Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hotel mistake, wibu to tell them I'll correct it after Christmas?

495 replies

Sanshin · 09/12/2017 09:40

Recently went to Vietnam on holiday. Stayed in a 3 star hotel for 3 days at a cost of £90. Lovely hotel, lovely staff.

Whilst there we booked a trip organised by the hotel at a cost of $100.

When we checked out they forgot to charge us for the trip and we never realised as we were rushing around so just settled the bill they presented to us.

A week later I receive a friend request on Facebook from a lady who worked at the hotel. I accepted and she sent a message saying that whilst we were at the hotel we booked a trip that they forgot to charge us for. She goes on to ask if we will now pay for it because if we don't, the staff have to pay for it themselves. It was very polite but almost pleading. I felt really guilty as I know $100 is a hell of a lot of money to these people so I replied straight away and said of course we will pay.

I spoke to DH on the night who wasn't happy because we will now how to pay a currency conversion fee but agreed we would pay. Then as we have been so busy since we got back we forgot.

So she sends another message asking if we can pay now and if we send her the card details we can pay like that. I meant to speak to DH about it again but he's working long hours at the minute and I keep meaning to mention it but when he's here I keep forgetting!

Anyway yesterday she sent another message. However now we can't really afford to pay it until after Christmas. We have £500 left to last us until after Christmas and that $100 will leave us skint. If they'd charged us at the time it wouldn't have been a problem!

As it was there mistake wibu to tell them I'll pay after Christmas?

OP posts:
AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 09/12/2017 22:46

Apparently 2nd.

DivisionBelle · 09/12/2017 22:52

If the OP booked a trip via the hotel, the hotel will have been billed for the trip / paid for it, to the trip providers.

If the hotel was a 'Homestay' these are family run guest houses. The cost of the trip is a lot of money, in Vietnam.

Just pay the hotel. Tell them you have realised from your accounts that you didn't pay for the trip.

Tell Fb person that you have paid hotel, and give the reference that you used to pay it.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/12/2017 22:53

Spain is not necessarily boring ...

You're right, of course; I was actually thinking of some of the more soulless, visitor-jammed resorts on the Costas - but it was my fault for not making that clearer

RestingGrinchFace · 09/12/2017 22:57

Right, so you need to pay the hotel directly not some random staff member but yes, pay.

limitedperiodonly · 09/12/2017 23:13

There are many soulless visitor-jammed resorts in SE Asia Puzzled but I fear that is straying off topic

MsGameandWatching · 09/12/2017 23:44

The worst and grubbiest holiday I ever had was in SE Asia. One of the happiest and most beautiful and relaxed ever was in Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol fwiw.

TheHodgeHeg · 10/12/2017 01:09

Not much to add but my experience of SE Asian culture would lead me to conclude this isn't a scam but an employer trying to cover for her mistake so management don't find out.

There's a huge blame culture out here rather than collaboratively solving a problem. In some businesses management are trying to move away from this attitude but staff can be reluctant to share mistakes due to past experiences. I wouldn't say it's a given that she would be in trouble with management and I'd second (third? fourth? lol) calling the hotel directly.

Aridane · 10/12/2017 11:54

In answer to the original question, OP would be unreasonable to wait until after Christmas to pay. Settle now - just see you settle securely direct with the hotel.

molifly · 10/12/2017 11:56

You class £400 left for three weeks as skint?

VegasWithRadishes · 10/12/2017 13:38

Might well be if she has utility bills and rent to pay molify
As much as I think
Op should pay and very quickly (though via hotel invoice not fb) she may well end up having to scrimp for the next 3 weeks if she has say, rent of £80 a week to pay or a big quarterly bill in that time, that leaves £60 for everything else...

Mimiandroo · 10/12/2017 13:52

Email the hotel. Explain that you thought you'd fully paid up and as a result hadn't budgeted to have to shell out $100. It's now Christmas and you've spent a lot of money, and will be unable to pay the money back until XXX date. (I'd give the exact date of your first payday after Christmas). Tell them you will definitely pay them back on this date and ask them to please not punish their staff or deduct any money from their pay.

All these people saying "You can afford a trip to Vietnam but not to pay!!!!" obviously have never been to Vietnam - although flights may be pricey, everything is so cheap there that you'd probably end up spending exactly the same on a holiday to Vietnam as you would on a week-long European holiday. It doesn't necessarily mean that you're super rich and can afford to lose $100 at Christmas. Just pay them back on your first payday.

PolarBearkshire · 10/12/2017 17:23

Wow crazy! Obligations first! Bank transfer doesnt cost that much - about 10-25£ per transaction! I would be petrified not paying for something esp in those struggling countries! No they shouldnt wait at all!! Use your credutcard or whatever but pay for the service. How can you go to Vietnam if you are so skint? Hmmm

pollymere · 10/12/2017 17:27

If you stayed in an hotel, surely they have your card details from your bill. Usually a hotel will charge extras to your card and send you an invoice either via email or post. Organize to authorize payment to your card with the hotel directly via email. If you were having items in an hotel on credit they would always take card details as a guarantee in case you left without paying. By the time it's sorted, it probably will be after Christmas!

InfiniteSheldon · 10/12/2017 17:31

You should have paid it at The time it's too much for you to have not noticed. You should have paid it by bank transfer the moment you realised, you should definitely have paid it asap once you were contacted about non payment. They have had to ask mire than once? Give your head a wobble this is not a scam find a safe way to pay and pay it.

Someonessnackbitch · 10/12/2017 17:36

I wouldn’t give my card details

CharlieSierra · 10/12/2017 17:43

PolarBearkshire petrified? Bit dramatic don't you think? A business made an error in the bill, they need to invoice her. And why is the concept of budgeting for a holiday and then budgeting for Christmas so difficult to comprehend? Hmmm?

DontbeaDickaboutit · 10/12/2017 17:43

How could you possibly not have realised your hotel bill was more than half what you were expecting to pay? You said you'd paid £90 for 3 nights.... you must have noticed the additional cost of the trip missing from your bill?

Also, didn't they take a credit card swipe or anything when you checked in?

As pp have said, contact the hotel. Baffled as to why you accepted a friend request from a lady who worked in a hotel you stayed in for 3 days?! Confused

SweetheartTreacleTart · 10/12/2017 17:55

OP don't pay. Call or email the hotel directly and ask them to send an invoice. By the time they do that, it may well be after xmas and then you can pay it then.

Defo do not give your details on facebook or over the phone to the lady who contacted you, as it sounds a bit dodgy.

Runningwithscissors12 · 10/12/2017 17:59

Transfer the money by direct transfer now. I cannot believe your attitude over this. It's appalling imo.

Pollymalex104 · 10/12/2017 18:00

Contact the hotel - sounds like a scam. Do not give your details.You may well owe $100 but they may clear your account out. Use a credit card when you pay - not a debit card.

teacups83 · 10/12/2017 18:02

This could be a scam where staff 'forget' to charge and then get you to pay them rather than the hotel. Seems weird how the hotel would realise this after the event.
I would 100% pay what I owe and now but via the hotel not some random person on fb.

TheOtherClass · 10/12/2017 18:03

id pay ASAP but I suppose its would be ok to deduct the transaction fees.

Tiredeypops · 10/12/2017 18:08

Scam. The staff members involved know exactly what they are doing. No 'mistakes' were made. Pay to the hotel - don't feel guilty about the staff.

Inertia · 10/12/2017 18:19

Send a cheque, made payable to the hotel. That way you don't have to give any card details to anybody.

Ninabean17 · 10/12/2017 18:35

Have you spoken to the hotel op?