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

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Flip

Original poster

TRAVELODGE BEWARE

7 replies

pandagirl57 · 10/04/2009 02:19

PRE BOOKING RIP OFF

I booked my stay with Travelodge Scarboroughin in February 2009for a visit in June2009. Thinking I would be getting the best deal available. As they advertise that their saver rooms can be booked up 12 months in advance and give you a good deal....BEWARE

Saver rooms are only bookable via the internet and you have to book each might of your stay separtately in order to get the saver rate. As I was staying 7 nights it was vert time consuming. I booked 5 nights at £33 a night 1 night at £30 and 1 night at £40 making a total of £235.

Can you imagine the shock, upset and anger I felt when checked the website on April 7th and discovered that the same rooms are now on sale for £9 and £19. So if I had Booked on April 7th, I could have booked 3 nights at £19 and 4 nights at £9. That is a total of £93, a saving of £142.

People who booked then would get the same service and room as me but at a drastically lower price. How can they justify this? I call it a total rip off and want to warn you not to pre book to far in advance. 21 days is the least you can book for the Saver rooms. So make sure you only book 21 days before. Do not get ripped off like me.

Their website states under :- The Travelodge price check "By booking at travelodge.co.uk you can sleep easy knowing that you won't pay over the odds for your room"

Well I am not sleeping easy make sure you do!

OP posts:

tigerdroveoverthebunnies · 10/04/2009 02:26

Well it is irritating but this is what happens with all holidays - you ask the person next to you what they paid and the reply makes you

Sorry just love these bunnies.

The thing to think about is whether you feel you are getting a good deal for what you've booked. If you are, then so what if someone else has got a better deal. If not, .

Shock, upset and anger - maybe a bit OTT, panda? Can understand a bit of irritation.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 10/04/2009 02:44

But any hotel room is cheaper, the nearer to time you need/want it, you book! Particularly the budget chains, but even West End London hotels can be had waaaay cheaper than the rack rate.

You pay a premium to know for certain that you have a room on the far-away (but important to you) date you want it.

Or you take the chance of there not being a room available at all, and book at the last minute. At that point, the hotel only needs to cover the costs of servicing the room (£2-5 at most) plus ? to make a profit, so you can get a very cheap room.

At any point in between, it is a balancing act for the hotel as to how much profit it can make, depending on how many alternatives may be available to you, how important that date/venue is to you etc. What do they think your perceived value of their room, is?

Sorry you feel you've been ripped off, but you thought the stay was worth that money when you paid/booked. Can you console yourself with the peace of mind that you definitely have accommodation sorted?

nametaken · 10/04/2009 06:14

I'm very surprised you didn't know about this sort of thing. OldLady is right and I don't think you've been ripped off either. I think you've got a week in a seaside resort for 4 people for £233 and can't fathom why you're complaining.

Why don't you cancel your booking and re-book with the cheaper prices.

Wait till you're restricted to having your holidays in school holiday time and see how much it'll be then!

Portoeufino · 10/04/2009 06:19

This is the VERY reason that Lastminute.com is so successful! I think you have to make a choice between having confirmed accommodation or picking up a last min bargain - but with an element of risk.

littleducks · 10/04/2009 07:41

(you havent stayed there yet have you? do you realise that as having booked each night as a single stay they could make you check out every morning?)

SoupDreggon · 10/04/2009 07:47

Welcome to Mumsnet.

Have you gone round every website posting this?

HerBeatitudeLittleBella · 10/04/2009 07:51

It's not a rip off, it's normal standard booking practice. It's the same with flights. If you know you absolutely have to have those rooms/ seats you pay up front. Sometimes, 2 weeks before you get there you find that the price has gone down, at other times, you find it's gone up (last year for example, I booked flights to Italy 7 months before my holiday and had I waited until a month before, they would have cost me £1500 more. Luck of the draw.)

Flip