Planmytour/ Youtravel.com hotel booking issue

boltonsam

Hi,

I booked in February a holiday with flights, transfer and 5* AI hotel to Turkey through Planmytour for August. I paid by credit card.

Recently, the hotel agent, Youtravel.com seem to be currently insolvent (rolling hotel cancellations up to 5th July). My booked hotel have no knowledge of my booking up to now.

On querying with planmytour, they are aware of the issue and are offering to rebook to another hotel at the value that I originally paid in February. Prices have gone up 40% since (no early booking discount) and may be still increasing. The value of my original hotel is still listed on the Planmytour website but is unavailable (there seems on all websites that 27th August specifically is sold out). Planmytour are offering a refund of what I originally paid (not very useful if all the the hotels have proportionally increased in price) or hotels that are currently 40% of the current value of my original hotel. 

1) I thought this was a package holiday and I could get a refund of my entire trip including flights. My holiday was advertised as one single price, one all-in-one payment. Planmytour say it is not a package as per some small print on their emailed booking. The ATOL certificate is below.

2) I don't mind keeping the flights and substituting the hotel (or same hotel if was or becomes available), but was expecting the new hotel to be in the region of the current displayed value of the original, and not 40% cheaper. There are a lot of 5* AI hotels near Alanya/ Antalya with a wide, wide spread of prices which could all be construed as a "similar" standard although they are clearly not and not what I would have chosen. Further, they would be much cheaper than what I paid February

3) Travel insurance would only cover the original money paid minus excesses.

Is this lesser substitution of hotel normal and reasonable, as I would have thought I should have been put back in the same position value of hotel if Youtravel were not going bust.

Thanks for any advice.

Westin

That is a package.

Call them again and ask that they find an alternative hotel of a similar standard in the same area at no extra charge.  

Remind them of their obligations under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Regulations
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2018/9780111168479/contents

Some slack may however need to be given as the collapse of You Travel has caught a lot of smaller agencies out.  You may also need to consider if you do pay a little more to get the best suited match for your holiday.

boltonsam

Thanks Westin. 

Is an alternative hotel of similar standard only according to resort, beach, basic facilities, star rating, etc?

 As there are maybe 100 5 * AI s Antalya all similar on paper, but very different pricing; Travel agent stating substituted hotel should be based on money value of what I paid in February when hotels were heavily discounted,  and not currently whereby all hotel prices have risen 40%.

Hence my new hotel would be much cheaper in current value compared to the hotel I originally booked, and not what I would have chosen.

Thanks

Alan_Bowen

The replacement hotel should be of the same standard as the original, but many agents are simply unaware of the problems they create by selling packages. the problem with Youtravel was that it was owned in Germany, so impossible for UK agents to know its financial status and it provided no form of financial protection to the agents using it. A good agent should have taken out supplier failure insurance cover to protect themselves, but if they didn't, the cost of replacing the accommodation falls on them, not you

Westin

What was your original 5* AI hotel?

boltonsam

Royal Garden Beach, Konakli.
They have offered quite a few alternatives such as 
1.       Aydinbey Gold Dreams Hotel

2.       Diamond Hill Resort Hotel

3.       Telatiye Resort

4.       Meridia Beach Hotel

5.       Water Side Resort & Spa

6.       The Marilis Hill Resort Hotel And Sp

They aren't bad at all but definitely cheaper in cost value. In particular I wanted a football pitch for my son, but don't think that qualifies in a like for like.

Westin

Positive that they are offering you alternatives. I am however not familiar with any of those so can’t aid you on recommendations on that list.

The football pitch is not going to work as a like-for-like and you may need to temper expectations. More like swimming pool match, same board basis, number of restaurant options. Some compromises may be needed.

If you don’t like any of those offered then you could look on their website to see what else they feature and suggest an alternative.  I’d suggestion being reasonable on like-for-like rather than expecting a Rixos, Swandor, Barut style expensive 5* hotel.

Another wild card option might be to contact the Royal Gardens Beach, explain that you really wanted to stay with them but your reservation via Your Travel has been cancelled, and ask if they would extend a favourable room rate to you.  The onus really is with PlanYourTour to sort this out (or provide a full refund) but if you are set on the original hotel you could de-package.