We were due to visit the Calimera Habiba in Marsa Alam again on the 7th of May for 2 weeks. We booked this hotel on the 2nd of July after enjoying a great weeks holiday there last year. We upgraded to a suite again and contacted the hotel to try and get the same beach front suite as last year and they confirmed this would be arranged.
I got an email from one of the reception staff to say there was a problem with Thomas Cook and they only had 10 rooms and my name was not among them. I went into the branch the following day and was assured everything was ok then on Friday a friend who has booked the same time got a letter informing a change of hotel to the Brayka Bay. We have not had a letter but went back to the branch because our bookings were linked together and true enough we are getting moved too and there is some building work near by. I have heard the building work did not effect other travellers holiday but I am a little worried about the size of the Brayka Bay as it has 456 room compared to 300 at our origonal booking. I really want a quiet time and not a fight with 800 or so other guests over beach space.
I asked about the Kahramana next door to the Calimera but they are only offering £125 refund in total for a standard room and H/B instead of A/I which makes it way to expensive.
I am feeling forced to accept the Brayka Bay because we can't change the time of our holiday and already have airport hotels booked. Another concern is the Brayka is not even a Thomas Cook hotel but instead used by Thomson so what happens if we need the rep? If they offered us the Coraya(another Thomson hotel)I would of been happier as this is more similar to our first choice but it does not seem to be an option.
Sorry for going on but has anyone had similar problems or any tips on how to deal with this situation, a manager is ment to be calling me tomorrow but time will tell.
Barry.
After a hopful conversation this morning suggesting there might be other options open to us we have ended up with 2 choices, go or stay at home. If we go it will be the Brayka Bay and a standard room, nothing else is an option as they want alot more money from us never mind compensation for our troubles.
Ten months ago we had a beach front suite at the hotel of our choice, two weeks before departure we have a standard room at a hotel we had looked at ten months ago but reckoned there were several places we would rather go to.
We would cancel but have already paid for hotels either side of our flights at Manchester and given Monarch money for seats that I will fit in, total price for the extras is £310. Also with holidays from work we would not be able to go until September if we don't travel these dates.
Don't know how we could ever possibly consider booking a package holiday again with any level of confidence. right now we will just have to look forward to what we have and try to get into the right frame of mind to enjoy it before battling with Thomas Cook when we get back.
Hope everyone else gets what they want.
Barry.
Ten months ago we had a beach front suite at the hotel of our choice, two weeks before departure we have a standard room at a hotel we had looked at ten months ago but reckoned there were several places we would rather go to.
We would cancel but have already paid for hotels either side of our flights at Manchester and given Monarch money for seats that I will fit in, total price for the extras is £310. Also with holidays from work we would not be able to go until September if we don't travel these dates.
Don't know how we could ever possibly consider booking a package holiday again with any level of confidence. right now we will just have to look forward to what we have and try to get into the right frame of mind to enjoy it before battling with Thomas Cook when we get back.
Hope everyone else gets what they want.
Barry.
Oh goodness, that sounds such a disappointment. It looks like TC have left you with no choices at all really. You cant even cancel if you dont want to lose the money you have paid in extras for other things.
Don't know if it helps, but a regular on here was bumped by TC from the Gazala Gardens to the Sonesta Beach in Sharm & came back having had a good holiday. But when you have looked forward to and paid for something 10 month in advance it is so disappointing.
All I can do is hope you have a lovely holiday at the Brakya Bay, not been to Marsa Alam,but it does sound lovely. Try to stay positive and enjoy your holiday and don't let TC spoil it for you anymore than they have already done, by letting your mind wander to what it would have been like at the other hotel.
All the choice is being taken out of the Package Holiday market so this is the type of thing consumers seem to have to put up with.
Doe
Don't know if it helps, but a regular on here was bumped by TC from the Gazala Gardens to the Sonesta Beach in Sharm & came back having had a good holiday. But when you have looked forward to and paid for something 10 month in advance it is so disappointing.
All I can do is hope you have a lovely holiday at the Brakya Bay, not been to Marsa Alam,but it does sound lovely. Try to stay positive and enjoy your holiday and don't let TC spoil it for you anymore than they have already done, by letting your mind wander to what it would have been like at the other hotel.
All the choice is being taken out of the Package Holiday market so this is the type of thing consumers seem to have to put up with.
