Travel Lodge Rip Off

geemurphy

I booked a room in Cambridge for the 3rd June for £110 on the Travel Lodge website on the 28th April. I then find out that the train’s are on strike for that day. I have no other means of transport, so I cancel the booking 20minutes later.

I then find out that the Tariff ( saver rate ) that I booked at, is non-refundable.

I’ve e-mailed Travel Lodge, to see if I can get a refund as the cancellation is out of my control, but Travel Lodge replied and is refusing to budge.

I am very disappointed with this decision, I booked (07:49am) and then cancelled (08:09am) 20 minutes later. Nobody in Travel Lodge has lost any money or has been inconvenienced from me cancelling my booking, but yet they wish to profit from me £110 of my hard earned money. The cancellation has been caused by a Train strike, out of my control. This may be in the T&C's but surely me picking the wrong tariff for the booking  (a £110 punishment) is very unjust and totally unfair!!!

 

I find this very surprising in the current economic climate.

Any advice, would be helpful

MorningcoffeeIV

I don't find it surprising - especially in the current economic climate.

Remember that the train strike is out of their control too.

Always check your travel arrangements as a whole before booking. And if reliant on public transport, consider flexible tickets and/or travel insurance.

CardinalWolsey

You intentionally booked a non-refundable room rate to save money. We all do it. But the time to do your due diligence is prior to booking, not after. 

Tucosalamanca

Can you not reschedule the booking for another time? This would avoid the loss of your £110

The_Unready

Are you sure that there isn't a travel option via the coach network?

DullGreyGuy

Travel for a specified date is explicitly excluded from the laws on cooling off periods and so if you decide to book non-refundable to save monies then you need to be absolutely sure on your plans before pressing the buy button. 

You can always have a conversation with them, sometimes guestures of goodwill are given but you are relying on their kindness and have no rights.

cymruchris

geemurphy said:

I booked a room in Cambridge for the 3rd June for £110 on the Travel Lodge website on the 28th April. I then find out that the train’s are on strike for that day. I have no other means of transport, so I cancel the booking 20minutes later.

I then find out that the Tariff ( saver rate ) that I booked at, is non-refundable.

I’ve e-mailed Travel Lodge, to see if I can get a refund as the cancellation is out of my control, but Travel Lodge replied and is refusing to budge.

I am very disappointed with this decision, I booked (07:49am) and then cancelled (08:09am) 20 minutes later. Nobody in Travel Lodge has lost any money or has been inconvenienced from me cancelling my booking, but yet they wish to profit from me £110 of my hard earned money. The cancellation has been caused by a Train strike, out of my control. This may be in the T&C's but surely me picking the wrong tariff for the booking  (a £110 punishment) is very unjust and totally unfair!!!

 

I find this very surprising in the current economic climate.

Any advice, would be helpful

It's not really a rip-off - It's why they have various options when you select your room around flexibility and refunds. If you choose the no-refund cheapest option, then usually that means no refund. You have to be sure that everything is in place before you buy the cheapest rooms, or have a basic travel insurance policy in place to cover unforeseen circumstances. (You can get single trip travel insurance for UK destinations for around a tenner after cashback on the famous cashback sites)

Do you have a general travel insurance policy? It could be something you could claim from them? 

user1977

Not sure what you mean by "I then find out that the rate is non-refundable". Here's what you see before you book - seems pretty clear to me:

pinkshoes

It's not really unfair, as Travelodge bookings are very clear about the two prices - flexible and saver. It clearly states it is non refundable.

It does say you can amend the date though, so that would have been the best thing to do, or you could have travelled to Cambridge with a bus or other means. 

As the date has been and gone I'm guessing you perhaps didn't try and re-arrange it, as usually this can only be done BEFORE the date.

Belenus

pinkshoes said:

As the date has been and gone I'm guessing you perhaps didn't try and re-arrange it, as usually this can only be done BEFORE the date.

Unless I have missed something or slept for a month, the 3rd June is still one month away. 28th April was the date the booking was made.

I booked a room in Cambridge for the 3rd June for £110 on the Travel Lodge website on the 28th April.

pinkshoes

Belenus said:

pinkshoes said:

As the date has been and gone I'm guessing you perhaps didn't try and re-arrange it, as usually this can only be done BEFORE the date.

Unless I have missed something or slept for a month, the 3rd June is still one month away. 28th April was the date the booking was made.

I booked a room in Cambridge for the 3rd June for £110 on the Travel Lodge website on the 28th April.

Doh! Half asleep! My brain was telling me the room was booked FOR the 28th April!

In which case, the OP can either find another way to get to Cambridge or move it to another date!