Direct Holidays and the great Hotel Con Trick

2009-07-21 10:14:27

Now then , after the Freedom Direct debacle I would have thought by booking with Direct Holiays would have been a painless experience--wrong.
Please bear with me as this is a goodun.
We booked to go to the Royal Asarlik Hotel in Gumbet, where we go every year in September, we booked this back in October last year 2008.
Basically there are 2 parts to the Hotel, the Royal Asarlik Beach which is 4-5 star and is the new part to the hotel and the Asarlik beach which is the older part of the Hotel and is 2-3 star.
Got that?
So we went on line , booked the Royal Asarlik Beach and paid around £700 each as we would expect, as I say we go every year and know the craic.
We have just got our final confirmation and on it states Roayal Asarlik beach, 1 twin ''NOSTALGIA ROOM''
This is actually a room in the old part and having paid ''Royal Prices'' we pointed that out to Direct that we have not paid for this room which comes in at around £150 per person cheaper and is not all inclusive.
It transpires that the hotel has now merged together to form the Royal Asarlik beach but this happened well after our booking.
We were not informed of any of these developements and are now faced with paying 5 star prices for a 3 star room.
We told them that we are not willing to be housed in a sub standard room and want to be where we paid for, but the Hotel is full according to them.
Any ideas people???
Abta is sick of me from the Freedom Direct carry on, so I will ask you guys first and see what you can come up with.

Sarah E Young

2009-07-21 10:29:16

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

I've made a copy of this from the Tour ops forum, thought it might get more response here.

Sarah

MarkJ

2009-07-21 10:35:08

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

Sounds like a major change to me which entitles you to a refund of all monies paid plus compensation the latter depending on when you are due to depart.

Mark

Homersthirdnipple

2009-07-21 10:44:01

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

Mark, due to depart 31st August, but would be devastated if we were to cancel and ask for our money back as it is hard to find alternative accommodation for those two weeks.
Still thinking of going and hitting them when we come back, good idea or bad idea?

MarkJ

2009-07-21 10:48:39

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

Were you informed of this change and offered to accept or get a refund? If so and you're travelling you have accepted the change and can't claim compensation for this.

From your post it looks like you have already talked to the TO/TA.

Mark

Homersthirdnipple

2009-07-21 11:00:03

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

We were not informed of any change at all.
And also I have not seen any comments at all on trip advisor or anywhere else for that matter.
Yes we have alredy been arguing with Direct but to no avail.

stewartwilkie

2009-07-21 11:25:25

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

If the hotel has merged then can you still buy the other block cheaper on non AI basis ?

The website just says AI so i guess you will have lost none of this element or the other facilities of the hotel.

If you are staying at what is now known as the Royal and you have use of all facilities and AI I think it is going to be difficult to get anything out of them. It is your knowledge of the hotel that tells you the older block rooms may not be up to standard of the newer area, maybe these rooms have been refurbished.

You will have to show that what you booked you are not getting so if you have the old details that state what is in the room then keep this and take it with you.

If the hotel is all one and therefore the hotel you booked and no loss of facilities then this is going to be a hard one to presue.

Kind Regards
Stewart

Sunaddict

2009-07-21 11:26:41

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

How does Direct Holidays know the hotel is full unless someone has contaced to try to find out? The hotel are unlikely to have had rooming lists in from the Tour Ops for that date yet. Maybe it is Direct's allocation that is full and they don't want to be bothered to try to get another room in the new part?

Homersthirdnipple

2009-07-21 11:53:44

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

Thats more like the case that the TO allocation is full, maybe the hotel is not full.

Sunaddict wrote:
How does Direct Holidays know the hotel is full unless someone has contaced to try to find out? The hotel are unlikely to have had rooming lists in from the Tour Ops for that date yet. Maybe it is Direct's allocation that is full and they don't want to be bothered to try to get another room in the new part?

Thats more like the case that the TO allocation is full, maybe the hotel is not full.

stewartwilkie wrote:
If the hotel is all one and therefore the hotel you booked and no loss of facilities then this is going to be a hard one to presue.

We have possibly lost the use of a 4-5 star room as opposed to a 2-3 star room, and having stayed in both types of rooms there is no comparison.

stewartwilkie

2009-07-21 12:25:57

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

If the hotel is all one now then looking at the web site there is no differential on the rooms ( dont advertise a superior or standard room ). Its a 5 star hotel according to them. Unless you can book the rooms that are inferior at a lower rate I dont see what action you can take other than take it up with the hotel or rep if you feel your room is not up to the standard that was advertised when you paid for it.

Kind Regards
Stewart

helencfo2

2009-07-21 13:12:58

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

do you think that if they have merged the two hotels that they may have upgraded the older rooms to the same standard.

Homersthirdnipple

2009-07-21 13:22:17

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

helencfo2 wrote:
do you think that if they have merged the two hotels that they may have upgraded the older rooms to the same standard.

No they have not that is why they call them the NOSTALGIA rooms, nostalgia being the Turkish interpretation of 'old fashioned.

I have since called the Hotel and as we are classed as golden guests we will be allocated a 'nice room' and not in the old part as they say they value our custom and we are not to worry about our accommodation or what Direct Holidays have to say.

This is maybe a warning to others who book at this hotel, seeing the nice 5 star rooms and being allocated an old one, just be carefull when you book.

Thanks All

fwh

2009-07-21 14:38:32

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

OK stop messing about with a lost cause. Have a look on Consumer Direct website. There is a telephone number there. Ring them and tell them your story. It will only cost you the price of the call and they will be able to tell you exactly where you stand.

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

fwh

stewartwilkie

2009-07-21 15:23:18

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

Glad you got it sorted and a nice warning to others if staying here.

Surely the hotel will get complaints from guests if they see their rooms are noticeably worse than others.

Kind Regards
Stewart

Homersthirdnipple

2009-07-21 17:30:33

Re: Direct Holidays and the great Hotel ???? Trick

fwh wrote:
OK stop messing about with a lost cause. Have a look on Consumer Direct website. There is a telephone number there. Ring them and tell them your story. It will only cost you the price of the call and they will be able to tell you exactly where you stand.

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

fwh

Thanks will do, and I will let you know what happens

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