Doe
Atlast a little bit of good news, I have confirmed the Brayka Bay but complained again about the way things have gone and booking a suite yet getting a standard room. She called back 5 minutes later to say she can refund the suite upgrade so we get £308 back which makes it feel a bit better. Would still rather not have that money bit don't feel ripped off as well as messed about anymore.
Barry.
Barry.
As you say better than nothing, but I am sure you would still rather be going to where you had originally booked. Better the money in your pocket than theirs.
I am still going on a letter writing campaign when we get back even if it is a fantastic holiday. I know problems can happen and it sounds like the hotel overbooked not Thomas Cook but I was penalised for booking early and getting a good price and this is my main point of contention. They only looked at how much I had paid and not what I paid for, had I booked later and got a worse deal they would of been happy to move me to other hotels but at short notice we could not afford the options offered.
I really struggle to understand how TC think the way they have dealt with this is good business, I have often said it is easy to provide good service when everything runs smoothly but it is when there are problems that you really find how good a company is, indeed I have been more loyal to companies in the past that have solved unexpected issues quickly.
One thing for sure is it will be difficult to justify booking early again, if for no other reason I'd rather not look forward to something for 10 months to end up feeling like I have the last few days.
Now need a change of mind set to look forward to some good weather and heat and get away from the cold and wet up here, we will enjoy ourselves despite TC's efforts.
Barry.
I really struggle to understand how TC think the way they have dealt with this is good business, I have often said it is easy to provide good service when everything runs smoothly but it is when there are problems that you really find how good a company is, indeed I have been more loyal to companies in the past that have solved unexpected issues quickly.
One thing for sure is it will be difficult to justify booking early again, if for no other reason I'd rather not look forward to something for 10 months to end up feeling like I have the last few days.
Now need a change of mind set to look forward to some good weather and heat and get away from the cold and wet up here, we will enjoy ourselves despite TC's efforts.
Barry.
Hi Barry
Sorry to hear about you being messed about with Thomas cook, Maybe this can help (don't mean to wind you up) we were at the Calimera from the 2nd until the 16th April, the hotel was full mainly Italians, Tom the Thomas cook rep had to move out for a few days but was back in well before we left.
we had a room near to what they call the Italian pool (the Eden part of the hotel) ask if they can find you a room there as the italian rush is now over which is why the hotel was full.
I can confirm there is or was NO BUILDING WORK going on anywhere near the hotels Calimera and Kaharamra and no sign of any starting either, so you are getting fobbed off, we could also use the amenities of any of the hotels as they are all owned by the same company (BG hotels).
At the start of our second week we were told the thomas cook Manchester flight had to divert to Gatwick to pick up more passengers and then found the plane to be overbooked so it wouldn't suprise me to think that has happened again and messed up your holiday. As I say if you need a statement I will gladly help out, have to say we had a great time, I hope all goes well. I will do a statement for you if it would help for any loss.
Cheers
Pete
Sorry to hear about you being messed about with Thomas cook, Maybe this can help (don't mean to wind you up) we were at the Calimera from the 2nd until the 16th April, the hotel was full mainly Italians, Tom the Thomas cook rep had to move out for a few days but was back in well before we left.
we had a room near to what they call the Italian pool (the Eden part of the hotel) ask if they can find you a room there as the italian rush is now over which is why the hotel was full.
I can confirm there is or was NO BUILDING WORK going on anywhere near the hotels Calimera and Kaharamra and no sign of any starting either, so you are getting fobbed off, we could also use the amenities of any of the hotels as they are all owned by the same company (BG hotels).
At the start of our second week we were told the thomas cook Manchester flight had to divert to Gatwick to pick up more passengers and then found the plane to be overbooked so it wouldn't suprise me to think that has happened again and messed up your holiday. As I say if you need a statement I will gladly help out, have to say we had a great time, I hope all goes well. I will do a statement for you if it would help for any loss.
Cheers
Pete
I am in contact with a couple of people who are staying at the Calimera Habiba at the same time we will be at the Brayka Bay, frustrated that we booked the Calimera before them but they still get to go but they are going to try and get some info as to why this problem has occured.
Any help from anyone would be gratefully received but for now we want to try and keep negative thoughts at bay and try to look forward to our new destination, with the bad weather continuing that should not be too hard.
Barry.
Any help from anyone would be gratefully received but for now we want to try and keep negative thoughts at bay and try to look forward to our new destination, with the bad weather continuing that should not be too hard.
Barry.
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