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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I'm on holiday, it's not going well, aibu?

69 replies

Doodledum · 21/04/2014 20:35

As a very special treat we are in a 5* hotel on a Greek Island for a week. We booked it as it had a lovely website detailing lots of kids facilities and activities and a long list of restaurants and a huge spa so we could just chill out here.

It turns out none of this stuff is here, it's all at the sister hotel which we can be transferred to by car, about 5 mins drive. You could walk but there's no pavement & it's a bit far for our little kids. I asked about car seats for the kids but the hotel & club staff said that a car seat is a special request so they would need advance notice to sort it out. They also said with much condescension that generally guests are happy to sit their kids on their knee in the car & not make a fuss.

Worse for us, our kids are under 5 so to use any of the facilities we must pay extra for 'crèche' sessions and must hand them over to the staff there. We aren't allowed to use the facilities with our kids, like the playground, trampoline etc as parents aren't allowed to stay there.

The spa & most of the other restaurants are at the sister hotel too. As the sister hotel is not open for the season we obviously can't use the restaurants that were advertised on our hotel website! The spa is open though & they can drive us there.

I'm a bit hacked off & complained that the website was v misleading. They agreed but said 'it's just words it means nothing' and said there is nothing they can do. I asked for the manager but he won't speak to us & says send an email.

The website also advertised gift bags, little slippers & robes, early dinners, & other wonderful things for the kids which don't appear to exist.

They reckon I'm unreasonable not to be happy to send my kids to a club in a different hotel and leave them there. They also don't see it's reasonable that I might want to use the playgrounds etc with my kids as advertised on their website.

So Aibu? What would you do?

OP posts:

tak1ngchances · 21/04/2014 20:42

I would say it is false advertising, threaten them with trading standards, write a scathing review on Tripadvisor. I would also book somewhere else immediately and demand a full refund from this shady hotel and say you will sue , and you will be successful.

baconfrazzles · 21/04/2014 20:51

Have you booked through a UK tour operator? Is the hotel in Kos by any chance?

Original poster

Doodledum · 21/04/2014 20:53

Thanks, I was beginning to wonder if it was me being difficult when I got their reaction. It is shit isn't it?!

Is there such a thing as trading standards for foreign holidays though? They don't really seem to give two hoots so I'm guessing when they admit 'marketing likes to be creative' they don't think there's much I can do.

OP posts:

LineRunner · 21/04/2014 20:56

Name the hotel, the company, the travel agent, the web site, everything. People nay be able to help, by suggesting tactics and people to email.

This is a shit holiday, let's face it.

monkeyfacegrace · 21/04/2014 20:57

Which hotel, which island, and whats the weather like?!

Gurnie · 21/04/2014 20:58

It sounds like they are being completely unreasonable. What a shame when you were all looking foward to it and are now stuck there. Definitely complain. You have every right to.

HairyPotter · 21/04/2014 20:58

Can you post a link to the website?

GreenPetal94 · 21/04/2014 20:58

For now I think you have to enjoy what you do have and then complain and ask for money back when you get home.

It's your holiday and I'd try and enjoy it anyway. Is there a pool at the hotel where you can hang out with the kids? Could you hire a car (and car seats) and go explore? What would you enjoy doing on the island?

Also I may be shot down for saying this but if it is 5 mins drive only then you can put the kids on your knees, that is what you would do in a taxi in the UK.

ShakeYourTailFeathers · 21/04/2014 21:01

Blimey what a swizz! I'd be right pissed off too.

And as for their customer service re the info on line being "just words and it means nothing" WTF?

Original poster

Doodledum · 21/04/2014 21:02

Nope booked direct. I really liked the website (sob more). I feel really shit, my 5 year old is upset there's only ping pong in the 70's lounge & we are all a bit snappy with the disappointment.

Ok I'm in the Elounda Mare in Crete. The manager won't even speak to us by phone, he wants emails only.

The weather is good though! (Reaching)

OP posts:

Only1scoop · 21/04/2014 21:02

Have you booked a package online? Do you have a rep in resort?

