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Original poster

Double booked holiday?

14 replies

Question887 · 16/03/2022 16:07

Hi,
Has anyone booked a holiday via Skyescottages?

I have booked a holiday for May in the UK. I contacted the owner directly as I had a few questions regarding the property etc.
She said I could book direct with her and get a 10% discount, so I did. She immediately sent me booking confirmation, ref no and said my dates would be taken off the Skyescottage website, and they were.

I had a look today at the Skye's cottage website and my dates are now showing as available. I proceeded as if to book the dates and it let me get as far as payment (obviously didn't want to go further).

So now I'm confused. Do I just leave it? As it's booked and confirmed? Or ask the owner what's happening? I don't want to appear mistrusting!

OP posts:

3001signon · 16/03/2022 16:55

Just message her and say you were showing a friend where you had booked and noticed your dates looked as if they were available?

BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 16/03/2022 16:57

Just message her and ask. This is one of those threads where I just think, why are you making a thread about this? You really dont need advice. Just do the obvious thing and email her.

Motheranddaughtertotwo · 16/03/2022 16:58

Yea the obvious answer is just to email and ask.

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Holidays

Original poster

Question887 · 16/03/2022 17:07

Yes I know I can but I just wondered.if anyone had used the website and had similar. I worry she will think I'm accusing her of something by asking and I don't want to offend. She definitely took my dates off the site but they are back up there for an extra £159 for the 3 nights (and I've already paid more than £200 a night). I'm wondering if she's hoping it'll get booked at the higher price and then cancel mine. I'd be gutted as we haven't had one night off since I had my son 3 years ago and it took me ages to choose this place, so many places were fully booked!

OP posts:

ChiselandBits · 16/03/2022 17:36

I absolutely would ring to check. Hopefully its just an oversight but there have been lots of reports of unscrupulous owners doing this - telling you its double booked and offering it to you for the higher price right near the time so you feel you have to pay up as you're literally packed and ready to go. Just say, as above, you were showing a friend and noticed the dated and just wanted to reconfirm. What's the worst that can happen?

Justmuddlingalong · 16/03/2022 17:43

I'd be worried about her relisting it to try and get more money, then cancelling your booking. But I think that by booking direct with her and not through the Skyecottages where it was listed, I don't see you having any comeback.

Original poster

Question887 · 16/03/2022 18:13

I've sent a message, just awaiting a reply

OP posts:

Justmuddlingalong · 20/03/2022 16:03

Have you had a reply and an explanation yet @Question887?

Original poster

Question887 · 20/03/2022 21:59

@Justmuddlingalong yes, she said she didn't know what had happened and she would take a look. I had a reply 10 mins later with some partly irrelevant story, saying her friend was going to stay but is heavily pregnant and they couldn't get a dog sitter anymore and had to cancel. She said she accidentally cancelled my dates instead of her friends.

OP posts:

mumwon · 20/03/2022 22:19

Sykes cottages - yikes be careful they have a reputation & it isn't good

whirlygirl · 20/03/2022 22:48

Also be careful if you're not booking via the official site as presumably you're also losing the protection that gives you. I'd be wary of all of this tbh.

Original poster

Question887 · 20/03/2022 23:38

@mumwon really? In what sense? I've never used them before. In fact, I've never booked a holiday in this country, so it's all a bit new to me.

@whirlygirl I hadn't really thought of it like that and to be honest I didn't realise booking via the site would give any protection, she just said I could book via her or the site and I'd save 10% booking via her. Presumably because Skyescottage take a percentage of the booking fee. So far it's only a deposit paid and I pay the rest on arrival. However it's not just the money, my partner and I haven't had a night out together since our son was born almost 3 years ago, so I'm really looking forward to this.

OP posts:

mumwon · 21/03/2022 10:38

there is a facebook page for Sykes Cottages Unhappy Customers
things like double booking dirty cottages no refunds when cottages are cancelled by cottage owners & also cottage owners having problems - they own a lot of smaller companies - it seems as though they are too big - Also communicating with them is apparently very difficult even by email
I was looking at holidays & this face book page came up
disclaimer: I have not used them but it would make me very wary

MrsMariaReynolds · 21/03/2022 10:41

[quote Question887]@Justmuddlingalong yes, she said she didn't know what had happened and she would take a look. I had a reply 10 mins later with some partly irrelevant story, saying her friend was going to stay but is heavily pregnant and they couldn't get a dog sitter anymore and had to cancel. She said she accidentally cancelled my dates instead of her friends.[/quote]
Interesting...

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