Thomson holiday problem

basill

Did you book the holiday online? I have recently used "manage your booking" on the Thomson site to change hotels. The trip was booked months ago but previously pretty good reviews have got worse and worse as time goes on, news of a food poisoning outbreak and guests being moved to a nearby hotel was the final straw. I made the change to bring back the excitement and start looking forward to the holiday again.

There was a £70 admin charge for the changes plus the difference in cost between the two packages. I called the helpline after the event purely to query the breakdown of costs. The operator was most helpful and refunded the admin charge without prompting.

We are spoiled with the amount of info available from tripadvisor et al and it is easy to focus on the negative. It is useful to look at the TA resort and hotel forums. Reviews are discussed in great detail and if there have been a series of bad reviews the root causes are often identified as concerned travellers ask questions and returning travellers and TA destination experts respond.

An expensive holiday would be seriously marred if it turns out bad and days are wasted pressing the rep for a transfer to a different hotel. I would say go with your gut feeling about the place and change early if needs be. These days it is easily done, especially if your flights remain unchanged.


B

glynisallan

:j

basill wrote: »

Did you book the holiday online? I have recently used "manage your booking" on the Thomson site to change hotels. The trip was booked months ago but previously pretty good reviews have got worse and worse as time goes on, news of a food poisoning outbreak and guests being moved to a nearby hotel was the final straw. I made the change to bring back the excitement and start looking forward to the holiday again.

There was a £70 admin charge for the changes plus the difference in cost between the two packages. I called the helpline after the event purely to query the breakdown of costs. The operator was most helpful and refunded the admin charge without prompting.

We are spoiled with the amount of info available from tripadvisor et al and it is easy to focus on the negative. It is useful to look at the TA resort and hotel forums. Reviews are discussed in great detail and if there have been a series of bad reviews the root causes are often identified as concerned travellers ask questions and returning travellers and TA destination experts respond.

An expensive holiday would be seriously marred if it turns out bad and days are wasted pressing the rep for a transfer to a different hotel. I would say go with your gut feeling about the place and change early if needs be. These days it is easily done, especially if your flights remain unchanged.


B

Thank you, very helpful. Instead of looking forward to this holiday, I'm worried and don't want to go! I tried to book online, but at the last moment it wouldn't finish the booking, and I had to get in touch with Thomson in Bolton (booking seats online wouldn't work either, and I had to get in touch with Thomson again). I appreciate people are quick to criticise and slow to praise, and what would make one person's holiday would spoil someone else's, but some of the issues raised are seriously worrying. The message seems to be turn up, see what happens and if there are problems then raise them there and then. Thanks again for your advice.

ayamjay

Have you changed your booking? If not, my advice is to stop reading the reviews (we always do that once we book our holiday) and start thinking about the positives. If you get there, and it turns out to be horrible, speak to your rep and ask to be moved. Thomson is very good about things like these. Research other hotels before you go, so that you know what alternatives are available. Above all - have a good holiday!