unsuitable holiday

1more?

hi all hope you can help

i booked a holiday through a 1st choice shop, i told the assistant i wanted a family holiday with plenty for the children to do ect
she recomended a 1st choice splash resort, so booked all great she told me if you read the reviews it used to be a club 18-30s but now its a family hotel from 2011

so a week before we went i looked on trip adviser while looking at things to do in resort & the latest reviews were awful, i contacted 1st choice as the reviews said it was still 18-30s i was told they cant stop others booking in to the hotel & that if it was bad to get moved somewhere else while in resort
got to hotel & it was full of hen & stag groups along with 21st birthdays & 30th birthdays
not what i booked certainly not what i want my children seeing who are 14,9 & nearly 1, we were woke up every night except for one for 2 weeks one night at 1am 3.30 am & again at 5.50, i asked to be moved rooms & was offered a room on the 2nd floor up a metal stair case that i couldnt access with the pushchair
i ask to move hotels & was told we would have to pay £50 per person & more if the hotel cost more & lose the free water park tickets & because we were 2 families we would be in different hotels( we travelled with friends) so were unable to move.

since getting home ive phoned 1st choice to complain not something i would normal do but our holiday was totally ruined & today i had an answer phone message again saying sorry but 1st choice dont control who else book into the hotel.
please can anybody advise what i should do next ? im not happy that they have taken no responsibility for sending us to a hotel not suitable for children & that ive spent alot of money on a holiday that was not enjoyable at all

thanks for reading

stephb34

Which hotel is it and what country were you in then we can advise you if it really is a family hotel or 18-30s, also you need to put your complaint in writing they'll just fob you off if you ring.

1more?

thanks for posting
it was a first choice splash holiday including free water park entry

http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/sun-holidays/family-holidays/splashworld/index.html

heres the link to all about splash, i would say by the advertising its for familys
sorry i should of made myself clearer it was sold to me but 1st choice but other companies are selling it as 18-30 or young & lively what ever its called these days

greensalad

I guess its true that they have no control, and its not *really* their fault, but you still had a ruined holiday and thats not fair. I'd go for the 'moan until they're sick of you' approach. Moan every day, letter, email, phonecall. After a while companies like this usually get sick of you pestering them and clogging up their time that they just give you something free, which I guess is what you want really.

1more?

green salad a free holiday to a 5* is what i want! thats a joke being serious we save all yr to have one holiday and i feel i was miss sold the holiday as it wasnt what i asked for

Doshwaster

1more? wrote: »

green salad a free holiday to a 5* is what i want! thats a joke being serious we save all yr to have one holiday and i feel i was miss sold the holiday as it wasnt what i asked for

I symapathise. You must feel terrible after saving up for so long and I think you have a reasonable case for some compensation. However, this should serve as a lesson to others to do some research for yourself and not rely totally on the advice of someone in travel agent shop.

1more?

thanks dosh
i was told that as it was a young & lively or 18-30 before the reviews would be referring to that but i will never trust a travel agent again i will be stalking trip adviser when booking my next holiday;)

budgetflyer

Contact watchdog or one of these consumer columns in the Sunday papers.
Unfortunately when you put your trust in a company that has 17 yr old school leavers masquerading as "consultants" or "advisers" this will happen.

It wasnt Las Piramides, in Las Americas was it ? Certainly Id suggest you have been "mis sold" if it was described as a family resort. Its absolutely nuts in high season!

Yes, they have no control of other companies clients, but really they should make that clear before hand

mick_vandick

Unfortunately when you put your trust in a company that has 17 yr old school leavers masquerading as "consultants" or "advisers" this will happen.

Thats unfair. The agent would have gone by the brochure which clearly mentions the word family about 50 times. And everybody has to start somewhere.
I can't understand what would possess FC to brochure a hotel as a Splash hotel if they also take 18-30 bookings, that is asking for trouble.
Which hotel specifically was it?
If it is one that is a Splash one then they are misleading you by clearly making out that these hotels are for families. Quote from FC ''family holidays have never been so much fun''
I would suggest that you put the complaint down in writing rather than over the phone and wait for a written response. Ask them to explain why they recommend it for families when it is full of groups.
Get it all in writing and if you remain unhappy with their response then kickback to them and give them a second chance to put this right and failing that you could always take it further to ABTA Arbitration.

Zoetoes

It doesn't say which hotel?

1more?

budgetflyer wrote: »

Contact watchdog or one of these consumer columns in the Sunday papers.
Unfortunately when you put your trust in a company that has 17 yr old school leavers masquerading as "consultants" or "advisers" this will happen.

It wasnt Las Piramides, in Las Americas was it ? Certainly Id suggest you have been "mis sold" if it was described as a family resort. Its absolutely nuts in high season!

Yes, they have no control of other companies clients, but really they should make that clear before hand

got it in one it was las piramides, i dont blame the travel agent herself the brochure is stating exactly what i was asking for its not like that when you get there
although siam park is amazing just had no sleep at night, at breakfast we were listening to how off their faces they were last night, by the pool they were flick flacking in the pool making me nervous when the children were in there, also wearing tshirts with vile slogans on !!!
i dont want to sound like a bore im only young myself & have been on many hens that have been crazy but not when there are children about !!!

i dont expect the people in the groups were expecting there to be children in the hotel either, if i went on a young & lively holiday for a hen weekend i wouldnt expect families there !!!