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Hello. I am so pleased to have found this site. It is much needed. We "civilians" often have simple questions about law but do not know who to turn to.
I recently booked a room for my wife and self in a hotel through Hotels.com and the credit card payment was processed by them and it is Hotels.com on the statement. The very small hotel in Portsmouth had reasonable reviews but it was the location that was important. The only option to book was as "non-refundable".
I reserved the room at about 6.30 pm, arrived at about 7.10 pm and was shown the room by the receptionist while my wife waited in the car, but it was up four full flights of stairs and there was no lift. My wife has osteoporosis and would not have been able to climb so many stairs. I had to reject the room, which in itself was clean and satisfactory, but the receptionist was insistent that no other room was available. There was no mention in the hotel description that rooms were over three floor without a lift.
I 'phoned Hotels.com to explain the situation and try to cancel at 7.20 pm, so the whole process was over in less than one hour. They could not offer a refund so I had to pay again for another hotel on the edge of the city, stating that the owner would not agree to a refund. I have since been in contact with Hotels.com to no avail; the credit card issuer cannot help as the £65.00 cost was below the Section 75 minimum. This low price was about average for the area.
I have since checked several other booking sites including one that appears to belong to the hotel and one can only book on a non-refundable basis. It makes me wonder if this is a ploy by the hotel to sell rooms but not necessarily supply.
I am happy to try to claim via the small claims court but I do not know who to claim against - the hotel or Hotels.com who took the payment. I am also having difficulty finding details of the proprietor, so any advice on this would also be gratefully received ( I have tried the local council but as there is no bar in the hotel their licencing authority could not help - but I would expect that a hotel must be registered with some authority ).
I would be glad and thankful for any advice.
I recently booked a room for my wife and self in a hotel through Hotels.com and the credit card payment was processed by them and it is Hotels.com on the statement. The very small hotel in Portsmouth had reasonable reviews but it was the location that was important. The only option to book was as "non-refundable".
I reserved the room at about 6.30 pm, arrived at about 7.10 pm and was shown the room by the receptionist while my wife waited in the car, but it was up four full flights of stairs and there was no lift. My wife has osteoporosis and would not have been able to climb so many stairs. I had to reject the room, which in itself was clean and satisfactory, but the receptionist was insistent that no other room was available. There was no mention in the hotel description that rooms were over three floor without a lift.
I 'phoned Hotels.com to explain the situation and try to cancel at 7.20 pm, so the whole process was over in less than one hour. They could not offer a refund so I had to pay again for another hotel on the edge of the city, stating that the owner would not agree to a refund. I have since been in contact with Hotels.com to no avail; the credit card issuer cannot help as the £65.00 cost was below the Section 75 minimum. This low price was about average for the area.
I have since checked several other booking sites including one that appears to belong to the hotel and one can only book on a non-refundable basis. It makes me wonder if this is a ploy by the hotel to sell rooms but not necessarily supply.
I am happy to try to claim via the small claims court but I do not know who to claim against - the hotel or Hotels.com who took the payment. I am also having difficulty finding details of the proprietor, so any advice on this would also be gratefully received ( I have tried the local council but as there is no bar in the hotel their licencing authority could not help - but I would expect that a hotel must be registered with some authority ).
I would be glad and thankful for any advice.
