Hotel booking not what was described.

[Streetwise]

Hi to all,I am posting this for a friend who recently took a short break to visit her mother who had just had knee replacement surgery.She decided to book a hotel that she had stayed in the past, because it had a gym and an indoor pool for the children to play in,when she booked the hotel she was aware that the hotel was having some renovation work undertaken to areas of the hotel, and the gym and pool where part of the renovation, she booked online,when she checked in to the hotel she inquired about using the pool and gym, and was told at reception that the pool and gym had been shut since June,this was the end of August,she asked to cancel her booking and was told she could cancel but would get no refund as she had booked through a third party,she informed the hotel that if she had known that these facilities were in fact CLOSED, she would have booked another hotel with the facilities,she feels quite hard done by, does she have any way of getting any compensation,in if so how,thanks in advance,Streetwise.:tinysmile_cry_t:

[Streetwise]

Re: Hotel booking not what was described.

Bump.

[bluebottle]

Re: Hotel booking not what was described.

Did your mother's friend ring the hotel and enquire about the renovations or was it on their website? Was the closure of the gym and pool advised over the phone or on the hotel's website? When the hotel are saying "third party", who are they referring to? If they are trying to say the firm that hosts their site is a third party, the answer to that is "Nice try. Try another one." The hotel is responsible for whatever appears on their website.

[Streetwise]

Re: Hotel booking not what was described.

Hi Bluebottle and thanks for the response,

The hotel was booked through hotels.com,there web site clearly stated that renovation work was going on at the hotel but did not say that the leisure centre was in fact closed, and had been since June 2012,she booked in August 2012,she was only told that the leisure centre was closed when she checked into the hotel at reception,thanks again for any advice you can give,Streetwise.

[Guest]

Re: Hotel booking not what was described.

HI
Is the hotel part of a chain(best western,etc.), sometimes you get a better response i have found if you write to the head office.
Unfortunately if the accommodation was paid for through a third party the credit card protection of section 75 would not work.

I use Trip Adviser and have quite a few reviews on there, on one occasion i had a bad experiences on a hotel in the lakes and sent a preview of my upcoming submission to the manager, this resulted in an apology and a partial refund, a bit like blackmail i know, but i made it clear that i would include any response with my submission and it does give them the chance to redeem themselves.

D

[bluebottle]

Re: Hotel booking not what was described.

I hate to say this, but it would have been better if your friend's mother had first checked with the hotel in question before booking. What Davyb has said is correct, but do follow their advice. You never know, your friend's mother might get a result.

[Streetwise]

Re: Hotel booking not what was described.

Hi davy b,and thanks for the reply,

Its the Hilton group of hotels but as she booked through (Hotels.com ),the duty manager told her she needs to take her compliant to them as that is who she booked through but I will pass on your advice,thanks again.