Holiday booking not as described, should I be able to cancel?

book_lover

Hi all,

booked a holiday today, through Caribbean Collection (part of Not Just Travel with the Hays Travel Group - ABTA and ATOL covered).

I had had an email exchange with very helpful operator, original quote was for a 1 bedroom villa at Windjammer Landing, St Lucia. We've just got back from there and the 1 bedroom villa was excellent. We weren't so keen on the suites that we saw - more typical hotel rooms in a block. We loved our villa.

The lady told me that for only an extra £158 we could upgrade to a 2 bedroom villa. I've checked back over the emails - she definitely says 'villa'. This was a special deal and would usually be much higher. We agreed, booked it today with a deposit of £400.

Looking on the hotel site I realised that all the 2 bedroom villas have a plunge pool, yet I'd been told this room had no pool. That set off alarm bells. I emailed to ask if our room was actually a suite, rather than a villa as described. I've had a reply saying it's a 2 bedroom suite (followed by a description of the suite). I was told I could upgrade to the 2 bed villa for £1200 odd. We can't/won't. I've emailed back asking if there is a cooling off period, and explaining that we booked it based on thinking we had a 2 bedroom villa.

I have had no reply yet but hopefully that should come. We could perhaps revert to a 1 bedroom, although when we discussed it we thought my 10 year old daughter perhaps getting a bit old to share a sofa bed with her brother for two weeks and perhaps needs her privacy.

Any advice or reassurance?

book_lover

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Alan_Bowen

There is no legal cooling off period for package holidays but it is clear from what you say that you thought you were buying a villa and the sales person is now saying it is only a suite. On that basis, you should revert to the one bedroomed villa at the original price, ask to listen to the telephone call if they become difficult but it may just have been an innocent mistake.