Hotel chain being difficult with wedding

frustratedbride

..........

InsideInsurance

Ultimately just because you have bought something from a company it is no way a guarantee of good customer service from them.

Whilst I agree it is a bit cheeky to ask if you're willing to move for the bigger party I am not sure you should have your nose that far out of joint from it all. Needless to say you've said things, so now they've said things and now everyone is annoyed which is not a good state to be in for a service you are yet to receive.

Verbal contracts are worth the paper they are written on which is why it is always better to get things in writing before paying anything. That said having gotten married myself last year I am too aware what these "wedding coordinators" are like!

How did you actually pay for the deposit? How much do you want to move? Would you be willing to lose the deposit over it?

halibut2209

It's a shame you let it escalate. They tried to move you. You said no, so they moved the other party to the next day. That's where it should have ended. You then decided to carry on making an issue of it.

"He told us that there was no point covering old ground, we were all adults here and that we were making a mountain out of a molehill"

I have to agree with the manager here. You've got your rooms. Move on.

newbutold

frustratedbride wrote: »

We've only got our noses out of joint because they can't guarantee they won't try and move us again and they will not answer any simple queries we ask them. We don't care we were asked to move, we just don't want to make all our plans for them to potentially be changed.

I don't know many people who would commit to paying thousands of pounds when they're not sure the service they're going to receive is up to scratch!?

I thing the hotel acted wrongly and have given poor customer service from what you have said.

If you really are not happy with them, find somewhere else, even if this means losing your deposit. This is what I would do. Yes, £500 is a substantial amount of money but not compare to the thousands more you are talking about spending. Don't throw good money after bad.

mountainofdebt

I'm assuming that they are asking you to confirm the number of guest rooms you want and that you are digging your heels in wanting a reassurance that they won't book up another wedding?

If I were you I'd be careful that they don't take the attitude that they have asked you a number to confirm numbers, you've failed/ refused and that they allow people to book up rooms leaving your guests stranded without accommodation......I know I won't wait forever for you to get back to me.

mountainofdebt

newbutold wrote: »

I thing the hotel acted wrongly and have given poor customer service from what you have said.

If you really are not happy with them, find somewhere else, even if this means losing your deposit. This is what I would do. Yes, £500 is a substantial amount of money but not compare to the thousands more you are talking about spending. Don't throw good money after bad.

And depending on how close the wedding is, then the loss to the OP could be alot more than £500.

mountainofdebt

frustratedbride wrote: »

We followed the telephone conversation up with an email to the wedding co-ordinator to tell her that we weren’t happy with the way she went about trying to move us. We felt it was unnecessary to tell us that a substantially larger party had enquired, and then to tell us that our numbers were actually too small. We were looking for some reassurance that the situation would not arise again, and also if we could put a hold on some of the hotel rooms temporarily while we contacted family overseas to book, just in case this other party jumped in beforehand.

I've highlighted the bit which you wrote in your original post......which is why I thought you were referring to guest rooms, rather than what function rooms you had booked.

I still don't get what the issue is - the other party has changed their date and as it stands (or as far as I can read) you have the use of the rooms you originally booked.

Of course what you could do is go and actually see the wedding co-odinator to discuss your concerns..........or would that be too old fashioned?

Alternatively you could always see if another venue is free on your chosen date and wipe off the £500 to experience (or a lucky escape) - but if its anything like venues around me, they get booked up 2 years in advance.

InsideInsurance

frustratedbride wrote: »

they can't answer simple questions, such as - if someone else asks for our date again, will they be turned away or will we be asked to move again. I don't think it's that difficult a question to answer.

I would say that you will always be at the risk of being asked to move again. If you go elsewhere exactly the same may happen. Ultimately commercial properties are there to make money and if a big enough offer is put on the table then almost all would at least ask their prebooked clients if they'd be willing to move. I am yet to meet a business owner that wouldnt. How pushy they are about it or what incentives they offer to encourage you to make the move I would argue is what varies between establishments.

You are evidently are able to say no to moving as they are able to ask. It would be sensible to request a copy of the contract which you have evidently agreed to because at the moment you dont actually know what "rights" either you or the hotel have.

Hintza

I would write them a letter setting out exactly what was agreed and your concerns. I would then ask them to confirm in writing that they are in agreement or else you would like tocancel andd have your deposit returned.

BlueAngelCV

It sounds like they are messing you about but I think it's probably nothing to worry about.

You were concerned by them asking whether you could move rooms and whilst I think that wasn't an unreasonable question for them to ask you they obviously went about it in a manner which you considered unsympathetic. They could still have resolved this by responding sensibly to you subsequent emails but they didn't and seem to have decided to take the defensive.

Only you can decide whether their poor customer service is enough for you to feel that the relationship has broken down and you want to move your wedding or whether you think the situation is salvagable.

I agree with Hintza - write to them setting out your concerns & asking for their response to the same and to confirm in writing that you have booked X & Y for £Z and that the same will not be changed.

Also sequest a copy of the T&C to show what they think the contract says!

hcb42

speaking as a hotelier (hopefully not the same chain!)

It sounds like they have messed up at admin stage or have inadvertently booked the wrong rooms in their system. coupled with the fact you have not signed anything, and i can see why there might be confusion.

Most hotels will make a commercial decision before they accept a wedding, as to numbers e.g. a Saturday in August might require x guests in the main suite, whereas a Friday in november and it might only by y.....however, in all my years, never heard of anyone who would then outbook the smaller wedding once a bigger enquiry came their way, so sounds more like a slip up badly handled.

next steps, either ask them for a contract, confirming your numbers and sign it promptly, write in your own clause about the room if need be - or try and pull it if you really dont want to use them any more.