Travel Republic - kids in separate room and overcharged - holiday ruined

Legacy_user

Hi all, we booked a holiday through Travel republic, 3 weeks later we had an email saying "we've made an error with your price, we need you to pay an extra £480" When I contacted TR they told us we have a few choices, a full refund (a non starter as we'd already booked our flights), change hotels (equal price ones weren't anywhere near as nice) or pay the difference. We paid the difference as felt we had no choice. When we arrived we were given 2 keys for huge separate self catering apartments, we were told due to the law the children couldn't come in with us. At no point did TR tell us about this and it didn't say anything on the booking details. The girls 13 & 14 spent the week pretty much arguing (step siblings) my daughter who is very shy cried a lot as didn't like being away from me.

It was a horrible experience, had we known we would have cancelled and lost our flight money rather than the latter. Does anyone think we have a case for complaint?

I feel that TR put their prices as the cheapest so that people chose them over their competitors and then put the price up afterwards as have seen similar complaints online.

Caz3121

mrs-mel wrote: »

we were told due to the law the children couldn't come in with us.

what were the name of the apartments and what accommodation had you booked?

System

It was Eix Lagotel Playa De Muro in a self catering apartment.

bradders1983

mrs-mel wrote: »

Hi all, we booked a holiday through Travel republic, 3 weeks later we had an email saying "we've made an error with your price, we need you to pay an extra £480" When I contacted TR they told us we have a few choices, a full refund (a non starter as we'd already booked our flights), change hotels (equal price ones weren't anywhere near as nice) or pay the difference. We paid the difference as felt we had no choice. When we arrived we were given 2 keys for huge separate self catering apartments, we were told due to the law the children couldn't come in with us. At no point did TR tell us about this and it didn't say anything on the booking details. The girls 13 & 14 spent the week pretty much arguing (step siblings) my daughter who is very shy cried a lot as didn't like being away from me.

It was a horrible experience, had we known we would have cancelled and lost our flight money rather than the latter. Does anyone think we have a case for complaint?

I feel that TR put their prices as the cheapest so that people chose them over their competitors and then put the price up afterwards as have seen similar complaints online.

My bold in red - you could have just all gone in one room anyway you know, assuming there were enough beds in there. Nobody could have really stopped you, and left the other one empty.

System

We were told it was illegal to do so and then charged an extra £480 for the privilege. There was 1 small pvc sofa in the room.

bradders1983

I think someone has had you on. If anything the law in a civilised country is going to demand parents supervise children in a hotel room/apartment, rather than the total opposite.

Im not aware the Spanish have brought any law in like this.

UNLESS they ballsed up the original booking and realised you had booked 4 people in a room where legally only 3 people can inhabit it due to heath and safety laws, which from the description of the room may be what happened here. Hence the request that you had to book a second room.

System

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/6903517/majorca-hotels-risking-safety-extra-guests-bedrooms-sofas/ I'm only going by what the hotel receptionist said, I found this article about it being illegal when I got home.

bradders1983

Ah ok, the initial wording made it sound like there was some illegality about children sharing with adults, rather than just the bed capping limits. But yes that will probably be why you had to pay the extra £480: you probably booked just before they started clamping down on the hotels trying to flaunt it.

System

There is an illegality of children over 12 sharing with adults, only wish TR had made me aware of it. I found another link as I know the sun isn't the best of sources.

http://www.tenerifenews.com/2018/06/mallorca-hotels-fined-for-overcrowding/

bradders1983

Travel insurance may be the way to go then, other than that I have no idea.

tacpot12

If your contract was for two adjacent rooms then you might have a claim for the upset, but if adjacent rooms weren't specified or guaranteed, then you won't

You have now learned why it is wise to look for negative feedback before you make a purchase and why it makes sense for families with younger children to book package holidays.

Sharing a room with you daughter would also have been an option.