To warn you about these Groupon deals?

[Oshbosh]

Name changed as a bit identifyng...I purchased an offer on Groupon a couple of months ago, it was Thomasland tickets and a stay in the Royal Angus hotel in Birmingham for 5 of us, and booked for July. Had to book flights as well as we aren't on the Mainland.

I contacted the hotel with a query early April to he informed they were closing in May!! They advised me to contact Groupon regarding our deal which I did and requested a refund as I needed to book new accommodation ASAP considering flights were booked. They advised it would take 10 working days before there would be a resolution and couldn't confirm if I would get a refund. The 10 days have passed with no contact so I tried again this week and its still no closer to being resolved, they've told me my request is now urgent but I'm no holding my breath.

Anyway, I now see on their website the bloody deal is still for sale!!! Plus another one for a stay in the hotel and tickets to cardbury world advising the stay must be booked by september . The bloody hotel is closing this month.

Just wanted to let any unsuspecting parents who may be thinking of booking. You'll get nothing but a whole load of hassle for your bother.

[Whisky2014]

Someone else on here had a problem with Groupon. I will never use them. Thanks for sharing and hope you get your money back!

[TittyGolightly]

Your travel insurance should cover you. Failing that, section 75 claim on your credit card.

[Oshbosh]

Titty I hadn't booked travel insurance yet and paid via PayPal with the money leaving my current account ...Is there protection with that does anyone know? Thanks.

[firstnightwemet]

I booked a teeth whitening through groupon and the person kept cancelling on me, literally to the point where I was waiting in the office and he didn't bother showing up.

Bevause I'd given him my code he'd cashed it in as if I'd had the treatment. Never got my refund.

[DoItTooJulia]

That's bad! Do you have another hotel sorted?

[TittyGolightly]

This is why you should always get travel insurance at time of booking. And PayPal renders section 75 invalid too. Worth reading up on this kind of stuff.

[MusicToMyEars800]

I have never trusted or used Groupon or Wowcher or any of those types of sites, ad this is why! sorry you are having to go through such shit OP, also contact PayPal, you have lots of protection using them, they might be able to help.

[Fortheloveofdog]

Make a complaint to PayPal asap. They should help. You should also contact trading standards, and let them know that groupon are knowingly still selling this.
Then tell groupon that you have contacted Dominic Littlewood and BBC have your permission to contact Groupon to discuss this as they are interested in featuring it on the show - particularly because they are still offering it for sale. They will likely tell you that on this occasion they will offer you groupon credit, but stand your ground and they will refund.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I got a refund by complaining to the CEO when my plants arrived damaged.

[MistySparrow]

Titty what is section 75?

[Fortheloveofdog]

Re the travel insurance, titty is right, you should always have it from the time of booking. If you travel more than once a year, it is worth checking annual policies (some people have a policy included with their bank account).
Some policies cover travel within the U.K. Which can be very useful, but is often forgotten about.

[Oshbosh]

Yes I have another hotel sorted, and can book the Thomasland tickets separately, they had told me the hotel may try and put me in another hotel but couldn't tell me where or when I would find out. I said I wasn't interested as with 3 under 6s I needed to know what was happening ASAP plus the Royal Angus is a 10 minute walk from my sister, the reason I booked it!!! Thanks for all the advice ill do all that if I have no joy this week. Titty I'm usually on top of these things, you live and learn!

[Oshbosh]

first that's awful!

[AndNowItIsSeven]

PayPal will refund you , they once refunded me £3000 I was a nervous wreck.

[healthyheart]

I had booked ( and paid!) a massage and could not get an appointment- when I finally did they cancelled on me! - and this happened on the next appointment too! I ended up chasing up for a refund. Goods okay, services not advisable!

[ptumbi]

I went for a Groupon offer of a W/E trip to Valencia, flights from Gatwick included. When I booked, I was told that the Airline (Wizz) flights were late on the friday and back early on the Sunday (so about 30 hours in total in Valencia!)SO I booked (through them) with Easyjet at better times, but for an extra £50 each. When I checked the easyjet website, I could have booked my own tickets cheaper direct.
The hotel also was 'fully booked' (in Febuary? Out of season?) so I went for another hotel on their list, at £20 each more.
I then check Wizz Air - they are Lithuanian (I think) and didn't fly from Gatwick OR to Valencia!

NEVER NEVER USE GROUPON!

[Bimbling]

I will never use Groupon again. Twice I was bitten, ordered a will writing service locally. Made the appointment and the chap simply didn't turn up. He then avoided my calls. Contacted Groupon and after quite some delay I eventually got refunded. The chap continued to still advertise on the site!
With the refund I bought toilet rolls. They never arrived. Again I got a refund and bought dishwasher tablets. They did arrive.
I think Groupon is full of scammers. Look at their trustpilot reviews.

[TheExuberant1]

What a nightmare! I would never book a holiday or trip via Groupon, more so after reading this! I have heard so many terrible stories it has totally put me off.

[Oshbosh]

Gosh all these stories! I have never had an issue with them before, booked massages and hotels locally, a few years ago now right enough. Looks like they really shit on you when you have a problem though!

[delilahbucket]

I don't use Groupon now as we booked airport parking with them last year and we were left with a company who wasn't contactable (the initial number for them was for a different company). Some digging revealed this same company has repeatedly gone "bust" and then been set up again, and they are still doing it, with the offers still on Groupon. It took several weeks to get a refund. Groupon tried to fob me off with a voucher to begin with. I lost all trust for the company after that.

[Newtssuitcase]

I bought a cheap car service once on groupon. Called and made the appointment - no problem - 1st week in May all booked in. Then I mentioned the groupon voucher and was told if it was groupon then the next slot was in mid september and they wouldn't let me keep the slot theyd already allocated me.

Not worth the hassle.

[FrenchLavender]

I don't touch Groupon with a bargepole. So many people I know have been ripped off or just got really poor value for money for whatever services they were using the vouchers for. Most companies with a decent successful service/product to sell don't need to flog them off via Groupon.

[Beeziekn33ze]

Drayton Manor have a reputation to protect. I think they are still a family firm. It might be worth letting their admin know of the stress and trouble you've been put to. There may be some concession you could be offered. Worth asking!

[sailorcherries]

I'm in the same category as oshbosh. I've booked a spa day and afternoon tea for 3 through wowcher and had no issues whatsoever, they even let my DM change a treatment due to an eczema flare up.
I also won an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast with itson and bought a shed through groupon.

It does seem to be when there is a cockup that they turn into the shittiest customer service ever.

I do wonder about the OPs hotel issue though as the hotel themself pay groupon to advertise their offers, with groupon receiving commission. Surely someone from the hotel should be telling groupon about their closing and planning to get it removed from the site?