Reply to: Hotel double booking

[d000hg]

So it's Easter Saturday 2pm afternoon and the manager of the hotel I've booked has just told me that the room I've already paid for has been double booked and given to somebody else. Besides having the room refunded, what else can I do? Do I have any legal protection? Can I sue the hotel? Forgodssake it's Easter Saturday, where else can I find a room for this weekend?

Disappointing, you didn't even hint the double booking was due to using Microsoft software.

[Freamon]

Happened to me at the Travel Inn in Cheltenham.

I was not a happy lizard, having put about £10k through their books over the previous year.

That'll teach you to go to somewhere like Cheltenham.

[Freamon]

I'm sure they'll sort it out for you. What about the honeymoon suite?

Not a bad idea, and it might impress the other element of his booking for the evening as well.

[northernladuk]

How did you become forum personality of the year?

Oh yeah - cuk is full of knobs and trolls and you are a sasguru squared.

Coming from you I will take that a compliment.

[bless 'em all]

Why not ask for a free night in the future as compensation instead?

Get there before they give your room away though.

[AtW]

The way things go I reckon Malvolio will be CUK Personality of the Year 2012 ...

[BrilloPad]

Only 's use the term 'sue' when trying to sort our a minor dispute.

You could try ringing your mummy.

How did you become forum personality of the year?

Oh yeah - cuk is full of knobs and trolls and you are a sasguru squared.

[BrilloPad]

Thank you all for your replies. This was supposed to be a private Easter booking , not for work. The manager could not find any alternatives, either at the hotel or anywhere else as it's all booked in the area for Easter. Eventually I got the refund back and decided to go back home. It's sad, I'll take revenge by leaving a negative review on the booking website. Done and dusted. Have a nice Easter.

Why not ask for a free night in the future as compensation instead?

[Sands of Time]

Thank you all for your replies. This was supposed to be a private Easter booking , not for work. The manager could not find any alternatives, either at the hotel or anywhere else as it's all booked in the area for Easter. Eventually I got the refund back and decided to go back home. It's sad, I'll take revenge by leaving a negative review on the booking website. Done and dusted. Have a nice Easter.

Name and Shame!

I'll leave a cr@p review too!




Tone

[NotAllThere]

I vaguely recall hearing that in the event of a double booking, hotels are obliged to find you accomodation at no extra cost.

[AtW]

stek also got double booked - 3 points each time.

[petergriffin]

Thank you all for your replies. This was supposed to be a private Easter booking , not for work. The manager could not find any alternatives, either at the hotel or anywhere else as it's all booked in the area for Easter. Eventually I got the refund back and decided to go back home. It's sad, I'll take revenge by leaving a negative review on the booking website. Done and dusted. Have a nice Easter.

[wim121]

just find another hotel and if it costs more, invoice them the difference. That's what a contractor does.

Maybe if you told us where you were, all of us could help. For example, anywhere in the Nw or London and i can find you a place straight away.

[bless 'em all]

So it's Easter Saturday 2pm afternoon and the manager of the hotel I've booked has just told me that the room I've already paid for has been double booked and given to somebody else. Besides having the room refunded, what else can I do? Do I have any legal protection? Can I sue the hotel? Forgodssake it's Easter Saturday, where else can I find a room for this weekend?

If a hotel or travel company have overbooked (which is common practice to allow for late cancellations), they have a responsibility to outbook you to a nearby hotel of the same or a superior standard to the one you had already booked. They are also expected to absorb the difference in cost and, if the error doesn't come to light until you arrive at the hotel, they are also liable for your transport to the hotel you have been outbooked to.

Your rights...
You do have the right to refuse the alternative accomodation booked for you if it is of a lesser standard to that you had paid for and you can also refuse the cash compensation if you can prove that it doesn't account for the difference in the room rates.

I'm sure they'll sort it out for you. What about the honeymoon suite?

[AtW]

Can I sue the hotel?

Yes, but you will most certainly lose because I bet their terms of sales were such that they can change their mind like this without any penalties so long as they give refund.