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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not know whether this is fine or to be annoyed?

30 replies

JenLindley · 08/08/2016 22:04

I've had a really shitty couple of weeks. Like a crap explosion landed on my head and I feel like I've spent a fortnight being angry.

Anyway, we are having our family holiday now. Myself and two DCs (11 and 7) 3 nights in a hotel across the country. Booked a couple of months ago. One of the really shitty things that happened was that my phone was stolen and for some reason none of the replacement SIMs I've been given have worked (it is being sorted now) so I've had no phone. I got an email through this morning from the hotel saying they had been trying to contact me to confirm booking for today and to contact them. So I called them from my son's phone straight away and confirmed, they thanked me for calling them and said they look forward to seeing us. Arrived at the hotel to be told that because they couldn't get hold of me to confirm the booking they'd had to put us in a smaller room for tonight and will move us tomorrow. The room has one double bed for the 3 of us to share. The room itself is in a "tired" state of repair, terrible TV signal and no heating (it's cold!) and there is a fusty smell but I think it's not a usual room they use and am hoping the room we get tomorrow is of a better standard. There was no reduction in price offered for the reduction in beds for this night. I've paid already.

My mum texted DS'a phone to see we had arrived safe and DS told her the deal with the room and she replied that she was sure I would be sorting it out.

Well I'm not/haven't. I've just accepted it because really I've had enough conflict these last two weeks to do me the rest of the year and actually I don't know if this is okay or not? My judgement is all up the left and I can't even tell if I am being a pushover or it's actually okay.

OP posts:

Shizzlestix · 08/08/2016 22:07

On checkout, demand a rebate.

Jinglebells99 · 08/08/2016 22:07

I would be really annoyed tbh. How cheeky are they? No it's not ok. I would be asking for a discount!

Pagwatch · 08/08/2016 22:10

Why did they contact you to confirm booking - is that usual?

I think they fucked up and used not being able to contact you as an excuse to fob you off. I would challenge them about it.

PuppyMonkey · 08/08/2016 22:16

But you called them to confirm - they got hold of you.

They fucked up so you don't pay.

Original poster

JenLindley · 08/08/2016 22:20

I don't know why they needed to confirm? they had my credit card details and in the booking confirmation email it said that there was a 48 hours cancellation policy, if I didn't cancel within that then first night's rate would be deducted from my CC which I know is standard with hotels. I've never had to confirm a booking by phone before with other hotels.

OP posts:

MeDented · 08/08/2016 22:23

When did you pay? Before they supposedly tried to contact you to confirm or after? I would just speak to them nicely tomorrow assuming they are going to be giving you a discount. eg ask them do they need your credit/debit card to process the room discount now or do they just want to deduct it from your final bill if you add any meals etc during your stay?

Pagwatch · 08/08/2016 22:23

So they fucked up and are using the excuse of not being able yo contact you to excuse putting you in crap accommodation.
You do need to challenge them.

chancesareabadthing · 08/08/2016 22:23

Don't wait to the end to make your comments as they already have your money. State the facts that the room is below standard and you had actually confirmed. If they try to fob you off just politely repeat what you have said in a calm manner. You may need to do this several times before they understand you are right and they are obliged to reduce the cost. Don't apologise for anything and stick to the facts. When they give apologies, explanations or even say nothing we can do, just hesitate and repeat the facts.

missm0use · 08/08/2016 22:25

Call down to reception and make them aware of your complaints and ask to speak to a duty manager at breakfast time.
I know it sounds like your making a fuss - but the hotel f*cked up!! I worked as a reservations supervisor for a hotel and from what you've described they've taken a double booking for the room you'd booked.
At worst they will refund you the difference in the room rate for tonight, at best they will comp your stay for tonight! If you leave it until check-out they will be less likely to offer to a refund.
I have never heard of a hotel downgrading a booking because you hadn't returned a call to confirm your booking - your confirmation was the email you received once you made your booking!

Coconutty · 08/08/2016 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

seventhgonickname · 08/08/2016 22:29

If they have taken your money then they have accepted your booking which you confirmed that morning.
Talk to them in the morning expecting an apology,reimbursment for them messing your booking up and be cheeky and try for a free breakfast.

Original poster

JenLindley · 08/08/2016 22:29

Thank you all for this much needed perspective. I paid in cash on arrival. The lady checking us in didn't actually realise the situation, it was the other receptionist who interrupted the checking in to inform me of this in a "just to let you know" way. I am going to ask for a camp bed to be brought to us for tonight if possible and speak to them tomorrow about refunding the difference in what I paid for and what I got. The hotel is very busy so entirely possible they've messed up a booking.

