5-star accommodation misrepresented by broker

powerful_Rogue

daytona0 wrote: »

It isn't terrible advice.

If you feel that a company owes you money then you take them to small claims court.

I have no idea what compensation OP could claim for (though I guessed at it possibly being loss of bargain, without much conviction). That is up to the OP to figure out and the court to rule on.

But the company does not owe him any money. He paid £250 for a room and stayed in a room that was selling for £250.

techguy81

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

But the company does not owe him any money. He paid £250 for a room and stayed in a room that was selling for £250.

It's not quite as clear cut as that. I was led to believe I was getting a deal for a superior room in a different building.


As for the room I actually got, there were some issues, one of them quite serious, which I have reported directly to the hotel, but that's a different story. As stated, my beef is with TravelUp who I feel have mis-sold me a room, either as a result of a mistake or false advertising.

powerful_Rogue

daytona0 wrote: »

You're off your head! Trying to argue a non-issue with me (and making the exact same point that I made in the post you cherry picked)

If OP believes that they are due a refund/compensation, but the company in question does not, then the next step is to take the company to small claims court.

That's all I was saying. I wasn't saying that it was a sensible idea, or that OP would have any success, I was saying that this is the process to follow.

If you no longer take people to small claims court when you have a dispute about monies owed then please enlighten me....

But you are advising the OP to take SCC action. For that you need to put a figure down - so what figure does he put down?

He paid £250 for a "Classic Room" and when checked in (remember one reception serves both hotels) he received a "Classic Room" which is valued at £250.

OP has been asked quite a few times what he has actually missed out on in regards to facilities, but has yet still not answered.

powerful_Rogue

techguy81 wrote: »

It's not quite as clear cut as that. I was led to believe I was getting a deal for a superior room in a different building.


As for the room I actually got, there were some issues, one of them quite serious, which I have reported directly to the hotel, but that's a different story. As stated, my beef is with TravelUp who I feel have mis-sold me a room, either as a result of a mistake or false advertising.

But you booked a classic room and received a classic room.

What remedy are you actually looking for?

wealdroam

techguy81 wrote: »

As stated, my beef is with TravelUp who I feel have mis-sold me a room, either as a result of a mistake or false advertising.

So you are still unable to believe that the hotel* have made the mistake?

Earlier I suggested that the hotel* may have put you in the wrong room by mistake.
You have since told us that the two buildings share the same check-in desks, so that makes that suggestion even more of a possibility.



*hotel. Means either or both of the buildings in question.

techguy81

At the time of booking the type of room wasn't stated, the insinuation was that I was booking a suite at 51 Buckingham Gate for two people, which at £250 I thought was a very nice price and unfortunately swallowed the bait. It was only after making the booking that I saw reference to a 'Classic' room, but it was still not stated that this was in St James' Court next door, and because I wasn't aware of the existence of this place I didn't immediately make the connection, so there was nothing to query in advance. For all I knew, 51 Buckingham Gate had suites called 'Classics'.

The reason I don't believe it is a mistake of the hotel is because it was TravelUp who sold the room and it states on the TravelUp paperwork "Taj 51 Buckingham Gate 5*, Classic + Breakfast Flex". I believe the Taj people merely put us in the only room they have called 'Classics' which happens to be a hotel room rather than a suite. It transpires there are no suites by this name, so TravelUp should never have advertised this room as being at 51 Buckingham Gate. Rather it should state on the paperwork "St. James' Court, 54 Buckingham Gate 4*".

Yes I got a £250 room for £250, but I was led to believe I was getting a lot more for my money, a really good offer in other words, to stay in a luxury location I wouldn't normally stretch to. Had I known it was merely a standard hotel room I'd probably have booked elsewhere in a more convenient location.

