Was I misled?

Jason_....._2

Thanks for the replies.

Alan, I did not see a brochure or their (Thomson) website. a friend recommended the hotel so I looked on the hotel website and liked it. My friend said it was exclusive to Thomson but that prices had already increased. So I phoned my local branch to try to get a discount (which I did). I did not realise they would use a different term for the room. They have access to the hotel website, so why not use the same name for the rooms? No one could then be confused and these issues would not arise.

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Incapuppy, the difference is

Double Room = Thomson's Twin Room
Double Room Family = Thomson's Family Room
Family Room = Listed in Thomsom's latest brochure as an upgrade.

So I asked for a Family Room and got a Double Room Family (so no interconnecting room) which means my 12yr old son and 10yr old daughter share a pull out bed (would you be happy).

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The discussion regarding Distance Selling Regulations is interesting and I'll have to look into it.

I know some of you don't agree but I still feel that Thomson have an obligation under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 to be clear in their descriptions.

So why don't they just use the same room names?

Incapuppy

Jason_..... wrote: »

So why don't they just use the same room names?

Thomson's have used (in essence)the same room name (I have often seen instances whereby the room names differ between the hotel website and the TO website)

Double Room Family (hotel website) =
Double Family Room (Thomson website)

You have looked at the hotel website and (I assume) are aware that the hotel offer a Double Room Family and a Family Room with there being quite an important difference in size, ameneties (and presumably, price)

I also assume that the Thomson advisor with whom you spoke was accessing their internal booking system and not the hotel website directly so the only information that they had in front of them was that they offered a room upgrade suitable for families (not that there were two types of rooms suitable for families of which they only offered one).

Obviously from the replies you have received here opinion is divided as to whether you have been misled (or not)

If the hotel that I was interested in offered several different room types I would personally be clarifying that the description of the upgrade offered by the TO matched my expectations.

Caz3121

have they given you a price to upgrade to the room type you want?

Jason_....._2

Incapuppy, my friend is getting a Twin Room (Thomson) = Double Room (Hotel), I'm getting a Family Room (Thomson) = Double Room Family (Hotel).

From Thomson's website -

We also offer Double Family rooms.


Double Family rooms are larger, have double or twin beds, a sofa bed and sleep up to 2 adults and 2 children.

Even if you book 4 adults and 2 children you are given a Family Room but it does not appear to have sleeping for 6. I am waiting for Thomson to clarify the difference in room types.

Also Caz3121, we have been offered an upgrade to the hotel's 'Family Room' for £1400 !!

Incapuppy

Jason_..... wrote: »

Incapuppy, my friend is getting a Twin Room (Thomson) = Double Room (Hotel), I'm getting a Family Room (Thomson) = Double Room Family (Hotel).

From Thomson's website -

We also offer Double Family rooms.


Double Family rooms are larger, have double or twin beds, a sofa bed and sleep up to 2 adults and 2 children.

Even if you book 4 adults and 2 children you are given a Family Room but it does not appear to have sleeping for 6. I am waiting for Thomson to clarify the difference in room types.

Also Caz3121, we have been offered an upgrade to the hotel's 'Family Room' for £1400 !!

You asked for a Family Room (mentioned on hotel website, not mentioned on Thomson website)

You are getting a Double Family Room (same details on hotel website and Thomsons)

This, is where the misunderstanding has IMHO opinion occurred - you wanted the (in effect) two interlinked rooms rather than the one room with sofa-bed (which Thomson offer as their upgrade suitable for families) but neither party seems to have clarified what is included in the upgrade (and if it is suitable) to the other.

How many people are travelling in your party? If it is six (four adults and two children as you have mentioned) then this would exceed the Hotel's maximum number of guests allowed in either of the family type rooms offered.

If Thomsons have booked four adults plus two children into either a Family Room or a Double Room family (as described on the hotel's website) then sorry for previously misunderstanding your point of view and I totally agree that they would appear to have made a major mistake in accepting your request for this to be so (as it against the maximum occupancy shown on the hotel's website) and are at fault.

photome

Incapuppy wrote: »

You asked for a Family Room (mentioned on hotel website, not mentioned on Thomson website)

You are getting a Double Family Room (same details on hotel website and Thomsons)

This, is where the misunderstanding has IMHO opinion occurred - you wanted the (in effect) two interlinked rooms rather than the one room with sofa-bed (which Thomson offer as their upgrade suitable for families) but neither party seems to have clarified what is included in the upgrade (and if it is suitable) to the other.

