would you ask for or expect a partial refund for technical problem on holiday?

[PennyPepper]

We had 2 days without hot water in our accommodation. It was annoying and inconvenient, not a major drama. It was fixed after half a dozen phone calls (by me) and as many visits from the technician. No apology.

Grounds to request a suitable financial gesture do you think?

I wouldn't, no major problem, stuff happens, it was eventually dealt with.

Not a hotel, self catering, booked direct with the complex. It's expensive - fancy facilities etc - so I suppose I was expecting a lot.

In S of France btw.

I'd complain! We had a really disappointing stay in Skye at Easter...3 x the price of what we normally stay in and 3x worse attention to detail. house looked great on the web but upkeep was shocking in reality. didn't get anything back but felt good to get it off chest...maybe they'll fix for next people.

How exactly were you inconvenienced? Thinking it would be mostly that you couldn't take hot showers, but not much else. And in the summer, in a hot country, is that really a big deal?

If you were to pursue this, what sort of refund or financial gesture do you think would be appropriate?

That would definitely have pissed me of, there's nothing worse than showering with cold water, especially when hair washing.
We complained when we had a problem with flushing the toilets in our cabins on a cruise and received a 1k voucher to use on another cruise which I thought was very decent of the company.

I'd complain but wouldn't expect any money back. It's annoying, but the problem wasn't ignored and these things can happen in any accommodation. There may well have been something in the small print to say that services such as electricity and hot water can't be guaranteed.

You might have got some kind of goodwill gesture if you'd complained while you were there however.

If you live in a world where there's nothing worse than showering with cold water, you have one very lovely life chicken!

rally, you have no idea about the ops life.

I would complain because I would not have received the same value for money as someone who did have hot water. I would have been inconveienced by showering, washing and washing up in stone cold water for 2 days, and for the time and money I spent chasing the repair people.
How many people would think it acceptable to buy a handbag at full price with a piece missing? When I buy something or book a holiday I expect to receive what I pay for.

Yes I would complain. I don't complain. All the time, but no hot water is in inconvient especially on a holiday where you shower 2x a day. We had no hot water for a week during building works at home and hated every minute.

If I pay a small fortune for certain services then I would expect them to be delivered. We received the offer for a discount when our dishwasher broke down and it took 2 days to replace it but we shrugged it off as it wasn't a major thing, we ate out mostly anyway but the difference was they dealt with it and offered without us asking.

At another complex we had water coming through the roof and were moved to a different accommodation straight away.

Rally, yes that is very true, I do live a charmed life and am aware I am very lucky as this hasn't always been the case.

I wasn't talking to the op ihate! She wasn't the one who said there's nothing worse...

Anyhoos, chicken, I was being tongue in cheek but apologies if it didn't come across that way

No probs.

I think a standard apology from the complex would be a bottle of wine and flowers or fruit.

Some tour operators give £5 per day.

I'm not very good at complaining, but I will. If it'd been a cheap and cheerful place I wouldn't bother, but I'm paying for 'luxury' (their word) accommodation and facilities so 2 days of chasing up repairs and taking icy showers rattles my cage.

I wouldn't want to pay for a good quality accommodation and be stuck with cold showers for 2 days.

Did you have to wait in for the technician or anything? Having to chase the owners several times is already an inconvenience when your supposed to be relaxing on holiday.

I wouldn't expect compensation as such but letting them know you were inconvenienced is not wrong. An apology at least should be expected.

There's always the reviews when home too if they are slow acting.

I have worked in customer services for a holiday company and for hotels before. They would usually far rather you complained (nicely) and they had an opportunity to put it right.

Customers whose complaint is dealt with sensitively often become your most loyal repeat guests, much better than ones who say nothing but tell all their friends (and I imagine these days, post on trip advisor!)

Of course there are professional complainers who are a pita, but it doesn't sound like you fit into that camp.

We didn't have to wait in but each time the guy came and went believing he'd fixed it, he hadn't, and I had to contact reception again. So I hung around in the end til it was done.

Anyway, thanks all. I'll have a word today.