On the Beach no pool

Hamster123

My son booked a 4 day break to Spain, 48 hours before they were due to travel On the Beach changed their hotel which they had no choice in, once at the new hotel the pool was
closed for the whole time they were there and they were told by staff “it’s closed as we have no life guard”
They were more than disappointed as you’d expect and on return contacted on the beach, this started 8 months ago and after many emails they said an offer of £50 in vouchers is fair and reasonable.
does anyone know who I can now contact to look into this matter or is £50 fair for a £640 holiday that was not as advertised.

TIA Kat

TELLIT01

Much of the cost of a holiday is the flight and accommodation, both of which your son still had.  Loss of the pool is a fairly major issue and I would say £50 is on the low side.  The hotel may not have informed OTB about the pool.

la531983

I disagree, £50 is more than reasonable given the total cost, you could have used some initiative and gone to a neighbouring hotel and used their pool (most of the time they wouldnt even realise people are doing this) and presumably you were also near the sea.

On-the-coast

was £640 total cost of holiday, and £50 total compensation offered? 
If so I think that's too low - unless they were told at the point of change (2d before flying) that the pool was out of action.  As said above it's quite possible holiday company had no idea about the lack of lifeguard (presumably an unplanned occurence)
It does depend on the kind of holiday though as to how integral the pool was...
Disagree that you should have pool-hopped (even if there were nearby hotels)

la531983

On-the-coast said:

Disagree that you should have pool-hopped (even if there were nearby hotels)

Well that depends on how confident you are. Personally if I went abroad to a place full of hotels and the hotel I was in had a closed pool I wouldnt think twice about doing this, I accept not everyone is the same.

It would likely achieve the end result of a pool quicker than arguing the toss with the tour operator during a 4 day holiday.

NoodleDoodleMan

la531983 said:

On-the-coast said:

Disagree that you should have pool-hopped (even if there were nearby hotels)

Well that depends on how confident you are. Personally if I went abroad to a place full of hotels and the hotel I was in had a closed pool I wouldnt think twice about doing this, I accept not everyone is the same.

It would likely achieve the end result of a pool quicker than arguing the toss with the tour operator during a 4 day holiday.

Not quite as straightforward as that - if staff clock non residents in the pool area they are very likely to challenge, they are more observant than you give them credit for - the lack of a hotel standard issue towel on a sunbed is a bit of a giveaway clue.

Better to explain your adverse situation at reception and indicate that you will buy drinks/snacks to give custom - if the hotel is less than fully occupied they are more likely to give permission.

Sneaking into another establishment is poor stuff. 

la531983

NoodleDoodleMan said:

la531983 said:

On-the-coast said:

Disagree that you should have pool-hopped (even if there were nearby hotels)

Well that depends on how confident you are. Personally if I went abroad to a place full of hotels and the hotel I was in had a closed pool I wouldnt think twice about doing this, I accept not everyone is the same.

It would likely achieve the end result of a pool quicker than arguing the toss with the tour operator during a 4 day holiday.

Not quite as straightforward as that - if staff clock non residents in the pool area they are very likely to challenge, they are more observant than you give them credit for - the lack of a hotel standard issue towel on a sunbed is a bit of a giveaway clue.

Better to explain your adverse situation at reception and indicate that you will buy drinks/snacks to give custom - if the hotel is less than fully occupied they are more likely to give permission.

Sneaking into another establishment is poor stuff. 

You must only go to posh places then if its all hotel issued towels only 😂😂😂😂 the OP went to Spain, not the Maldives, likely bring your own towel job in a basic establishment. 

Poor stuff? Maybe. Better than sitting in a hotel room stewing for 4 days that you had no pool though. I know what I would have done, life is too short. 
Anyway too late now clearly. 

NoodleDoodleMan

I have been to countless typical tourist class hotels in Spain/Canaries over many decades - towels are almost always available at reception for a returnable deposit. That's hotel policy to stop punters using bath towels from the room, even in "basic" accommodation.

Never been to the Maldives, so unable to comment on their practices.

la531983

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I have been to countless typical tourist class hotels in Spain/Canaries over many decades - towels are almost always available at reception for a returnable deposit. That's hotel policy to stop punters using bath towels from the room, even in "basic" accommodation.

Never been to the Maldives, so unable to comment on their practices.

And I have been to countless typical tourist class hotels in Spain, over many decades, and the Canaries, again over many decades, and people also regularly use their own beach towels they have brought with them. Myself included.
Don't disagree hotels provide towels but not everyone uses this service, nowhere near. 

NoodleDoodleMan

Opinions differ.

Experiences obviously more so.

la531983

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Opinions differ.

Experiences obviously more so.

So in all of these years you haven't seen a single person use their own towels by the side of the pool?