Hi all,

Today I took alpharooms to court basically because we felt our holiday had been ruined. Unfortunately I lost my case due to the law surrounding 'agents'. As alpharooms do not sell flights or transfers I was not protected by the package holiday regulations. However this does not stop me from telling people the truth about alpharooms.

The only reason I lost my case was due to the judge agreeing with alpharooms that they acted as an agent only, and so could not be held responsible for the problems we had with our hotels.

The judgment from the court did not rely on any of the information as stated below, and so I am free to tell this information until a court of law says I can't.

Today in court alpharooms where represented by **** who is the customer relations manager at alpharooms, and *** who is the sales supervisor at alpharooms.

Here's the story

We booked a 4 star hotel through alpharooms, however we experienced several problems with the hotel. We booked to stay for 5 days on a all inclusive deal at the hotel Gran Costa in Mijas Spain, 2 rooms for 3 people. On arriving at the hotel my room was dirty, the ventilation in the bathroom didn't work, we felt the food on the snack bar was below standard, and the toilet seat in the bathroom was in two pieces. On the second day of our stay there my friend cut his hand open in the hotel swimming pool. It was on the second day we requested that alpharooms change our hotels.

Alpharooms agreed to change our hotels, although by doing so, this does not mean that alpharooms where admitting liability, or legally contracted to do so. So the court says anyway.

*** at alpharooms told us that they had no other 4 star hotels available, and so offered us the 3 star Puente Real. Without knowing anything about this hotel, other than its name, location and star rating, we agreed. alpharooms told us we had to pay an extra 40 euros to change to the Puente Real, we also agreed to this.

We basically wanted to enjoy the rest of our holiday.

*** at alpharooms told us to get a receipt for the taxi transfer, and make a claim for this on our return to the UK.

On arriving at the hotel Puente Real, my room smelled like what can only be described as an old peoples home. The rooms where tatty and the furniture was old and battered. As it was late in the evening when we arrived at the Puente Real, alpharooms office in the UK was closed and so we couldn't ring to complain.

We honestly thought that as we'd come from a 4 star hotel to a 3 star hotel plus the need for an extra 40 euros, we would of at least been sent to a decent 3 star hotel. How wrong we were.

I should mention the food in the hotel Puente Real... but its not actually worth mentioning as its not fit for a dog. I didn't eat anything in this hotel what so ever.

In the morning I went to the reception desk at the Puente Real to ask for a number for Hotel beds (This is alpharooms suppliers). I called the number I was given and spoke to a Spanish man. Barcelo (the guy from Hotel beds) told me, the reason you were moved to the 3 star Puente Real was due to the hotel Gran Costa being the cheapest 4 star hotel available, and that the Puente Real price was near enough the same as the cost for the Gran Costa. He then asked me about the 40 euros we had agreed to pay for the Puente Real, and I politely told him I'm not paying it. He then told me to contact alpharooms to discuss being moved.

At 9am English time, I contacted alpharooms again and spoke to ***. The first words out his mouth when he knew who I was, were 'I knew you'd ring back'. I told him 'if you knew I'd ring back, why did you put us here in the first place', I told *** I wanted moving.

*** went off to look for alternative hotels for us, and came back with the 5 star hotel Torrequebrada in Benalmadena. He quoted the cost for this hotel which was an whopping £900.00, which was for 3 days, we obviously declined this offer.

We then went onto alpharooms website from Spain to check ourselves. We found the hotel Playa Bonita in Benelmadina, on a AI basis. We told *** about this who checked and said 'its not available' I then said what if we all move into one room, would that help? He checked again and said it's now available. He quoted us 124.31 euros per day for the 3 of us for 1 room. As we had 3 days left that (including that day) it would of been 374.93 euros. I then asked ***, if we pay this charge will we get our money back when we return home. *** told me "you can make a claim, but I doubt you'll get all if any of your money back. He then told me that alpharooms were prepared to refund us the nights unused in the Gran Costa hotel if we booked into the Playa Bonita. I asked him how much the refund was, he told me £261.00. At that time I didn't know for sure how much 374 euros was, although I knew it roughly the same amount as the refund would of been. *** informed me that we needed to pay the charge for the Playa Bonita there and then by credit card. I then asked ***, as they were going to refund me the virtually the same amount as the new charge would be, can you not adjust the computer as this was silly. *** told me "no, that's not the way the company works" I then asked to speak with a supervisor.

The phone was then passed over to ******. When I first spoke to ***, I explained everything that me and *** had discussed and about the refund and new charge. *** told me she agreed and that she would look at the figures and call me back. 25 Minutess later *** called me back telling me she could move us into the Playa Bonita at a cost of £21.18, I asked ***l was that for all inclusive? she said "no half board". I then said I don't believe this, *** then said (and I remember exactly, word for word what she said) "I have no problems, in canceling your reservation and having you thrown out". I then proceeded to tell her you ** dare, at which she put the phone down on me.

30 Minutes later we were all in my room when the phone rang, it was a woman from Hotel beds saying she was coming to see us the day after, the woman did not say why she was coming to see us. It was at this moment we all agreed we weren't prepared to sit around waiting to be kicked out of our hotel. So we decided to fly home early, costing us an extra £140.00.

Alpharooms made our holiday a totally miserable experience; and basically couldn't have cared less about us. I do understand what the court has said, regarding them not being liable for the problems or legally contracted to rectify. But I am in no way saying that I agree with it.

Although I didn't get my chance to put the whole truth to the judge, I can still publicly tell people exactly how they treat people.

Be warned with alpharooms. If you ever book any accommodation with this company, you will NOT be protected by law if you ever experience what we did, there will be nothing you can do, and now they know it.

APD.

*Edit to remove staff member names and also libellous comments -Glynis*