Well done Janet!!

The background is this thread
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=775754#775754
I would consider it totally unacceptable to be in the so-called all inclusive Albena Beach Club supposed to have evening entertainment, but instead the entertainment is in another hotel, the Gergana.
So First Choice say that you are able to take your All-Inclusive drinks from the Albena Beach Club to the Gergana!!
This is a nonsense, you don't want to be spending all the time shuffling between hotels with drinks, Albena Beach Club clients should be able to get their all in drinks at the Gergana.
Looks as if you have booked your holiday on the basis of a deliberately misleading, or at the very least negligent brochure description.

Peter

Any idea as to where I could go from here?

I dont know where I would stand if I wanted to cancel as its only 4 weeks away, not sent a response back to first choice yet, any help would be appreciated

Janet

All I can suggest is to ring -

ROS FERNIHOUGH TEL. NO. 0845 2262332 (local) or 01922 621114
FAX NO. 01922 629042

She is the author of the Safe & Sound Booklet, and no doubt will be able to advise you.

Peter

Hi

We are booked for next year and was waiting for more reviews to come in before taking the issues up with First Choice, so well done for getting the ball rolling!! As far as I know First Choice also sell the Gergana, so you would have thought that they could have some local arrangement whereby if you have an all inclusive wristband you don't pay for your drinks etc. The brochure also mentions snacks etc at the pool bar- from what I can gather the large pool pictured on the hotel details is for the Gergana as well so presumably this also means carrying your lunch/snacks etc from the beach club if you want to be by the big pool, which I would imagine having younger children we would be.

I have considered changing as it's still a year until we go, but having looked, what we are paying at the beach club wouldn't even get us S/C in say the Balearics. I understand it is cheap in Bulgaria, so having a few evenings out wouldn't worry me, what concerns me more is the pool and daytime facilities.

Personally I do think First Choice need to act- do Trades Descriptions apply to holidays?? They are selling a package and at the end of the day that's what we have paid for and are entitled to.

Good luck whatever you decide to do Janet and keep us posted!!

Pam

Hi Pam,

Local Trading Standards Depts take a very dim view of false brochure descriptions by travel companies and will prosecute if they can.

On conviction the fines and costs amount to thousands of pounds.

Peter

I'm going to move to this Holiday Complaints where you may get more feedback.

Well after spending 2 hours last night looking for an alternative holiday with First Choice I have opted to take a full refund and will be booking elsewhere.

I had various arguments ready to plead my case for a refund but there was no need, they agreed straight away due to number of complaints so far.

So thats the end of my Bulgarian adventure, I will still keep an eye as to the reviews being written but in our circumstances decided it was best to book somewhere completely different.

Thanks for all your help TonyT and Peter of York.

Janet

1st Choice sold the first of their holidays for 2007 in Ireland last week. Because we need a 2 bed apartment the Albena Beach Club was our only alternative in Bulgaria.

I spoke to the girl in the office and she basically told me not to book it as there would be nothing there for my kids to do. So we gave Bulgaria a wide berth for this year.

Hi Waterford 2005, Have you looked at the Balkan Brochure for 2007 there is a Hotel called Nona. I visited this hotel in June to look around as my regular hotel is coming down. I am sure when being shown around the rooms had connecting doors so you could make it too a family size. I am going to this Hotel on 1st September 2006 and can let you know or you can phone the Hotel on 00359 579 62930 and asked for Manageress Janka she was the manageress at my previous hotel for 8 years. She will advise. by the way the Nona is about 150 yards away from Albena Playa and that much closer to center. Cheers Tonyt