Prize changed after competition - who is BU?

[Carravaggio]

I entered a competition that was on Facebook and other social media platforms. The page was for an online magazine. The post stated that the prize was 2BB1D plus a round of golf in a 4 star hotel. We won and a voucher was received from the hotel.

However the hotel voucher is for 2 nights B&B only. I called to book and explained then emailed with a copy of the FB post and voucher. They replied saying they look forward to welcoming us for 2 nights including breakfast

It seems clear that dinner and golf are no longer a part of the prize.
I am grateful but is there any point in trying to get dinner included?!

If that's the prize they need to award it. Who was the promoter - ie not the hotel but the person who ran the competition? Contact them and say an error has been made and your voucher should include dinner. The golf should be easily arrangeable once you are there.

The promoter should contact the hotel and sort it out.

If not, complain to the Advertising Standards Authority.

YABU. That's false advertising and I would relentlessly complain.

YABU. Not grabby, they haven’t fulfilled what they promised.

Yanbu even.

You need to speak to the organisers of the competition rather than the hotel. It could be a miscommunication. However, if the hotel was offering this for free and someone mistakenly threw in dinner and golf then they may stand firm unfortunately.

Very disappointing for you. I would certainly have conversations but can’t see you have much leverage unless it’s a huge organisation with a big social media presence.

Have you looked at the Competition small print to see if they reserved the right to change the prize?

You can complain to ASA which is the advertising standards agency.

They can help you out! Or tell the company this wasn’t what the prize was and say you will be contacting ASA.

Definitely contact the ASA.

Contact the people who ran the competition. Ask for verification. Did you actually speak to someone about it at the hotel - if so how did they explain that the dinner and golf were not included?

What did the competition Terms & Conditions state about offering a different prize? Most include something about reserving the right to offer something else.

I spoke to a booking agent on the phone and gave the prize voucher number. She told me that on their records that voucher was for one night B&B only! I said I had the voucher in front of me and it had two nights clearly stated. I then explained that dinner and golf were included in the prize but not on the voucher. I offered to email photos of the FB post and voucher to clear things up.
I think that their response was firm that golf and dinner are not included. I am not that arsed about the golf but dinner would be nice as it’s a pricey hotel and quite remote.

Would I be really cheeky to reply to the hotel asking for confirmation that the prize has changed and no longer includes the extras?

Who was offering the prize on Facebook though, was it actually the hotel directly or a third party? You can’t expect the hotel to honour a deal made by someone else.

Your not clear if it was the hotel or someone else competition you need to go to the organiser of the competition

Would I be really cheeky to reply to the hotel asking for confirmation that the prize has changed and no longer includes the extras?
You need to talk to who actually offered the prize and get to the bottom of these differing 'records'.

No, I'd be replying asking politely if they could explain how they think the false advertising could have happened so that you have all the information you need in order to inform the Advertising Standards Authority. Once you've double checked the small print of course!

And then obviously don't take them up on the prize even if dinner is awarded as they will pee in your soup.

You're still talking to the wrong people, it seems. You need to talk to the magazine that ran the competition. They're the ones who said what the prize was.

Surely if they substitute a prize it has to be/usually says in the T&Cs 'of the same of greater value'?

same OR greater

Are you sure that the golf and dinner weren't a separate prize at the same venue?

Surely you need to talk to however arranged the competition, rather than the hotel??

I think they sometimes put in the small print that prizes are subject to change to cover themselves

The online magazine is sponsored by a number of companies including this hotel. However the competition was from the magazine and not the hotel.
I will take it up with them too but I don’t think that I’ll have much luck.

DH said we can just get a take away pizza and bring it up to the room which made me laugh as it’s a very posh hotel!

I'd be checking the t&c's carefully

YANBH

It’s the magazine that are at fault then not the hotel