but maybe ask about changing to one of the other hotels on the same dates - can you do that ? im not very wise in the ways of package holidays as we usually do it ourselves seperatly

You can try, but I would expect TC to either say no or ask for much more money to "process" the change.

I think with the mixed reviews, as others have said you have to take them with a pinch of salt. What you should look for is reviews from longstanding members, with a fair few write ups to their name.

Often people go abroad and expect a 5* to be the same as in the UK; it isn't. The rating usually only refers to the number of facilities on offer not the quality, and is always subjective to the general standards and affluence of the country concerned.

So, please go with an open mind and try and enjoy your break after your hubbie's recent problems.

~daisy~_2

i guess this should be the way to go - thx everyone xx