Do distance selling regs apply to hotel or apartment bookings - **updated**

HurdyGurdy

I have just booked, via booking.com, an apartment for the weekend of my husband's birthday in late September. 2 bedroomed apartment, so we have asked his mother to come along too, and she is really keen.

Before booking, I looked on tripadvisor and the place had absolutely glowing reviews. The photographs on booking.com's website are gorgeous.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g186394-i420-k3906127-Ellison_Hall_Hebburn_Anyone_stayed_here-Newcastle_upon_Tyne_Tyne_and_Wear_England.html

So I went ahead and booked it. I had to give credit card details to hold the booking (no CRV number requested). The three day stay is £380, and is says it is non cancellable.

However, I have since looked at other reviews and I feel absolutely sick. The place sounds like it is an utter dive, and I bitterly regret booking it. I don't think I dare take my mother in law there. It sounds horrific

http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/ellison-hall.en-gb.html?aid=318615;label=New_English_EN_GBIE_19114759465-mRrCG3KqQexVWI3NTkblKQS75168947665%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1o1%3Aneg;sid=b11ab79b7b0be51becfa428d443a19bc;all_sr_blocks=32166708_89356510_0_0_0;checkin=2016-09-22;checkout=2016-09-25;dest_id=-2603966;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=1;group_adults=1;group_children=0;group_children=0;highlighted_blocks=32166708_89356510_0_0_0;hpos=1;no_rooms=2;req_adults=1;req_adults=1;req_children=0;req_children=0;room1=A;room2=A;sb_price_type=total;srfid=32b23ed97a414ea19244ea225d78371d9f38725cX1;type=total;ucfs=1&#tab-reviews

Do I have any grounds for cancelling the booking without losing my money? Or are we stuck with what sounds like a slum building?

(Why I didn't check the reviews on the site I booked through, I don't know. I think I thought they would be more biased and tripadvisor would be more truthful. How very wrong I was)

missbiggles1

The Trip Advisor reviews are 6 years old, written when it had newly opened - a lot can happen in six years!

wealdroam

HurdyGurdy wrote: »

I have just booked, via booking.com, an apartment for the weekend of my husband's birthday in late September. 2 bedroomed apartment, so we have asked his mother to come along too, and she is really keen.

Before booking, I looked on tripadvisor and the place had absolutely glowing reviews. The photographs on booking.com's website are gorgeous.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g186394-i420-k3906127-Ellison_Hall_Hebburn_Anyone_stayed_here-Newcastle_upon_Tyne_Tyne_and_Wear_England.html

So I went ahead and booked it. I had to give credit card details to hold the booking (no CRV number requested). The three day stay is £380, and is says it is non cancellable.

However, I have since looked at other reviews and I feel absolutely sick. The place sounds like it is an utter dive, and I bitterly regret booking it. I don't think I dare take my mother in law there. It sounds horrific

http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/ellison-hall.en-gb.html?aid=318615;label=New_English_EN_GBIE_19114759465-mRrCG3KqQexVWI3NTkblKQS75168947665%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1o1%3Aneg;sid=b11ab79b7b0be51becfa428d443a19bc;all_sr_blocks=32166708_89356510_0_0_0;checkin=2016-09-22;checkout=2016-09-25;dest_id=-2603966;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=1;group_adults=1;group_children=0;group_children=0;highlighted_blocks=32166708_89356510_0_0_0;hpos=1;no_rooms=2;req_adults=1;req_adults=1;req_children=0;req_children=0;room1=A;room2=A;sb_price_type=total;srfid=32b23ed97a414ea19244ea225d78371d9f38725cX1;type=total;ucfs=1&#tab-reviews

Do I have any grounds for cancelling the booking without losing my money? Or are we stuck with what sounds like a slum building?

(Why I didn't check the reviews on the site I booked through, I don't know. I think I thought they would be more biased and tripadvisor would be more truthful. How very wrong I was)

No, you have no grounds to cancel.

To answer the direct question in your title -
The Distance Selling Regulations were replaced some time ago by The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
The current legislation, and the DSRs before it, excluded the right to cancel from "the supply of accommodation, transport of goods, vehicle rental services, catering or services related to leisure activities, if the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance".

HurdyGurdy

OH damn. I suspected as much. Thank you for replying.

tonyh66

Out of interest why did you choose Hebburn? its a bit 'neither here nor there' location wise.

HurdyGurdy

We are planning to visit Beamish and google said it was only 20 minutes away. I don't know the area at all, so 20 minutes distance seemed good.

Andypandyboy

If you paid via CC you could do a chargeback after you arrive. Refuse to stay there if it is as bad as you fear.

I would book a cancellable alternative and arrive early, look at the place and act accordingly. Either stay and cancel the fall back option or refuse to stay, complain, (take pictures for evidence) start a chargeback and go to the other hotel.

The Holiday Inn chain ( and there is one in Washington 2 miles from Beamish) usually has a 4pm day of arrival cancellation policy.

tonyh66

HurdyGurdy wrote: »

We are planning to visit Beamish and google said it was only 20 minutes away. I don't know the area at all, so 20 minutes distance seemed good.

TBH you would have been better off looking closer to Beamish, Hebburn is pretty built up and industrial and the roads between there and Beamish are quite busy. Hexham, Consett, Stanley that sort of area would have been my choice.

HurdyGurdy

Thank you Andypandyboy and Tonyh66

Yes hindsight is a wonderful thing. I have only been to Beamish (nearly 30 years ago) once, and that was for one day while we were staying with MIL in Leeds, so I've never needed to know the area. I thought 20 minutes away WAS close lol

I had also looked at reviews for Ellingham Hall, instead of Ellison Hall. Now Ellingham Hall DOES look wonderful. That said, so does Ellison Hall from the photographs that booking.com have on their website. One beautiful apartment even has a grand piano in it (very good for my perfect rendition of "chopsticks".

I didn't know you could do chargeback on a cc for accommodation, so even if the place is a dump, at least there is the option of getting some, if not all, of the money back.

I am just dreading taking MIL there, if it is as bad as some of the reviews.

Andypandyboy

You would have to take the angle that you hadn't got what you paid for, that the"product" was sub standard, so you would probably need supporting evidence. Screenshot the reviews to aid your case, and take photos.

Alice_Walker

For a 3* property the reviews are not bad at all. There is only one that is an avoid at all costs and they give no detail to qualify their opinion.

Reading the OP again I think we must be looking at different places. There is nothing to suggest it is an utter dive or horrific???