V-Flyer

Due a work commitments and a lack of public transport over Christmas, I booked a room at a well known Hotel in Central London only for them to be over booked by 30 rooms when I tried to check in [y]

In fairness but only after alot of aruging they did provide another room in another one of their Hotels [:(!]

My initial complaint letter has brought about an total apology and admission of guilt regarding the over booking plus the offer that if I pay to stay there again, they'll upgrade me [;)]

I feel I've been short changed .... Do you agree ? Or am I fighting a losing battle ?

Honestly you could flip a coin over this.

As a standard practice hotels over book, they did provide you with like accommodation's ? In a close by hotel ? and offered you compensation.

Now if they are offering you a upgrade from a standard room to a suite, be happy, a standard room to a room with a view, I would not be so happy.

However you may well be fighting a lost cause.

I am sure somewhere in there T&A it says something along the lines of 'by chance that we are oversold we will provide you with like accommodation's and by accepting these you wave all rights'

Pretty much means you are out of luck.

Also with the hotel situation in London right now, most hotels don't care, they have rooms that are in demand.

Honestly you could flip a coin over this.

As a standard practice hotels over book, they did provide you with like accommodation's ? In a close by hotel ? and offered you compensation.

Now if they are offering you a upgrade from a standard room to a suite, be happy, a standard room to a room with a view, I would not be so happy.

However you may well be fighting a lost cause.

I am sure somewhere in there T&A it says something along the lines of 'by chance that we are oversold we will provide you with like accommodation's and by accepting these you wave all rights'

Pretty much means you are out of luck.

Also with the hotel situation in London right now, most hotels don't care, they have rooms that are in demand.

Stick the free upgrade in a non-sunny place - you have to spend more money with them to get it. And they cocked up over xmas - not acceptable, and a cock up with a higher price tag IMHO. I would probably (not knowing all the details) say sod it, life's too short. I would not waste my time talking to them further and take my money elsewhere in future.

Stick the free upgrade in a non-sunny place - you have to spend more money with them to get it. And they cocked up over xmas - not acceptable, and a cock up with a higher price tag IMHO. I would probably (not knowing all the details) say sod it, life's too short. I would not waste my time talking to them further and take my money elsewhere in future.

Andrew you shouldn't need to argue.I'm assuming they refunded the room cost (in full along with any incidentals such as cab fares etc) to compensate for your inconvenience (and I don't care how close the other hotel they relocated you to was)?If the answer is an affirmative accept their apology and use their gracious and generous offer (not) of the upgrade if you have need/desire in the future. If they haven't reimbursed your hard earned dosh I would be inclined to rant and rave (even more so if you have any status with them- regardless of how lowly).This deliberate overbooking nonsense (be it aeroplanes or hotels ) makes me so cross.The only hotel than has ever done this to me (and it was a geniune error) were mortified -they placed me in an alternative suite, reimbursed me in full,plied Mr DL and I with copious ammounts of decent booze and bent over backwards for us the next day without me uttering a word.Admittedly they had double booked our suite on our wedding night but the apology was genuine and the cock up treated as thus.

Andrew you shouldn't need to argue.I'm assuming they refunded the room cost (in full along with any incidentals such as cab fares etc) to compensate for your inconvenience (and I don't care how close the other hotel they relocated you to was)?If the answer is an affirmative accept their apology and use their gracious and generous offer (not) of the upgrade if you have need/desire in the future. If they haven't reimbursed your hard earned dosh I would be inclined to rant and rave (even more so if you have any status with them- regardless of how lowly).This deliberate overbooking nonsense (be it aeroplanes or hotels ) makes me so cross.The only hotel than has ever done this to me (and it was a geniune error) were mortified -they placed me in an alternative suite, reimbursed me in full,plied Mr DL and I with copious ammounts of decent booze and bent over backwards for us the next day without me uttering a word.Admittedly they had double booked our suite on our wedding night but the apology was genuine and the cock up treated as thus.

Originally posted by DragonLady
Andrew you shouldn't need to argue.I'm assuming they refunded the room cost (in full along with any incidentals such as cab fares etc) to compensate for your inconvenience (and I don't care how close the other hotel they relocated you to was)?

Err not exactly [:(!] The line they used was :Not to worry we'll put you in one of our sister hotels at the same rate you won't need to pay anymore [:(!]'

Originally posted by DragonLady
Andrew you shouldn't need to argue.I'm assuming they refunded the room cost (in full along with any incidentals such as cab fares etc) to compensate for your inconvenience (and I don't care how close the other hotel they relocated you to was)?

