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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to cancel this holiday?

36 replies

EpicGem · 30/09/2024 01:25

In March, I booked a short Christmas Markets break with a travel provider. As I wheelchair user, I requested a wheelchair accessible room at the time of booking. I was told that I would hear "shortly" regarding the room I booked.
My final payment date is fast approaching and I am still waiting for confirmation that I have a wheelchair accessible room and, if, as I suspect, not; what options they can offer me.
I have phoned up to try and get answers and am told continuously not to worry about it, they do these things in date order and, even if I have to pay extra for a more expensive hotel, they'll make sure I've got a room or they can cancel it and fully refund if there's none left.
I'm fed up of being told they've contacted to hotel each time I phone and that they're waiting for a response. Finding a hotel room in a Christmas Market hotspot during the markets at the last minute can be problematic enough (and expensive the closer the travel dates are) and wheelchair accessible rooms are like hen's teeth.
Do I give them one last chance by phoning again, bite my tongue and pay the holiday off and hope I get an answer before I'm checking in at the airport or just cancel and go back to doing it DIY style next time round?
It's just annoying that, if I didn't need my wheelchair, I wouldn't be having to wait for my hotel room to be confirmed.

OP posts:
WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 30/09/2024 07:11

I always call the hotel directly. I’ve often found accessible rooms don’t show up on booking sites and can only be requested when phoning.

Shoxfordian · 30/09/2024 07:07

Call or email the hotel as they may be able to confirm for you, it's really unacceptable that the travel agent can't sort it out or confirm it though

Original poster
EpicGem · 30/09/2024 07:04

I've just gone onto the hotel website. They have a grand total of 4 wheelchair accessible rooms. None of which show up as an option when trying to book on their website. It's currently 50/50 as to whether or not I have been booked into one of them. I'm waiting for the holiday provider staff to start work at 8.30. Their chatbot on Whatsapp had no matching options. I'm going to tell them that, once I've finished the chat, I'll be calling the hotel direct and asking them myself because obviously the holiday provider aren't doing their job. Obviously a touch more polite than that.

OP posts:
Timeforaglassofwine · 30/09/2024 07:02

Keep using the word discrimination op, because that's exactly what it is and it'll hopefully make them jump.

Gigihadid · 30/09/2024 06:58

I’d probably try calling the hotel directly. Failing that I think cancelling would be the best option as it sounds more stressful than it’s worth, not knowing if you’re even going to be able to access your room.

boymamaof2 · 30/09/2024 06:55

I would call or message the hotel directly. Tell them who you've booked with and your reference number, although you may find they haven't yet booked the room which is why you're being fobbed off

Worldgonecrazy · 30/09/2024 06:46

Phone the hotel directly. They will also have the booking details.

EatSleepSleepRepeat · 30/09/2024 06:41

Call. Ask again. Follow up with an email highlighting these points and that the point of a package is that it'd supposed to be easier and you are paying for convenience.

Ppint oit that non-wheelchair custoemrs dont have to deal with this insecurity over booking and you are disappointed by their indirect discrimination which is resulting in you being unclear whether you have a workable holiday, which you have paid for.

Leave the ball in their court. Depending on what they come back with I'd consider asking why its so hard and whether they treat all disabled customers this way on wider social media.

Lifeasweknowitisrandom · 30/09/2024 06:23

ShortyWentLow · 30/09/2024 01:30

It does sound plausible that they're not in a position to confirm which rooms will be free this far in advance.

However, I wouldn't rely on an unconfirmed reservation. So I vote to cancel and rebook it somewhere more reliable.

Course they can. They look at their computer system and see if all the disabled rooms are booked. If not, they slot OP into there. They are choosing not to. Happens all the time to disabled people and it sucks.

Original poster
EpicGem · 30/09/2024 02:27

ShortyWentLow · 30/09/2024 01:30

It does sound plausible that they're not in a position to confirm which rooms will be free this far in advance.

However, I wouldn't rely on an unconfirmed reservation. So I vote to cancel and rebook it somewhere more reliable.

I have a hotel room, they just won't tell me if the hotel room they've booked for me is one of the wheelchair accessible ones.
And it's sadly not just this travel provider, it's endemic across the industry. Unless I book the hotel direct, the wheelchair accessible request is left until as late as they feel they can get away with it. As a comparison, I booked a different holiday down the DIY route as I was only going away for the night. Requested a wheelchair accessible room via the special request box as the hotel stated they had them, but there's no way of booking them. Got an email the following day confirming I had a wheelchair accessible room.
I'd just hoped to have one holiday where I didn't have to do all the "leg" work of booking everything.

OP posts:
ShortyWentLow · 30/09/2024 01:30

It does sound plausible that they're not in a position to confirm which rooms will be free this far in advance.

However, I wouldn't rely on an unconfirmed reservation. So I vote to cancel and rebook it somewhere more reliable.