Travelodge deliberate over-booking policy

thenudeone

My oh has just rang from Barking Travelodge where she had booked a room.
Apparently they always sell 3 more rooms than that actually have, in the expectation that some visitors won't arrive.

Unfortunately they did, and now they have to transport her + 2 kids to Southend Travelodge, 50 miles away.

Just a warning in case anyone has booked a room at Travelodge and plans to turn up late - It may not be there!

rich_shot2003

thenudeone wrote: »

My oh has just rang from Barking Travelodge where she had booked a room.
Apparently they always sell 3 more rooms than that actually have, in the expectation that some visitors won't arrive.

Unfortunately they did, and now they have to transport her + 2 kids to Southend Travelodge, 50 miles away.

Just a warning in case anyone has booked a room at Travelodge and plans to turn up late - It may not be there!

That is shocking to do that to a lady with 2 kids this time of night.

They must have had other rooms in other sites nearer in London.

I would send them a email as that is shocking to do that with a lady with kids.

[Deleted User]

Travelodge are a bloody disgrace, they did this to me Sat night rang me at 10 past midnight saying the room had flooded what a load of bull, they said that they knew this for 3 hours but did it occur to them to ring me 3 hours earlier??? I didn't find another hotel untill 2am. They offered a hotel in Heston which was miles away the amount of money I have wasted on petrol and finding another hotel is a joke. I complained and am getting reimbursed but it will take a week in the meantime I am 300 quid down THANK YOU TRAVELODGE!!! I have written a complaint letter to them lets see the excuses of this shoddy service will be !

thenudeone

Update:
Southend Travelodge is very noisy with Night Club noise :<
Taxi driver rang this morning to say he wouldn't be bringing her back from Southend as promised (I think because Travelodge wouldn't pay him first).
But probably just as well because the train is much quicker at that time. Travelodge have provided train tickets and a free breakfast (half a cheer for that).
At least 2½ hours of sleep lost due to extra travelling time.

Staff said that if she had checked in by telephone some time after 3pm, the room would have been reserved. This is a complete cheek since the room was bought on a fixed non-refundable basis. Why on earth should the customer confirm that they want to use a service that they have irrevocably paid for??

If I sold and took money for something I didn't actually have and knew I couldn't provide, it would be Fraud .
Selling 53 rooms (and taking the money in advance) when you only have 50 rooms in the hotel is no different.

Will be writing a stonking letter once she's back.

vicki+1

This was featured on watchdog a few years ago. and travelodge admit to doing it.

If you search for overbooking on the faq questions section of the travelodge website this is what it says.

What is overbooking?

"Like almost all other hotel companies, we overbook some of our hotels because we know that a percentage of our customers make a reservation but then do not arrive to check-in. While we are aware that overbooking might sound negative, it allows us to accommodate customers who would otherwise not be able to make a reservation once availability at the hotel has been booked up."


I think its disgusting as well, always make sure i get there early when i go. couldn't bare the thought of being shunted about in teh middle of night, with a moody child in tow

photome

thenudeone wrote: »

Update:
Southend Travelodge is very noisy with Night Club noise :<
Taxi driver rang this morning to say he wouldn't be bringing her back from Southend as promised (I think because Travelodge wouldn't pay him first).
But probably just as well because the train is much quicker at that time. Travelodge have provided train tickets and a free breakfast (half a cheer for that).
At least 2½ hours of sleep lost due to extra travelling time.

Staff said that if she had checked in by telephone some time after 3pm, the room would have been reserved. This is a complete cheek since the room was bought on a fixed non-refundable basis. Why on earth should the customer confirm that they want to use a service that they have irrevocably paid for??

If I sold and took money for something I didn't actually have and knew I couldn't provide, it would be Fraud .
Selling 53 rooms (and taking the money in advance) when you only have 50 rooms in the hotel is no different.

Will be writing a stonking letter once she's back.

As posted, this was on watchdog a few years ago and there was endless threads on here about it.

It may not be right but all hotels do it (as do airlines) and because of that I always ring to confirm my booking in the morning of the day of arrival, It may not seem right to have to do that but it does save the hassle

thenudeone

After a very strongly worded letter (on my part), Travelodge have now refunded £90 by cheque, which they explain as a refund of the room plus travelling expenses (even though they paid for the travel).

So it's worth complaining.

rich_shot2003

thenudeone wrote: »

After a very strongly worded letter (on my part), Travelodge have now refunded £90 by cheque, which they explain as a refund of the room plus travelling expenses (even though they paid for the travel).

So it's worth complaining.

Glad they have refunded you.

well done.

giraffe69

Quite astonishing how anyone in this thread can think this is,in any way, a reasonable practice. As has been said you have reserved, paid, will not get a refund and then when you arrive you haven't got a room. If everyone rings in the afternoon to confirm it is still going to mean the late arrivals get sent to somewhere unspeakable. I think if this happened to me they would need the police! This is not good business practice. It is not the same as overbooking airplanes(which I also don't think much of) because many of the business seats are not paid for in advance. If they take your money they should be obliged to offer the service or pay great amounts of compensation and have bits of their anatomy cut off.

kkgree1

I previously worked for a large hotel chain, working on reception and can confirm that this is common practice in the industry. I don't know of a single hotel in my large city that doesn't do it.

The difference with Travel Lodge is where they send you too! The vast majority of hotels will send you to another hotel within 10 miles radius and fully paid for (refund of original room, transport costs, etc).

We regularly had 3 no-shows a night. Even calling ahead, we used to dread 11pm with the late arrivals and hoping upon hope that on a busy night, everyone wouldn't show up. In my 4 years there I can only think of a handful of occasions where we had to out-book someone somewhere else.

Suarez

Shouldn't be allowed in my opinion. You paid for the room so for the night you paid for it's your regardless weather or not you turn up!.

They would be better off charging the £19 rooms and if people want to cancel just take a £5 admin charge rather than £19 no cancellation allowed.