Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To think that this isn't a kids club?

20 replies

ThisMustBeMyDream · 10/05/2023 18:42

If someone said there was a kids club on a holiday, what would that convey to you? To me it is a place to drop off your kids for a couple of hours, stay on site, and pick them back up at the end of the session. That is all I've ever seen on previous holidays.
I've just booked a holiday, only to see something that surprised me greatly on a page for the hotel (visitors site, not official page). Someone saying that you can't leave your kids at the kids club. Parents have to stay.
To cut a long story short, lots of back and forth, initially the hotels official Facebook page messaged me back to say kids 4-12 can be left at the kids club. Tui messaged to say that the hotel said they can not be. Further emails sent, clarified that children can not be left at kids club by hotel management and that external company reply to Facebook messages but that they had given wrong information.
As a single parent, kids club is my absolute lifeline on holiday. I get no respite whatsoever otherwise. I am obviously wanting to change the booking hotel to one with a proper kids club. But TUI are saying I have to pay amendment fees. I'm obviously upset at this, as I feel rather misled. I've attached screenshots of TUI's page, and of the emails and messages from today, in case anyone wants to see.
So, AIBU to think that what they offer isn't a kids club and shouldn't be advertised as such? It's just activities for parents to do with kids.

OP posts:

PinkyU · 10/05/2023 18:47

We have had experience with kids clubs requiring parental supervision and some not. We stay with ours even if there’s a full staff tbh.

PinkyU · 10/05/2023 18:50

Sorry I didn’t quite answer your question, it is a kids club, it’s just not a supervised one so you need to be there.

Fandabedodgy · 10/05/2023 18:52

I would expect to be able to drop my kids off at the kids club.

I get why you are cross OP - I wouldn't be happy either

LolaSmiles · 10/05/2023 18:53

I would assume that kids clubs were unsupervised play sessions, but I've not looked at a hotel with one. It never crossed my mind parents would have to stay. Staying in a room full of dozens of children sounds more stressful and less relaxing than having time with my own DCs.

PastTheGin · 10/05/2023 18:55

YANBU, I would 100% expect this to be a drop off / pick up affair. What use is a kids club if you have to stay there?

Houseupdate · 10/05/2023 18:56

I’ve always clarified that the hotel has staff qualified in childcare and the terms of kids club before booking. I wouldn’t assume if was drop off, especially if you have younger children as some times they are only drop off for older children.

BendingSpoons · 10/05/2023 18:57

Everywhere I have been has allowed you to drop off kids from age 4. I would be annoyed that you are having to pay to change the booking.

Nicknamesforviolet · 10/05/2023 19:01

I had similar false advertising by tui (Hotel had filled in the pool bar to make a bed for influencers to lounge on!)
Keep pushing how you booked specifically for this feature. We ended up with money off x

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 10/05/2023 19:04

I would expect a TUI kids club to be staffed, and therefore a drop off.

Is there any chance there are two kids clubs? At the hotel we have been to through TUI, there was both a TUI kids club (which was staffed and a drop off) and a separate hotel one for people who’d booked direct, which I have no idea if you could drop off or not.

Yogazmum · 10/05/2023 19:11

It’s a Hotel run kids club, not one run by TUI. The hotel can therefore make the rules up.
The Kids Reps won’t have the training or certification like the proper TUI Kids Reps hence asking parents to stay.
Ive been to several Holiday Villages where it’s a totally owned TUI hotel full of TUI holiday makers and they had a crèche and full kids clubs where you could leave the kids for a few hours. Places were given out on a first come
first served basis so you couldn’t just dump
the kids all day.
The hotel you’ve booked will just have an allocation of rooms for TUI guests.
You haven’t been misled. You’ve misunderstood.
YABU and therefore if you want to change your hotel, you’ll be expected to pay amendment fees.

CantFindTheBeat · 10/05/2023 19:15

I'm so sorry for you, OP.
I can imagine how the kids club gives you a break.

I'd push it with Tui and say they didn't make it clear.

Their 'Tui Blue' family offering would definitely lead you to believe that kids clubs were drop off and leave.

SunnyEgg · 10/05/2023 19:17

Yanbu as you checked and they gave you the wrong information

CeeJay81 · 10/05/2023 19:23

I agree with yogazmum sorry. It isnt an offical tui kids club but a hotel run one, so you can"t go by what the tui kids clubs are like. I always thoroughly check out a hotel before booking, probably too religiously but it means I have a very good idea of what to expect. Hotel run ones can be hit and miss, so id be going through fb and tripadvisor extensively before booking. Just pay to change and learn from experience.

elliejjtiny · 13/07/2023 12:35

So sorry OP. I would have thought it was a drop off thing but I've noticed a lot of kids activities these days are starting to say all parents have to stay due to staff shortages or lack of volunteer helpers.

I've always had to stay at every thing because ds2 is autistic and most people want me to stay in case he has a meltdown. Then he ends up having a meltdown because I'm still there and the other parents have gone. So we stick to disability activities now because most parents stay and ds2 doesn't feel different.

Elfandwellbeing · 13/07/2023 12:58

Times have changed I cannot imagine going on holiday with my kids and needing/wanting strangers to watch my kids for me. I see it more and more on here parents moaning about having to actually entertain their own kids.

angstridden2 · 13/07/2023 13:02

If you were a single parent I imagine getting a short break during your annual holiday would be a life saver!

WandaWonder · 13/07/2023 13:04

I would have clarified it did not say drop and run nor stay and supervise so I would have checked

Ineedsleepandcoffee · 13/07/2023 13:09

I think it does vary, most uk caravan parks, parents have to stay

drunkpeacock · 13/07/2023 13:48

Elfandwellbeing · 13/07/2023 12:58

@Elfandwellbeing are you a lone parent with no support though?

It's easy to judge but we're not all in the same position. Most people are just doing the best they can, some people have it easier than others.

Verite1 · 13/07/2023 13:58

I have never been to a kids club where you have to stay (at least not over age of 4/5). And these have been hotel kids club not Tui (have never booked holiday through Tui). So I would kick back against that OP.

Also those asking (judging!) why use them on holiday - my DD loves them. We have to negotiate with her to agree to spend time with us - otherwise she would be there all day. My DS wasn’t so keen so didn’t use them (unless they were doing very cool activities like rock climbing). Plus if you are a single parent who has to be on call 24/7 with no respite - I’m sure they are worth there weight in gold.

Flip