How many people are travelling in your party? If it is six (four adults and two children as you have mentioned) then this would exceed the Hotel's maximum number of guests allowed in either of the family type rooms offered.

If Thomsons have booked four adults plus two children into either a Family Room or a Double Room family (as described on the hotel's website) then sorry for previously misunderstanding your point of view and I totally agree that they would appear to have made a major mistake in accepting your request for this to be so (as it against the maximum occupancy shown on the hotel's website) and are at fault.

It does seem a bit confusing although I still dont think the Op was misled as he got the room requested.

I dont think he has booked for 6 people, I read that as just an example

Incapuppy

photome wrote: »

It does seem a bit confusing although I still dont think the Op was misled as he got the room requested.

I dont think he has booked for 6 people, I read that as just an example

I agree, it is confusing!

The only bone of contention that I can see is that the OP asked for a Family Room and they have been sold a Double Family Room.

I would argue that the Thomson's advisor was asked for a Family room, checked, saw that they offered a room upgrade suitable for families and automatically selected that one (being unaware that any other type of room suitable for families was advertised by the Hotel)

I have noticed that the terms used to describe rooms can often vary between Hotel and TO, indeed between different TO's, an example being standard and superior/luxury/executive etc which can often be the same room offered under different names.

If the OP specifically wanted the Family Room (which is, in effect, two bedrooms, two bathrooms as per hotel) as opposed to the Double Family Room (one bedroom plus sofabed as per Hotel and Thomsons) then they should have clarified this as commonsense would tell me that one is going to be significantly more expensive than the other.

photome

Incapuppy wrote: »

I agree, it is confusing!

The only bone of contention that I can see is that the OP asked for a Family Room and they have been sold a Double Family Room.

I would argue that the Thomson's advisor was asked for a Family room, checked, saw that they offered a room upgrade suitable for families and automatically selected that one (being unaware that any other type of room suitable for families was advertised by the Hotel)

I have noticed that the terms used to describe rooms can often vary between Hotel and TO, indeed between different TO's, an example being standard and superior/luxury/executive etc which can often be the same room offered under different names.

If the OP specifically wanted the Family Room (which is, in effect, two bedrooms, two bathrooms as per hotel) as opposed to the Double Family Room (one bedroom plus sofabed as per Hotel and Thomsons) then they should have clarified this as commonsense would tell me that one is going to be significantly more expensive than the other.

I agree

I wonder if the OP though wow i have got a bargain when the To gave him the price and maybe that is why he didnt clarify it there and then.

also if the room he really wants is still available then why not book it as it is prob still at the same price as it would have been at the time

hope that makes sense

Incapuppy

photome wrote: »

hope that makes sense

It makes sense to me!

Jason_....._2

Hi, I know some of you believe that I either lack common sense or that I'm actually stupid but let me eloborate.

After booking my holiday by phone I looked at Thomson's website to look at kids clubs and other facilities and realised that the room names differed. I contacted Thomson to clarify which room I had and they said they would contact the hotel. Three weeks later they told me they had a verbal agreement with the hotel that the room I had been allocated was as I thought (two interconnecting rooms). Two weeks after that they emailled me to say that a mistake had been made and that I was only getting one room.

I therefore asked them about cancelling the booking but was told that I would forfeit my £700 deposit. I do not believe under the circumstances that I was unreasonable and still maintain I was mislead.

Would it really have been asking too much for Thomson to cancel the booking without penalty. The booking was in Aug 2011 for a holiday in May 2012 so I'm sure they would have easily re-sold it.

I never thought I was getting a bargain, a £3000 (with the kids supposedly free) holiday where 4 people share one room and a 12yr old boy and 10yr old girl have to share a bed doesn't strike me as cheap so getting two adjoining rooms didn't seem excessive (a Premier Inn Family room can be had for about £55 per night bed & breakfast)

Just food for thought !!