Bugsylugs · 21/04/2014 21:03

I would not be happy with my child on my knee and no I don't do it in the UK either

Original poster

Doodledum · 21/04/2014 21:04

www.eloundamare.com/en/family-hotels-childrens-world

Hope that works!

OP posts:

LineRunner · 21/04/2014 21:05

Gather evidence. Photos, emails, a Journal of Disappointment.

CocktailQueen · 21/04/2014 21:07

You aren't allowed to use the playground etc. with your kids??

I think you need to speak to the manager and list all your reservations and all the things that are wrong. That way, when you get home you can complain to whoever you booked with and say you complained at the time.

Can you email or ring the company you booked with? Complain, cite trading standards and misrepresentation, threaten to go to the press, etc. See what they say.

Good luck. Amd meantime, enjoy your holiday. Explore other things you can all do together.

Rosa · 21/04/2014 21:09

Greek tourist board - the official one . Also the crete regional office. Document, write , complain in resort get somebody to sign for acceptance of your letter at the desk. Don't wait until you get home you will never get any money back.......booking direct at times is not a good thing - sorry too late now,

Original poster

Doodledum · 21/04/2014 21:11

It's the car thing I need to get over I guess, I would do it at home in an emergency or such like, but we are paying an awful lot of money for this holiday so it's pissed me off more than usual I think. If I'd have known everything was at the other hotel I would have stayed at the other hotel ( when it's open)!

Yep thinking of hiring a car and getting out and about, hopefully that'll cheer everyone up! Without going into it too much, I've not been well so was hoping for everything to be here in one place. Nevermind It's never a holiday when you've got kids is it?!

No rep, it's just us as I booked it online.

OP posts:

HairyPotter · 21/04/2014 21:17

Yep that is pretty misleading. It does say the spa is a few minutes walk away and that the crèche is chargeable, but no mention that it isnt onsite.

Do they have another more suitable hotel they could move you to? If not, then I think I would take a chance and sit the dcs on my knee and try to make the best of a bad job.

Did you pay by credit card? It might be worth trying to persue a refund that way.

Good luck.

Nennypops · 21/04/2014 21:18

I think you need lawyers who know their way round holiday claims, as you're dealing with a different jurisdiction - maybe someone like this. They may do something like a no win no fee arrangement.

milkfromthesleepycow · 21/04/2014 21:20

Can you ask for a transfer to the sister hotel?

Horsemad · 21/04/2014 21:21

Can ABTA help?

EverybodysStressyEyed · 21/04/2014 21:22

i see it is part of relais and chateaux - complain to them as well

the website is misleading

beginnings · 21/04/2014 21:29

Relais and Chateaux take customer service quite seriously. Their "Other European Countries" number is + 33 (0) 1 45 72 96 50 - based in Paris by the looks of it.

i'd be on the phone to them in the morning if I were you. How miserable.

I totally agree that the website is not clear that these facilities are not on site. That's really bad.

TeamEdward · 21/04/2014 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Doodledum · 21/04/2014 21:31

Thanks so much for the advice. Unfortunately we didn't use our credit card.

We can't change to the sister hotel as it doesn't open til next week, day after we leave in fact. So most of the amenities listed on the website for our hotel aren't open as they are within the other hotel.

All the kids amenities are part of the kids club, so unless we drop them off and we leave, the kids can't use the equipment. I can't leave my 18month old in a kids club in another hotel a drive away here, I'd feel a bit ill about it. Im not keen on my 5 year old doing it. Don't get me wrong kids clubs are great and we've used them before but they've not been that far away before. The staff think I'm being overprotective and said everyone else does it all summer long. This is what's got me questioning myself a bit!

We've done an email to the manager & relais & chateau. Just googling tourist board etc.

This isn't what I planned for a relaxing holiday! We do have a nice pool and there are a couple of restaurants in our hotel so it's not so bad. Just balking at the waste of cash.

OP posts:

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