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Original poster

Ukrainians put up in UK hotels

26 replies

ilovebrie8 · 28/05/2022 19:02

What do you make of this...my friend had a wedding booked and hotel called to say that the rooms to stay before and after wedding are no longer available as they are being offered to put up Ukrainians. Government is paying for rooms so she has to find another venue at v short notice! As they are taking over all the hotel bedrooms...wedding can go ahead but there will be no rooms available they planned to stay the night before and the wedding night. Hotel is getting paid more by government to hours Ukrainians so they’ve bumped the wedding ! 😟

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Toddlerteaplease · 28/05/2022 19:40

I turned up at a hotel a few months ago to find out that it was for Afghan refugees. I don't mind that, it must be miserable for them. But I was less than impressed at not being informed until I arrived. And meting made out to be a liar, when I said I'd had no cancellation email. The third party site refunded me immediately though.

JustTheOneSwan · 28/05/2022 19:44

It's disappointing for your friends but they presumably still have somewhere to live.
the refugees haven't got options.

Whowhatwherewhenwhynow · 28/05/2022 19:45

That’s bad of the hotels to cancel if they have already committed to a wedding.

im not surprised though…the homes for Ukraine and family visa scheme were always going to be a shit show. Heard of many break downs already.

Interested in this thread?

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Holidays Weddings
TooBigForMyBoots · 28/05/2022 19:48

I've no problem with shelter for Ukrainians. I'd have a big problem with any hotel cancelling the rooms for my wedding.

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 28/05/2022 19:50

She’d booked and paid for a wedding a long time again and was told this with less than a months notice...so she’s very upset ! Money talks ....hotel getting more ££ from government than she had paid for her wedding so they bumped her....that’s not right ...sorry! Hotel shouldn’t have done this ...

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JustTheOneSwan · 28/05/2022 19:54

I think the hotel should book them somewhere else under those circumstances with an upgrade.
They 'll probably have other hotels in the group or arrangements with others.

mumda · 28/05/2022 20:01

A local posh hotel has Calais people in. 93 if them I think. although half went missing on a trip to buy clothes at the arndale.

WithAnXXHere · 28/05/2022 20:05

Sadly, there are no council houses to spare throughout the Uk atm, so hotels are the government's only option

DockOTheBay · 28/05/2022 20:08

I would be absolutely livid. And they're still able to have the wedding there but presumably there will be loads of random people walking in and out all day as they live there, rather than all/majority of hotel guests also being wedding guests.

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 28/05/2022 20:13

There's a war going on in their country and, chances are, they've had relatives killed. Their soldiers are fighting to defend not just Ukraine, but potentially to stop this going into the rest of Europe!

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 28/05/2022 20:14

ilovebrie8 · 28/05/2022 19:50

She’d booked and paid for a wedding a long time again and was told this with less than a months notice...so she’s very upset ! Money talks ....hotel getting more ££ from government than she had paid for her wedding so they bumped her....that’s not right ...sorry! Hotel shouldn’t have done this ...

If she booked and paid for exclusive use of the hotel then she is entitled to money back as the hotel is not holding up their end of the contract.
Often there is an exclusive use surcharge so not only should she be fully refunded for the rooms but also the surcharge.

Is it a chain hotel or an independent? Is it marketed as a wedding venue type hotel?

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 28/05/2022 20:19

DockOTheBay · 28/05/2022 20:08

I would be absolutely livid. And they're still able to have the wedding there but presumably there will be loads of random people walking in and out all day as they live there, rather than all/majority of hotel guests also being wedding guests.

This too. I'd be concerned about the spaces within the hotel. If it's one of the wedding venue type hotels, the drinks will be served in the hotel bar and the meal in the hotel dining room.

Do they still have exclusive use of these spaces?

I'm not unsympathetic to the poor people with no where else to go and obviously none of this is their fault and they shouldn't be hidden away or treated poorly at all. I do also feel for the bride and groom. Weddings aren't cheap and (hopefully) you only get to do it once.

MissAmbrosia · 28/05/2022 20:25

Was the wedding to be held there too?

QuitMoaning · 28/05/2022 20:26

I had booked a hotel close to Heathrow airport for September and they cancelled as they were taken over by a government contract. They had no choice in this.

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 28/05/2022 20:33

@DockOTheBay exactly! They could’ve had the wedding but they didn’t feel comfortable as it wouldn’t just be wedding guests at the hotel it would be all residents living there that are being housed. Could be traumatic on both sides. They’d already been postponed with Covid and had problems of their own so this is the icing in the cake! Its the hotel to blame pulling the rug from under them to get more £££! It’s shameful they’ve got an alternative but not what you’d hope for it’s more like a town hall not a hotel 😕.

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Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 28/05/2022 20:35

@QuitMoaning that’s September whicj is 3 months away..,they were given 4 weeks it was their wedding venue to have the wedding and had booked all the rooms out for guests...and rooms all cancelled 😞 now !

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toastedbagiel · 28/05/2022 20:54

I can't ever imagine a situation where a wedding is more important than these peoples lives. I'm happy they are safe. Things can be rearranged.

QuitMoaning · 28/05/2022 21:12

@ilovebrie8 Yes, but all bookings were cancelled from 4th May and everyone got 1 weeks notice. When I spoke to the hotel the staff were not happy but the hotel had no choice.

I accept a wedding is more important than my night before holiday but the hotel was given 1 week notice by the government. Everyone who had a booking got a cancellation, mine was just several months away so less stressful.

StiggyZardust · 28/05/2022 21:15

We have a hotel near us that is being used to house Afghan refugees. I think weddings were cancelled. I do feel for those who had weddings planned but the refugees have to live somewhere.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 28/05/2022 21:34

toastedbagiel · 28/05/2022 20:54

I can't ever imagine a situation where a wedding is more important than these peoples lives. I'm happy they are safe. Things can be rearranged.

It isn't more important than people's lives, but it's how it has been handled that is unfair.
The couple should have been proactively told as soon as the hotel made the decision, not then having to chase confirmation and having it dropped on them with a few weeks notice.

Yes things often can be rearranged, but not always. Financial and health reasons are a huge factor.
I've literally worked weddings where one of the couple is dealing with terminal illness and doesn't make it to their big day.

toastedbagiel · 28/05/2022 21:38

It isn't more important than people's lives, but it's how it has been handled that is unfair.
The couple should have been proactively told as soon as the hotel made the decision

I don't know what you mean here? They were told, that's what the thread is about.

Ilikewinter · 28/05/2022 21:38

Yes Id be fuming, and because im too stubborn for my own good Id probably cancel the whole wedding if I could get a refund!

Dinotour · 28/05/2022 21:39

The hotel is money grabbing, its not like no other hotels have availability for refugees, but they obviously got offered more from the government than their bookings generated. I'd be furious too if I'd paid for something I was no longer getting and they were slow at communicating it. It's possible to be annoyed and that and realise what a shit situation they're in, in reality most people would be annoyed if this happened for their wedding they'd spent a lot of money on.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 28/05/2022 21:44

toastedbagiel · 28/05/2022 21:38

It isn't more important than people's lives, but it's how it has been handled that is unfair.
The couple should have been proactively told as soon as the hotel made the decision

I don't know what you mean here? They were told, that's what the thread is about.

Sorry, I misread that as the couple had called the hotel not that the hotel had called the couple. My mistake and I apologise.

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 28/05/2022 21:46

@Dinotour thank you exactly !! The hotel are money grabbers! Most people would be annoyed...and the short notice too it’s shameful ....

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