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Original poster

Tui keep emailing with hotel issues

34 replies

Towelin · 18/04/2023 21:52

Hiya, we've got a holiday booked with Tui for May half term. We are new to package holidays so I am not sure what is and is not usual / acceptable.

First they emailed to say the road outside the hotel will be being repaired for the duration of our stay and therefore likely to be noise to some extent from 6am till 8pm daily. We deliberately had not booked hotels that highlighted building work so this was annoying but figured it was one of those things. Not much we could do.

Today they emailed to say that the indoor pool will be closed during our stay. Sorry. But that the outdoor pool will be open. This is unheated and likely to be very cold in May. We specifically chose a hotel with a heated indoor pool because that's what the kids want the most.

This feels like more of a deal breaker. But... is there anything we can do? Do we just have to suck it up? Its just bad luck. Do we ask for some money back? Do we see if we can swap to a different hotel? Presume this would be a lot more expensive though now and we don't have the funds for that.

What do people do in these situations? It's such a shame because we haven't been abroad since before covid and it was all going to be all about the pool 😞

Grateful for any ideas or suggestions.

OP posts:
Silkierabbit · 18/04/2023 22:16

I would phone and ask what options are. Never had this with TUI. It may be worth asking if can swap, may not be more.

Xrays · 18/04/2023 22:20

I would ring and ask to swap to another hotel. I think they will probably refuse but generally if worst comes to the worst they will let you switch if you pay an admin fee.

Wavinggoodbyetoo · 18/04/2023 22:25

Surely to goodness they will let you swap, it’s not what you bought.

thaisweetchill · 18/04/2023 22:27

Phone Tui?

Original poster
Towelin · 18/04/2023 22:50

Thanks. And for not making me feel like I'm being really fussy.

I've had a look on the tui website and I can only see two other all inclusive hotels available for those dates now. We have to stick with the dates because of school holidays aswell as bookings for airport parking and the cattery. And both options are way more expensive.

I've also made the mistake just now of looking at the trip advisor reviews from the Easter holidays 🙈 Eek. So bad. The reviews months ago when I booked it weren't so bad.

Trip advisor reviews from Easter seem to suggest that there is an indoor pool open which kids can use 9 till 12 and 3 till 7pm. So better than the Tui email suggested. But lots of comments that it is small because it's normally adults only and crammed from all the kids who would usually be in the other children's indoor pools.

I'll phone Tui. But I don't think we can afford anything else now, it's all gone up so much.

Thanks again. I'll cross my fingers for some nice weather!

OP posts:
Xrays · 19/04/2023 08:02

If you can’t afford to swap to another all inclusive I’d look at half board or even self catering options. There’s no way I’d want to go to somewhere with lots of building work and lots of pool limitations.

MagiMagic · 19/04/2023 08:15

They have substantially changed what they are offering so you could threaten to cancel the holiday for a full refund. Look up your consumer rights on this before calling,
I'd consider swapping to half board somewhere else

LIZS · 19/04/2023 08:42

There is probably small print that says facilities are subject to availability. If you need an indoor pool can you use one at a neighbouring hotel? Otherwise argue that it is a material change to you and can you swap accommodation.

slimdown · 19/04/2023 15:09

The pools might still be swimmable, whereabouts are you going? The resort might have a Facebook group for you to gauge what it's usually like. It's not uncommon for European resorts to not have heated outdoor pools. We stayed in a beautiful Greek resort (5*) and the pools weren't heated, we went May half term, it's cold when you get in but soon fine. The spa had an indoor pool but I wouldn't want to be spending a holiday to Greece in an indoor pool anyway.

That said, of course contact Tui and see if you can swap, I don't think you'd be unreasonable to ask at all!

Snugglemonkey · 19/04/2023 15:20

I would be ringing and insisting that we were moved to somewhere suitable or refunded.

gogohmm · 19/04/2023 15:27

Phone them. I'm guessing this is not a TUI owned hotel, in which case they are acting as agents. It's good they have informed you , it's probably the first they knew of it. They have been excellent in my experience sorting out issues

CoolShoeshine · 19/04/2023 19:29

Tui are pretty flexible, I know someone who couldn’t travel last minute (not tui’s fault) and they agreed to swap the holiday dates at no extra charge.