OP posts:

Chikara · 08/08/2016 22:31

Not ok at all! They confirmed, you paid, they have let you down. You have not got what you paid for and if you have already paid the whole "confirmation" is a red herring. They were not at risk of holding a room that wasn't going to be paid for.

Not much you can do now but I would certainly complain and insist on a rebate/compensation.

Hope things get better for you OP and that you sleep ok in the bed. A bit of a squash.

seventhgonickname · 08/08/2016 22:31

Hope you have a good break and a change in luck.🌻

Chikara · 08/08/2016 22:33

OK - just seen your last post. X post

Definitlely not on though.

Really hope it gets better for you,

Original poster

JenLindley · 08/08/2016 22:53

Have got a camp bed for tonight so all heading to sleep. Will deal with the rest tomorrow. Thanks all.

OP posts:

e1y1 · 08/08/2016 22:54

I am not sure what they are playing at here.

Yes if you they had not got a hold of you at all before you arrived, you could sort of understand it.

But you called them on the back of the email that they sent you, so they did get a hold of you.

In any case, even if you had not spoken to them before arrival, it would be safe to assume that you would get the room/amount of required beds that you have paid for.

Something is really amiss here. So upon checkout, don't let them use the excuse that they could not get a hold of you. You would want a rebate for the night(s) that you were not in the room you had booked.

If no luck, email their head office once you have checked out, contacting the hotel chain on Twitter will also work wonders, as it's public then and companies really don't like that; sure most companies would ban Twitter if they could.

notapizzaeater · 08/08/2016 23:01

I agree, I've never had yo confirm a room I've put a credit card down on. Sounds like they've screwed up. I'd be throwing my toys out in the Morning

MadamDeathstare · 08/08/2016 23:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

JenLindley · 24/08/2016 18:45

I'm bumping this for a bit of advice on the current situation.

We were moved the next day to a room with enough beds and no damp smell/mould etc. Upon checkout of the hotel I asked about a refund for the balls up on the first night and the receptionist said she had been authorised to give me a €50 goods and services voucher for the hotel. Tbh the whole stay was dire (stingy with food, queues for breakfast and dinner, running out of food/drinks) and I was so glad to be leaving I just too the voucher with a view to sorting it properly when I'd had a decent night's kip.

So I emailed the hotel stating what had happened and sent the photos of the room's condition. I said that I am happy to return the voucher as it is of no use to me because I won't return to the hotel. I said I will return it upon receipt of full refund for 1 night's stay in a family room (which was what I booked).

They have responded saying that when I return the voucher they will then refund me 50% of 1 night's accommodation. This would be acceptable to me if the room they had placed us in the first night had been in any way fit to be rented to the public. However it was nowhere near it so I refuse to pay any money for that room and think a full refund of 1 night's stay is fair. Tbh I don't know how her sense of shame allowed her to type that ridiculous offer. It's an insult.

So am I being unreasonable to respond saying that I will only accept a full refund of 1 night's stay? And if they refuse is there a board or authority or council I can speak to regarding dirty hotels and bad customer service in Ireland?

OP posts:

TellAStory · 24/08/2016 19:49

On what board basis did you book? B&B, Dinner B&B or room only. Even if the room was substandard the difficulty is you did accept it at the time and had use of it for the night, if you also had meals then I think 50% is acceptable.

Original poster

JenLindley · 24/08/2016 19:55

We booked Dinner B&B. It is only the room cost I want refunded, not the meal cost. I don't expect a third of my stay refunded, just the room cost. We accepted it at the time because we were 3 hours from home in a busy tourist town at the busiest time of the year. We were never going to get a room anywhere else.

OP posts:

bluebeck · 24/08/2016 19:56

I would accept the 50% reduction.

Not just because it sounds fair, but also because you have had such a shite time of it, and this way you can put this particular bit of shit behind you.

RhiWrites · 24/08/2016 20:00

Tell them you'll be reporting them to the regulator and posting the pics on trip adviser unless they give you a full refund.

DeadGood · 24/08/2016 20:01

I know how you feel, but I have to agree with bluebeck. Do you need the money? If not, I would write back once making your displeasure crystal clear, but if it goes any further than that id accept it and move on. You won't feel so annoyed in future, you'll move on.
Hope you have sorted all the other issues you mentioned in your OP.

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