Premier Inn - Don't be caught out!

Fishingtime

It is only decent to at least cancel the booking,

Poc

This is their standard but badly worded letter. I received the same letter last year when I was unable to use a room. I was only charged the original £29 room cost it just reads as though you will be charged extra.

MarsdenCuckoo

Thanks Poc (and others) for the clarification; seems a total waste of time, effort and money to send out a letter then advising that you are going to be charged what you've already paid! LOL

As for the comments re. my lack of courtesy/decency for not cancelling I would agree in the case of a B&B rate or where the establishment provides an add-on service but for simple room only rates I really don't see the necessity i.e. they've been paid in advance and not even had to clean the room. Also, any company that only provides a premium rated telephone no. is not exactly encouraging telephone contact and the email confirmation I received was from a 'donotreply.....' address.

googler

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

As for the comments re. my lack of courtesy/decency for not cancelling I would agree in the case of a B&B rate or where the establishment provides an add-on service but for simple room only rates I really don't see the necessity i.e. they've been paid in advance and not even had to clean the room.

So, if the hotel has, say, 10 rooms, and 4 people with the same bent as you don't turn up, because they don't 'see the necessity', and the other 6 rooms are occupied, then potentially the hotel has to turn away 4 customers.

Is this fair on the other potential customers? No.
Might this cause them inconvenience? Yes.
It's not just about the hotel. It's lack of courtesy to others, who might have a need of that room.

But yes, you have denied the hotel any chance of selling further services to anyone who might have taken your booking. Even though you took the room only rate, someone else may take it on a full dinner plus B&B rate.

McKneff

If you try Saynoto0870 you can get a number, I got head office generic number, rang them, told them my phone was barred from these 08 numbers and they gave me the generic number of the hotel I needed. Then I ring them on my free call time.

Ive never paid for a call to Premier Inn or Travelodge ever

lucy03

googler wrote: »

So, if the hotel has, say, 10 rooms, and 4 people with the same bent as you don't turn up, because they don't 'see the necessity', and the other 6 rooms are occupied, then potentially the hotel has to turn away 4 customers.

Is this fair on the other potential customers? No.
Might this cause them inconvenience? Yes.
It's not just about the hotel. It's lack of courtesy to others, who might have a need of that room.

But yes, you have denied the hotel any chance of selling further services to anyone who might have taken your booking. Even though you took the room only rate, someone else may take it on a full dinner plus B&B rate.

If the hotel has 10 rooms, and all the guests turn up, they have sold 10 rooms. If the hotel has 10 rooms and the guests don't turn up but have pre-paid, they have sold 10 rooms.

Where a customer pre-pays a room they are entitled to stay if they wish, or leave the room empty, the room is paid and the hotel contract is fulfilled. The hotel haven't been deprived of any room revenue, they've been paid for the room. I understand this was the case for the OP, there was just a badly worded e-mail from Premier Inn.

Although last time I was in a Premier Inn a colleague discovered that they had been over-booking rooms anyway, and although they dealt with it very well and there wasn't a problem, there's a good chance that they had opportunity to sell the room anyway unless their policy has changed.

cabbage

At least Premier Inn are not like Travelodge and overbook rooms to take advantage of this situation.

I had one booked for a hospital appointment that was moved at the last minute. They phoned me the day before to remind me there was no parking at the hotel and I told them I had to cancel due to the appointment being changed. They said they would still have to charge me but in the end, they didn't so I was lucky. But I accept that when you book the saver rooms, you pay for them whether or not you turn up but a phone call would be good and might save you from being charged even if they have the right to do so.

System

lucy03 wrote: »

If the hotel has 10 rooms, and all the guests turn up, they have sold 10 rooms. If the hotel has 10 rooms and the guests don't turn up but have pre-paid, they have sold 10 rooms.

Where a customer pre-pays a room they are entitled to stay if they wish, or leave the room empty, the room is paid and the hotel contract is fulfilled. The hotel haven't been deprived of any room revenue, they've been paid for the room. I understand this was the case for the OP, there was just a badly worded e-mail from Premier Inn.

Although last time I was in a Premier Inn a colleague discovered that they had been over-booking rooms anyway, and although they dealt with it very well and there wasn't a problem, there's a good chance that they had opportunity to sell the room anyway unless their policy has changed.

Yes but if anyone suddenly found themselves desperately in need of a hotel room and tried to get a room at the premier inn for that night they may not have been able to get one as the premier inn would think they were full.

Personally i think its inconsiderate to other potential customers to not cancel. To the actual premier inn it's not as they've got their money!

twohooter_2

googler wrote: »

So, if the hotel has, say, 10 rooms, and 4 people with the same bent as you don't turn up, because they don't 'see the necessity', and the other 6 rooms are occupied, then potentially the hotel has to turn away 4 customers.

Is this fair on the other potential customers? No.
Might this cause them inconvenience? Yes.
It's not just about the hotel. It's lack of courtesy to others, who might have a need of that room.

But yes, you have denied the hotel any chance of selling further services to anyone who might have taken your booking. Even though you took the room only rate, someone else may take it on a full dinner plus B&B rate.

If the OP had pre paid for the room it is up to him whether or not he turns up - IT IS HIS ROOM FOR THE NIGHT whether or not he decides to sleep in it. I think you are forgetting that by not taking up the room, the hotel did not have to launder the towels or bed linen and didn't have to clean the room or provide tea/coffee or reception services. Seems like the hotel was left in a very good position despite having the audacity to"deny the hotel a chance to sell further services"......

Steve059

Has anyone actually tried to cancel an non-cancellable room? I can just imagine the conversation.