Downgrade of hotel

cowlady

Wondering what peoples opinions are:-
Received email from company stating hotel we have booked has been changed from a Platinum category to a Sun category.
email states all facilities still the same - however it states we have access to 7 restaurants - when we booked it was 11 restaurants.
Went to online chat with company.  Asked the agent what the difference between the two categories were - he said platinum was better than Sun!  Platinum is for 4 and 5 star.  Sun is for 3 and 4 star.  (it is still showing as 5 star).
Company just keep saying that the facilities are the same, it is just the name has changed and it is a re-branding.  However not all hotels have been re-branded - only ours!
On top of this - if I booked the same package now it is £500 cheaper.  
What are peoples thoughts?  Is this a material downgrade which can be counted as a failure to provide part of the contract?

la531983

If the only change is 11 to 7 restaurants I think you are on a hiding to nothing claiming its a "material change" tbh. How much would this actually inconvenience you?

eskbanker

cowlady said:

Wondering what peoples opinions are:-
Received email from company stating hotel we have booked has been changed from a Platinum category to a Sun category.
email states all facilities still the same - however it states we have access to 7 restaurants - when we booked it was 11 restaurants.
Went to online chat with company.  Asked the agent what the difference between the two categories were - he said platinum was better than Sun!  Platinum is for 4 and 5 star.  Sun is for 3 and 4 star.  (it is still showing as 5 star).
Company just keep saying that the facilities are the same, it is just the name has changed and it is a re-branding.  However not all hotels have been re-branded - only ours!
On top of this - if I booked the same package now it is £500 cheaper.  
What are peoples thoughts?  Is this a material downgrade which can be counted as a failure to provide part of the contract?

If you're hoping that this will be classified as a significant change to a package holiday (granting termination rights, etc) then that would require a significant change to "the location, main features and, where applicable, tourist category of the accommodation under the rules of the country of destination".

la531983

And as for the price, they change all the time. It could have gone up £500.

sheramber

Whose grading is it? The hotel, the resort? 

What do you get for 5 stars 4 stars and 3 stars? 

elsien

What is four or five star in one country is completely different to what might be four or five star in another country as they all have different facilities and standards.
My idea of five star would be something like the Ritz. Fairly sure that wherever you are going is probably below that standard even before the changes?
You have to look at the facilities and what is been offered rather than the labels. 

When you are suggesting this could be a material change, what are you looking for in practice ? Complete cancellation or compensation.? 

Grumpy_chap

cowlady said:

 it states we have access to 7 restaurants - when we booked it was 11 restaurants.

When are you travelling?
It is not uncommon for the number of restaurants to vary with the seasons / (off-)peak dates.

cowlady

I'm actually more worried that the hotel we booked may not live up to our expectations of a 'platinum' hotel.  Yes, this could happen even if the grading hadn't changed. but, the travel agent has changed the grading they give the hotel (not the hotel itself), which suggests to me that something must have changed in quality/facilities for them to re-classify the hotel.  Even if the hotel had the same facilities as when I booked I would still be worried.  
Infact, the travel agent is currently STILL advertising it as Platinum - which surely is false advertising?
Anyway - thank you for your comments - I Just wanted other peoples opinions - which have been helpful thank you  

la531983

How can you claim false advertising, can you post a definition of what "platinum" means to back this up?

Westin

‘Platinum’ and ‘Sun’ sound like marketing names/categories.

It is typically the hotel star rating that would determine a downgrade.  I doubt the loss of 4 of the speciality restaurants would actually change the start rating.

A four star Platinum and a four star Sun hotel would be the same grade.

eskbanker

cowlady said:

I'm actually more worried that the hotel we booked may not live up to our expectations of a 'platinum' hotel.  Yes, this could happen even if the grading hadn't changed. but, the travel agent has changed the grading they give the hotel (not the hotel itself), which suggests to me that something must have changed in quality/facilities for them to re-classify the hotel.  Even if the hotel had the same facilities as when I booked I would still be worried.  
Infact, the travel agent is currently STILL advertising it as Platinum - which surely is false advertising?
Anyway - thank you for your comments - I Just wanted other peoples opinions - which have been helpful thank you  

As above, checking the hotel's 'official' rating on its own website is likely to be a more reliable guide than the wording used by a travel agent, but it may be worth sharing the name of the agent and the hotel so that we can take a look?