Advice re: travel agent changing hotel

pattycake

CJH1957 wrote: »

Yes I have checked the reviews thank you.

Have your checked on Trip Advisor? If so, what story are you getting? Is the hotel falling short of what you expect?

Widelats

Nothing wrong with the reviews, i think TC are fobbing you off as the place s still bookable on their site, but not for single people it has to be 2 or more people, possibly that is the reason.

leylandsunaddict

If their is an overbooking situation at a hotel, which happens often because all hotels overbook, they are usually quite open about it. They don't usually make up a story to cover it up.

crazycamper

When you say the travel agent changed the hotel..Thomas Cook are the tour operator, did you book with the Thomas Cook High street shop or direct with Thomas Cook themselves ? If you booked with a High street travel agency, they should look into it for you, if you booked it direct and Thomas Cook are telling you the contract is cancelled, I would be doing some more digging just incase it is an overbooking. Good luck.

folkestonelisa

I work for a tour operator, and we have on occasions pulled out of hotels due to bad feedback from our customers. If the hotel is overbooked then we would tell our customers, so I should imagine that Thomas Cook are also telling the truth.

mick_vandick

But that doesn't explain why it is still on sale!

CJH1957

Many thanks for comments \ views. The booking was made direct with Thomas Cook, I required a family room and a place with sport/entertainment suitable for my 2 boys aged 10 and 13. I did a lot of research i.e. reviews, rooms, location etc and booked in plenty of time. After many phone calls I have cancelled the holiday - the latest reason given from TC was the hotels children activities would not start until May !!!
I have now (fingers crossed) managed to get what I thought I had with TC - different hotel but family room \activities etc. It just amazes me how a large company can change all my plans, with what felt like little regard as to the reason why I made the choice I had. I will watch for future reviews & feedback - if folk have booked for the same reasons as myself and arrive there to no child entertainment I imagine there will be quite a few complaints as it will be school holidays, and this I feel is what the true reason is - as to book to go to the original hotel now the tour company can charge more than I was going to pay.

lea2012

I presume from what you say above, that you travel before May?
A lot of hotels only operate kids clubs May-Oct, with some only offering it June-Sept when the demand is highest.

Obviously there are some that offer year round entertainment but a lot of the time you will find in your terms and conditions of booking that all facilities at the hotel are available at the discretion of the hotel management and that they can be removed at any point with no repercussions to the agent.

If I were you I would perhaps check directly with the hotel whether or not they will be operating the kids club when you travel as you seem to value it very highly and might find it a problem when you get there.

leylandsunaddict

The teens club 12-16 yrs. only operates July and August. What due were you due to go? The hotel only seems to open around 10th April.

pattycake

CJH1957 wrote: »

Many thanks for comments \ views. The booking was made direct with Thomas Cook, I required a family room and a place with sport/entertainment suitable for my 2 boys aged 10 and 13. I did a lot of research i.e. reviews, rooms, location etc and booked in plenty of time. After many phone calls I have cancelled the holiday - the latest reason given from TC was the hotels children activities would not start until May !!!
I have now (fingers crossed) managed to get what I thought I had with TC - different hotel but family room \activities etc. It just amazes me how a large company can change all my plans, with what felt like little regard as to the reason why I made the choice I had. I will watch for future reviews & feedback - if folk have booked for the same reasons as myself and arrive there to no child entertainment I imagine there will be quite a few complaints as it will be school holidays, and this I feel is what the true reason is - as to book to go to the original hotel now the tour company can charge more than I was going to pay.

So as I understand it, you booked this hotel purely due to the entertainment facilities provided for your children. Thomas Cook wished to change your booking because these facilities would not be available.

Am I missing something or have they actually done you a favour by bringing the lack of a kids' activities to your attention?