Err not exactly [:(!] The line they used was :Not to worry we'll put you in one of our sister hotels at the same rate you won't need to pay anymore [:(!]'

Originally posted by Scrooge
Honestly you could flip a coin over this.

As a standard practice hotels over book, they did provide you with like accommodation's ? In a close by hotel ? and offered you compensation.

I went from a double room to very small single room and from a 5 star to a 4 star with no compensation [}:)]

Originally posted by Scrooge
Honestly you could flip a coin over this.

As a standard practice hotels over book, they did provide you with like accommodation's ? In a close by hotel ? and offered you compensation.

I went from a double room to very small single room and from a 5 star to a 4 star with no compensation [}:)]

Originally posted by andrew.m.wright

I went from a double room to very small single room and from a 5 star to a 4 star with no compensation [}:)]

Which they magnanimously did at the 'same rate'?

I would tell them were to shove their free upgrade and explain that the next correspondence they would be getting would be from your solicitors if a refund was not forthcoming immediately. After all, they did not provide what you had originally bargained for. Sounds like a breach of contract, and any small print could be thrown out as unfair given the cut and dry nature of the complaint.

Originally posted by andrew.m.wright

I went from a double room to very small single room and from a 5 star to a 4 star with no compensation [}:)]

Which they magnanimously did at the 'same rate'?

I would tell them were to shove their free upgrade and explain that the next correspondence they would be getting would be from your solicitors if a refund was not forthcoming immediately. After all, they did not provide what you had originally bargained for. Sounds like a breach of contract, and any small print could be thrown out as unfair given the cut and dry nature of the complaint.

Ok thats a different story.

As Pete said, you had a contract with them for a certain item, you did not receive this, pursue it more.

Ok thats a different story.

As Pete said, you had a contract with them for a certain item, you did not receive this, pursue it more.

cock up - wedding night[:w][:w][:w]

cock up - wedding night[:w][:w][:w]

Originally posted by andrew.m.wright


I went from a double room to very small single room and from a 5 star to a 4 star with no compensation [}:)]

O humm, pretty relevant. Still believe in my comment about their fee upgrade, but in this case I would persue them. Lawyers sounds excessively costly assuming it was not more than a few nights. But small claims court is designed for this sort of claim. Expect to get part of your money back, if not all.

Originally posted by andrew.m.wright


I went from a double room to very small single room and from a 5 star to a 4 star with no compensation [}:)]

O humm, pretty relevant. Still believe in my comment about their fee upgrade, but in this case I would persue them. Lawyers sounds excessively costly assuming it was not more than a few nights. But small claims court is designed for this sort of claim. Expect to get part of your money back, if not all.

Originally posted by Roxy-Popsy
cock up - wedding night[:w][:w][:w]

Whoops[:0][:0][:I][:I]

Originally posted by Roxy-Popsy
cock up - wedding night[:w][:w][:w]

Whoops[:0][:0][:I][:I]

Definitely pursue this further - legal, media etc...

45.

Definitely pursue this further - legal, media etc...

45.

Another thing to try: did you give them your credit card when you made your reservation? If you did (I hope it was Amex!) call your CC immediately and get them to help you.

Many will put enough pressure on the hotel to get you a partial refund at the very least. A good company will get you a full refund! If that won't do it, National Geographic Traveler has a very good ombudsman who handles travel nightmares - and this qualifies, IMHO. Look in Departures for another. Or go to tripso.com and look up Christopher Elliott's columns from there. He always has a link at the end of each article. If he can't get you some dosh back from the hotel, I'll be very surprised. He's the best I know.

Good luck, and don't give up. That's what they're hoping for. Make 'em pay! [}:)][}:)][}:)]

(As to the 'upgrade offer' you received, it's better off used to wipe your a&&, you know, at least that way it was somewhat useful in the er, end...)

Another thing to try: did you give them your credit card when you made your reservation? If you did (I hope it was Amex!) call your CC immediately and get them to help you.

Many will put enough pressure on the hotel to get you a partial refund at the very least. A good company will get you a full refund! If that won't do it, National Geographic Traveler has a very good ombudsman who handles travel nightmares - and this qualifies, IMHO. Look in Departures for another. Or go to tripso.com and look up Christopher Elliott's columns from there. He always has a link at the end of each article. If he can't get you some dosh back from the hotel, I'll be very surprised. He's the best I know.

Good luck, and don't give up. That's what they're hoping for. Make 'em pay! [}:)][}:)][}:)]

(As to the 'upgrade offer' you received, it's better off used to wipe your a&&, you know, at least that way it was somewhat useful in the er, end...)