Travel company issues

GreyFluffyCat


GreyFluffyCat Posts: 1Newbie

Today at 2:39PMOptions

Hi - I would like help with a bespoke 15 night holiday booked for myself, children and grandchildren (aged 5 and 19 months) - flight and first week of holiday were amazing however on turning up at second hotel (which was for 6nights) at 9pm after a day at Disney we were told we had no reservation (I had confirmation) eventually got in touch with tour operator who said that they could not help and I had to speak to USA team the following morning - leaving me with no other choice than to pay for 2 rooms in a 5 star hotel out of my own pocket @ £350 per room.

The following morning the USA team confirmed our booking and took over the payments for the 2 rooms however on my original booking I had 3 rooms booked the hotel confirmed that they would not be charging the tour operator or myself for this one room for the night so I am presuming the tour operator should not profit on this and should give me my full funds back for this first night - they have offered me £191 and will not tell me how much I have paid for this one room 

We then left the hotel after 6 nights and flew to New York however at the airport my 19 month old grandsons luggage was flagged as we were told he only had a 10kg allowance - all of the flights were booked through the same person in branch - we were told he had a 23 baggage allowance - questioned this with tour operator and they stated it was our fault as we should have looked into baggage allowance further - charge 87$ for extra baggage allowance

Arrived in New York to a 4 star hotel that was next to a cannabis shop - rooms so substandard - ripped carpets cracked sinks no aircon broken safes - we only used 2 of the 3 rooms as one was too hot without aircon - again hotel agreed for 1 room to be refunded for only one night but not interested in state of room 

So the tour operator has offered the 191 for the first hotel 5* - 232 for second hotel 4* and 300 gesture of good will - I ask if this is what others think is acceptable as I really don’t think it is 

this was all booked through a travel agent in branch - the company will not give me an itemised breakdown saying it is a packaged holiday where it is a bespoke holiday - I also think the company are benefitting from my first room night at a 5 * hotel that neither has paid for (the hotel has confirmed this in writing) - I would really appreciate opinions on this - with the tour operator unable to help us for our first night with 2 young children who did not get to bed until 11.30 

Thank you for reading

oldernonethewiser

Who was the tour operator and what do their T&Cs mention about their responsibilities?

Woodstok2000

It is a package holiday as you booked a package of flights and accommodation together.

Are you out of pocket at all, or did you get the full £700 back for the two rooms on the first night?

And you ended up with two rooms for the rest of that stay instead of three?

GreyFluffyCat

hi the £700 was wiped by the hotel as the tour operator sorted out the booking - we had 3 rooms for the rest of the holiday - it is just the 3rd room on the first night that I believe the tour operator is profiting on as the hotel have not charged either of us for the room however I paid full price for the room on booking the holiday

GreyFluffyCat

I have checked the t&c with the tour operator and can not find anything that I am complaining about

QrizB

So the tour operator has offered the 191 for the first hotel 5* - 232 for second hotel 4* and 300 gesture of good will - I ask if this is what others think is acceptable as I really don’t think it is

Sounds quite reasonable to me.

GreyFluffyCat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82056685#Comment_82056685

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82057236#Comment_82057236

so could I ask if you be happy that your tour operator is profiting from you regarding a room that they have not paid for but have your money?

GreyFluffyCat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82057330#Comment_82057330

and also if I booked a room for the first hotel today it would cost approx £416 - the tour operator is giving me £191?

QrizB

so could I ask if you be happy that your tour operator is profiting from you regarding a room that they have not paid for but have your money?

The tour operator is offering to reimburse you for the room. You have no reason to think they are "profiteering".

and also if I booked a room for the first hotel today it would cost approx £416 - the tour operator is giving me £191?

That's irrelevant.

Hotel room prices vary hugely from day to day. You don't know what the hotel would have charged you for the room you paid for on the date you booked it. You also don't know what discount the tour operator had negotiated.

Looking right now, for example, here's a Saturday night the Hilton on Canary Wharf:

£662 if you book direct, £264 via a reseller.

If I look at the following Saturday night, it's far cheaper at £161:

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82056683#Comment_82056683

But you don’t know much that individual room cost as part of a package, rather than an independent booking.

GreyFluffyCat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82058398#Comment_82058398

I understand what you are saying but this was a 5* hotel and if I used the amount they were refunding me for 3 rooms for 6 days this would be approx 3,500 - my whole holiday was 20k and all of the other hotels were lower star rating