TUI - help/advice regarding misleading hotel information...

[Esla1986]

Hello,

Around three weeks ago I booked a family holiday at Aska Lara Resort in Turkey for October half term. The main reason for chosing this hotel was for the seemingly incredible pools that my children would love and the 5* reviews.

I have now realised that 7/35 photos on the TUI don't relate to the hotel at all, but to a nearby waterpark that you get access too. The main photo (i.e. photo number 1 on the TUI website) is also not of the hotel. In addition we are travelling over October half term and it appears that said waterpark might not even be open.

I understand that you still can get access to slides etc but having to physically get to the waterpark each day and be in the waterpark (children are 6 and 4), is very different to having the slides in your hotel, in my opinion. I would have not booked the hotel if I realised that the slides weren't in the hotel complex.

On another note, the independent reviews of the hotel are diabolical.

Obviously I should have read the independent reviews before booking but I didn't (lesson learnt!).

How can TUI get away with this? Showing photos of a totally different resort than the one that you believe that you are going to? Surely this blatent false advertising.

I will ring TUI tomorrow and see what my options are

Others must have had similar experiences.

Thank you for reading...

Have you actually watched the videos on you tube about the hotel? The water park is literally a few minutes across the road, they have a shuttle bus going there non stop or you can walk it. It wouldn’t put me off, the reviews for the resort are amazing. If the water park isn’t open then that’s very annoying and I’d definitely complain about that because it’s shown to be a main selling point of booking that resort. The resorts in that area are HUGE and it’s not that unusual to have that kind of set up.

(We almost booked that for this June, we went with something else instead, due to health reasons).

The water park is part of the hotel / resort. It’s just across the road from the main bit.

Where are you seeing the diabolical reviews? It's got 4.5 on tripadvisor

Tui start their hotel information with the following which I'd pretty clear to me!

The Aska Lara Resort & Spa has loads of family-friendly features, including access to a waterpark.
There are kids' clubs for all ages at this All Inclusive hotel, ranging from a colourful thatched playhouse to a Wild West-style frontier town. There's a free shuttle to the Wet & Wild aqua park, which is across the main road – here you'll find a beach, loads of flumes, a children's splash park, bars, entertainment...

If you’re on Facebook there’s also an Aska Lara group you can join if you search for it where you
can discuss all this sort of stuff and read posts and comments from people who have experienced it all. I’ve been on it a while as I’ve been carefully researching different hotels and I haven’t seen many bad words about it. Lots of people go back year after year.

If you start reading the reviews they seem so contradictory. So many reviews saying that the hotel is not a five star, reviews must be fake, many families had been left disappointed with the lack of facilities, dated decor ect.

It bothers me more that the slides and facilities that I thought were on site, actually aren't.

I was wondering if anyone knew if I could at least transfer the booking to another hotel in the same area.

Thank you for this- It didn't even cross my mind to search the hotel on You Tube or FB. The Youtube are interesting as they give a more accurate picture of the hotel

It's clear that you get access to the Wet and Wild Park, it isn't clear that 7/35 photos are not of the hotel that you booking.

They may let you transfer the booking. Aska is one of the best and most loved resorts in the area though so I’d be really careful before switching! It’s a very large hotel so you’re always going to get some negative reviews and you have to remember people are more likely to post when they’ve felt something is bad or exceptional rather than just when they’ve had a good, all round nice holiday.

For interest here’s where we’re going to next year - but it doesn’t have the water slides etc and it’s in a slightly different area. Reviews are brilliant though and consistently high.

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/turkey/turkey-antalya/side/hotels/tui-sensatori-barut-sorgun.html

Thank you for this - that hotel looks lovely. We have 2 young children hence why we the slides appealed. If they let us change we have been looking at Rixos Premium Belek where you get access to Land of Legendsz, but there are also children's facilities on site. The reviews seem much better for this hotel, but it is more expensive too. Have you been?

I will think carefully before changing and after watching the You Tube reviews I feel less concerned. Really appreciate your messages!

I don't think its misleading, it quite clearly says 'with access to a water park'

Tui are normally pretty good at exchanging locations etc.

However it is not misleading atall.. did you not read the description atall when booking? It literally says shuttle to wet& wild water park- which is across the road

All holiday companies do this, just like when they put up pictures of the town/beaches it's not in the hotel but the surrounding area. it's only false advertising if they don't state it? But unfortunately it is literally clearly stated many times

This is a really common setup for hotels with water parks. I'd say more often than not the waterpark isn't onsite but is accessed by a shuttle or short walk. We've done lots like this and it's never been an issue.

OK - my mistake. I'll do more research next time. The hotel does seem nice, and I am over reacting. I'll sleep on it before making any rash decisions.

Surely photo 35 sums it up extremely accurately too…

Tbh I've been on loads of waterpark holidays and currently on one now outside EU

Be careful what u wish for

Waterpark right under your nose is loud, lots of screams and mechanical noises. Loud pop music etc

I always pick where it's on outskirts or up hill etc

You don't want to be right under it - trust me !!

Unless you're disabled or v old that hotel sounds perfect enjoy

Always watch YouTube videos of hotels and join the Facebook groups.

There's only so many reviews you can read OP but my person tip is as long as it has 4.5 TripAdvisor reviews and it's what I'm looking I book it.

I met someone last year and she told me Aska Lara is a nice hotel. Usually you can change your holiday with TUI for £50pp.

You will be able to change the hotel now if you don't like it

Yeah I mean it's a map.

Looked extremely accurate to me. And judging from the photo's on the hotels website they have lovely on site childrens facilities. Maybe not water slides on site but they have a lovely club for kids which gives parents some time off (which you wouldn't have at the pool unless you are happy for them to play in a pool / on slides without your supervision).

I understand your concerns about the reviews- many of the 'good' tripadvisor reviews seem to be only reviews for that account, and I am always wary of reviews that name a particular member of staff as it comes across as though these are being encouraged for some kind of internal bonus scheme! (Again, especially when these aren't coming from an established account) Maybe weigh up your alternatives that you could swap to and go from there.