Customer Service and charges - AIBU ??

[olliesmom]

Honest Opinions please. I was trying to book an out of season short break to Bluestone holiday park only to be told that in order to have 3 lodges close together I would have to pay £50 and then an additional charge of £60 per lodge to check in before 4.30pm. would love to try the place but can't help feeling ripped off before I even try the place, AIBU to say forget it?? (I really do want to go though)

[Chattymummyhere]

It sounds like the £60 early check in charge you would pay even if you had 1 lodge so you just have to times it by 3 because you are having 3 lodges.. The reason check in times are certain times is to allow plenty of times for cleaner and any repairs, so if you wish to check in earlier they will have to give their cleaning set lodges to do first, ok £60 is steep but if that's the price that's the price. Again the £50 fee, I would say is like an admin fee as someone will have to go though bookings and lodges to find 3 that are close together rather than a computer just giving you a random lodge, some places charge £20 admin fee this place charge £50. You could ring and try to haggle but if the prices are clearly set out its what you accept for wanting your time and your lodges where you want them.

[DoYonisHangLow]

I'd say the check in price is standard though tbh in most of these places I've found if you bowl up at midday they're pretty much always done. The extra money for lodges together is a bit cheeky IMO, surely that's just good customer service?

Have you tried phoning them?

[montage]

Can you get early check-in on just one lodge and use it as a base for everyone until 430?

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

sounds a rip off surely they can allocate numbers next to each other easily. I would ask them if they can waive the fee and 4.30 check in sounds late. It would put me off tbh

[olliesmom]

Thanks both, yes I did try and negotiate but they were really not having it. I would have thought a 3 cabin booking mid October (helpful INSET days at my children's school) would mean they could waive or lower the charges, maybe they are just so busy year round they don't need to encourage business?!

[DoYonisHangLow]

Montage's idea is a good one. But yes, honestly, I'd be pissed off too at having to pay £50 fr what must be an extra 1 minutes work for whoever's making the booking. And yes, it would put me off sadly.

[Chattymummyhere]

Depends when in October as there is a half term and the week before and week after half term a lot of parents take their children out of school so some places still almost charge at a school holiday price.

Do they allow people to buy their lodges? If they do try looking for some private rentals on site (this is my area of work), ok you wont get 3 right next to each other but they will generally speaking be close as sites like to keep their private owned stock and their stock separate

[olliesmom]

I am not sure if there are any private lodges will look into that thanks. Think I am just fed up in general with not getting good customer service these days, company's don't seem to want or need your money these days, getting bad vibes about it all. Any recomendations for holiday companys with good and helpful customer services then let me know as will be booking somewhere...and looks as though this is a big factor for me

[DoYonisHangLow]

What about hiring a private cottage/ large country house somewhere nice?

[andubelievedthat]

so why is it more work to allocate lodges next to one another? and is it more work to clean any place 1st ,seeing that is a job u are going to do anyway ,and as for 4.30 p.m. arrival?fine if u get to stay till 4.p.m. the next day/leaving day ,otherwise that is (imo) a part booking !>>sounds ,as usual ,"shove it up the punters ,they will pay"(off to "air" tent)

[Chattymummyhere]

Andubelievedthat

A large holiday company will have a computer that handles who gets which lodge, which may mean a member of staff has to go and override the computer, move other peoples bookings, make sure its possible to move that person as they may well of paid more for that certain lodge.

Cleaning most company's have a contract with a certain cleaner that they say clean 200 lodges between 10am-4pm, now if these 200 lodges all need cleaning by say 2pm said company may not have enough staff and have to call in extra cleaners at an extra cost.. Ok not £60 just for the cleaner but if you say £20 of that is for the cleaner then £40 is purely for having the lodge early. Most hotels/caravan sites/butlins etc early check in is charged but normally in with the upgrade price, or as an added bonus. Also time for maintenance jobs I would rather have a late check in and working taps/shower than no taps/shower.

Personally I'm charged £15 per clean but if I have to deal with a pets booking (some are allowed) we charge more from our customer to cover the possible extra needed for a deeper/longer clean.