I'm not sure what, if anything, I am entitled to, hence me asking the question on here. Loss of bargain sounds like a possibility, because I didn't get a normally £850/night suite in 51 Buckingham Gate that I was led to believe I would. And I don't believe the rack rate of the classic rooms is £850, I've had better rooms in Travelodge.

powerful_Rogue

techguy81 wrote: »

At the time of booking the type of room wasn't stated, the insinuation was that I was booking a suite at 51 Buckingham Gate for two people, which at £250 I thought was a very nice price and unfortunately swallowed the bait. It was only after making the booking that I saw reference to a 'Classic' room, but it was still not stated that this was in St James' Court next door, and because I wasn't aware of the existence of this place I didn't immediately make the connection, so there was nothing to query in advance. For all I knew, 51 Buckingham Gate had suites called 'Classics'.

The reason I don't believe it is a mistake of the hotel is because it was TravelUp who sold the room and it states on the TravelUp paperwork "Taj 51 Buckingham Gate 5*, Classic + Breakfast Flex". I believe the Taj people merely put us in the only room they have called 'Classics' which happens to be a hotel room rather than a suite. It transpires there are no suites by this name, so TravelUp should never have advertised this room as being at 51 Buckingham Gate. Rather it should state on the paperwork "St. James' Court, 54 Buckingham Gate 4*".

Yes I got a £250 room for £250, but I was led to believe I was getting a lot more for my money, a really good offer in other words, to stay in a luxury location I wouldn't normally stretch to. Had I known it was merely a standard hotel room I'd probably have booked elsewhere in a more convenient location.

I'm not sure what, if anything, I am entitled to, hence me asking the question on here. Loss of bargain sounds like a possibility, because I didn't get a normally £850/night suite in 51 Buckingham Gate that I was led to believe I would. And I don't believe the rack rate of the classic rooms is £850, I've had better rooms in Travelodge.

What gave you the impression you was getting a Suite? Did the website specify that for £250 you would get a suite for two people?

Did you have use of all the facilities?

Have you spoken to TravelUp yet and seen what they have to say?

techguy81

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

What gave you the impression you was getting a Suite? Did the website specify that for £250 you would get a suite for two people?

Did you have use of all the facilities?

Have you spoken to TravelUp yet and seen what they have to say?

The fact that I was looking at a website for 'Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences' with a RRP of £850 and 70% off advertised may have had something to do with it. This is where I think TravelUp have been a bit crafty, because if I remember correctly, when I clicked through to make the booking, under 'Description' it just said 'Classic', no further info, no mention of this being in St. James' Court. In fact the whole booking page was somewhat sparse of info, which should have set alarm bells ringing.

Obviously had use of normal hotel facilities, but this is beside the point.

Still not approached TravelUp, that's the next port of call.

Fosterdog

How can you be so certain that it is the broker misleading you? They won't visit every single hotel they broker for, details of the suites, star ratings and facilities are provided to them by the hotel so it really is much more likely that it is the hotel that gave them the wrong details, either by mistake or on purpose.

By not raising the issue at the time with the hotel you have hindered your chances of getting anything done about it. The star rating is a bit of a non-issue, ratings can be changed at any time so any hotel could gain or lose a star between booking and staying there. What matters is that the facilities offered match what you were provided (if they said it had a pool, gym, and a spa it has to have a pool, a gym, and a spa). So now it is all down to what facilities did you pay for but net get?

techguy81

Fosterdog wrote: »

How can you be so certain that it is the broker misleading you? They won't visit every single hotel they broker for, details of the suites, star ratings and facilities are provided to them by the hotel so it really is much more likely that it is the hotel that gave them the wrong details, either by mistake or on purpose.

By not raising the issue at the time with the hotel you have hindered your chances of getting anything done about it. The star rating is a bit of a non-issue, ratings can be changed at any time so any hotel could gain or lose a star between booking and staying there. What matters is that the facilities offered match what you were provided (if they said it had a pool, gym, and a spa it has to have a pool, a gym, and a spa). So now it is all down to what facilities did you pay for but net get?

I'm sorry but is it unreasonable that I expect the broker to get the name and address of the accommodation right? I paid to stay at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate, not St. James' Court 54 Buckingham Gate.

As I said, it's not the hotel facilities that are the issue, it's the fact I was expecting a luxury suite with 5-star service as advertised, and I didn't get that.