Advice re hotel accommodation

cheshirecat386

Hi, I need some advice regarding a recent trip to Pisa. I booked a hotel via booking.com, 3* hotel, with air-conditioning. I thought I booked a double for single use, but only when I arrived did I realise it was a single. The room furniture was really poor quality, the towel was tiny and like a UK tea-towel, the bed more like a child's bed, the shower cubicle so small I couldn't move in it (and I'm a normal size 12). The air-conditioning wasn't available as it's still classed as 'winter' there apparently (2 May!). The room was so small and stuffy that it really did need cooling down, however, I was told to open the window instead. The hotel was on a v noisy road, the walls were v thin (could even hear next door's alarm clock), so sleep was sadly lacking. After speaking to the reception, I chose to book an alternative hotel for the second night as couldn't bear another night with zero sleep.

Question is, when I asked for a refund the hotel refused, even though I moved out in time for them to re-book. I appreciate technically, I booked a single room, but because it was below the 3* rating (IMO), is there any chance of getting a refund from either booking.com or the hotel? Also, interestingly, booking.com has not invited me to review the hotel. The reviews of this hotel on the site really do not match my experience and there is no way I would've booked it had I thought it would be so substandard.

Advice please - thanks in advance.

Alan_Bowen

Whose 3 star rating was it, if it is officially a three star hotel under Italian hotel rules, you may have some difficulty claiming it was misleading. I have always found Italian 3 star hotels to be less than expected but strangely found a very good 2 star in Milan, but the hotel was nearly empty so it may have not been a reasonable comparison. I am afraid many hotels seem to turn on the A/C only when 'summer' arrives which may not be what you expect.

cheshirecat386

Thanks for coming back to me - it's the hotel's rating as well as booking.com's. The hotel I moved to was the same rating and a million times better!

I've emailed them so will wait and see what happens.

jonesMUFCforever

cheshirecat386 wrote: »

Hi, I need some advice regarding a recent trip to Pisa. I booked a hotel via booking.com, 3* hotel, with air-conditioning. I thought I booked a double for single use, but only when I arrived did I realise it was a single. The room furniture was really poor quality, the towel was tiny and like a UK tea-towel, the bed more like a child's bed, the shower cubicle so small I couldn't move in it (and I'm a normal size 12). The air-conditioning wasn't available as it's still classed as 'winter' there apparently (2 May!). The room was so small and stuffy that it really did need cooling down, however, I was told to open the window instead. The hotel was on a v noisy road, the walls were v thin (could even hear next door's alarm clock), so sleep was sadly lacking. After speaking to the reception, I chose to book an alternative hotel for the second night as couldn't bear another night with zero sleep.

Question is, when I asked for a refund the hotel refused, even though I moved out in time for them to re-book. I appreciate technically, I booked a single room, but because it was below the 3* rating (IMO), is there any chance of getting a refund from either booking.com or the hotel? Also, interestingly, booking.com has not invited me to review the hotel. The reviews of this hotel on the site really do not match my experience and there is no way I would've booked it had I thought it would be so substandard.

Advice please - thanks in advance.

When ''speaking'' to reception did you ask to be moved to a different room?