Original poster
Towelin · 20/04/2023 13:25

This is all so useful to hear your thoughts and experience. Thank you.

Phoning them is very much on my to do list now.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 20/04/2023 13:27

Call them , if they can’t swop at a cost you can afford then insist on a very large discount or refund - it’s not the holiday you booked .

Original poster
Towelin · 17/05/2023 16:08

Well, I have just come off yet another call to Tui. Computer says no. They won't refund any money at all.

Even though they have now sent a third 'change' email saying that due to a shortage of private hire vehicles, they can't guarantee the taxi transfer that we paid for.

They just reiterate the fact that we can cancel if we want, and can have a full refund as there are substantial changes to our holiday. But that's not really an option at this point, when annual leave is booked, pet arrangements made etc.

They had promised to call back after my initial call, and never did.

And yesterday, I realised from looking on Trip Advisor that the hotel informed tour operators about the pool closures at the start of January, only a couple of weeks after we had booked our package. Which would have meant we could definitely find something else, had we been told at that point, rather than 18th April... when everything was either much more expensive or booked up already.

Grrrrrrr.

We certainly won't be booking with them again!

OP posts:
ToWonderWhyIBother · 17/05/2023 16:13

Have you checked Jet2 for the same dates, area etc, they are a good company and I've used them for the last 4 holidays that we have been on. If you do find something you could cancel with TUI and get a full refund to enable you to book with Jet 2.

Where have you booked as some people on here might have been to your Hotel recently and have some better advice for you .

TokyoSushi · 17/05/2023 16:17

Have you searched absolutely everywhere for another holiday. If TUI are offering a full refund, then the new holiday doesn't need to be with them...

Where are you going?

MrsCarson · 17/05/2023 16:29

Give us your dates and where you want to go from what airport, this lot are great attending stuff like this online. They'll have you sorted in no time.

MagiMagic · 17/05/2023 16:30

Oh dear, that sounds terrible. I'd cancel. I would be too worried about going and not enjoying myself.

There must be something else you can book elsewhere??

curliegirlie · 17/05/2023 16:33

Would this be Seabank in Malta? We went in March/April and it was fine - building work not too noisy/intrusive and I expect the outdoor pool will be fine - there were a few people braving it even during our stay!

HappiDaze · 17/05/2023 16:33

Just cancel

HappiDaze · 17/05/2023 16:37

Tui haven't done anything wrong

They've updated you and offered you a refund

I don't know why you're complaining

I'd be beyond grateful that they didn't just let me turn up and find out all this information once I'd arrived there. Because that really would be reason to complain about

Quveas · 17/05/2023 16:43

I've travelled with TUI several times without incident or problems, but literally just returned from two weeks in a hotel from hell. Didn't ruin our holiday as we didn't go for the hotel, but several really bad incidents. I spoke to TYUI this morning and complained like hell and got £500 voucher - I only paid £750 for the holiday! The people on the front line aren't very useful - put in a formal complaint and get their trip managers. I have noticed also that TrustPilot bad reviews seem to get their attention.

Quveas · 17/05/2023 16:46

HappiDaze · 17/05/2023 16:37

Tui haven't done anything wrong

They've updated you and offered you a refund

I don't know why you're complaining

I'd be beyond grateful that they didn't just let me turn up and find out all this information once I'd arrived there. Because that really would be reason to complain about

It's not easy for everyone to book leaves that coincide, arrnage pet sitting or kennels etc. Not everyone can simply re-arrange their holidays. So they may have "done nothing wrong" - although if they knew about this in January they should have dealt with it then and not left it until April - but they are not offering the service that was booked. They are a huge company, but not immune to potential bad publicity - they can afford to suck up stuff like this to make people happy.

thedogisstaring · 17/05/2023 16:47

Well you do have an option you just don't like it, cancel and get the refund offered. Yes its annoying but you're going to spend the whole holiday pissed off and looking for others things that are shit. Cut your losses, do a few day trips in this country or try and book a last minute deal.