I have had my holiday booked for a year and always book in advance to get a good price.
We are booked with Thomas cook to go all-inclusive to Turkey at Easter this year. I went on the hotels web site 2 weeks ago ( they have recently re vamped the site) and found to my dismay thet we will not get the advertised facilities that were in the brochure at the time of year we are going.
The brochure makes no mention of this, the hotel was to be a 24 hour all- inclusive, with some international brands of drink, and 5 al a carte restaurants. We chose this hotel for these reasons. I e- mailed the hotel and infact it will be all- inclusive from 10 am till midnight after which times we have to pay for all services, ie drinks etc. The hotel will only have 2 al a cartes available and only serve local drinks at all times. I am not happy about the local drinks and having to pay for drinks after 12 o clock.
We went at easter last year to another hotel in the same resort and got exactly as per brochure and the wording was as the holiday we have booked this year
.Ihave made many calls over 12 days and finally was told yesterday that the hotel is correct in the information given to me . This is not the holiday that we had booked and the brochure is mis- leading, they have a little bit at bottom of page saying that the facilties are from last season and subject to change, and are using this as a get out. I have looked and the current brochure for easter 2008 and they are still advertising all the same facilties as when we booked this holiday from the Turkey april 2006 -2007
I have phoned consummer direct and it is being passed to trading standards but i was told it may take a few days for a call from them. I am so frustrated because on Monday someone from Thomas cook agent services rang me and led me to belief that it was the hotel breaking the contract, but yesterday she contacted the agents after failing to get back to me herself, to let them know that the contract with the hotel only be gins in May. How can they get away with putting datails the brochure if they are not true!!
The tc agent who i booked with said I could change free of charge to another hotel but the have all gone up so much.in the year since we booked. Also even though i booked this via the internet i now have to go off brochure prices cos it is an amendment?? They quoted a price for another hotel of over £600 more for the same hotel available on the internet on tc site but when i pointed this out he said i would have to pay todays price. I also said that they were only giving a daicount on the internet of £135 so where did the exra ammount come from?? I told him I was seeking further advise after i asked him to see if I could have a refund of the full holiday cost and was refused this. It would have been much cheaper to do this and then re- book.
Sorry this is long winded but any feed back would be most welcome. Some of the advise to others that I have read before posting was so useful to them
Thanks in anticipation Violet123
Hi there
I was always under the impression that there was always a timescale for "What you get for free" so to speak regarding all inclusive holidays.
I presume you will get your breakfast on an all inclusive basis? I think that 10am to midnight was a pretty good deal. How much can you actually eat and drink between these hours?
Check with your travel agent but I am sure you will find that these times are standard. Also I think you will find that alcoholic drink is always only locally produced and very rarely international (due to the cost of importing) but I may be wrong.
Bizzilady
I was always under the impression that there was always a timescale for "What you get for free" so to speak regarding all inclusive holidays.
I presume you will get your breakfast on an all inclusive basis? I think that 10am to midnight was a pretty good deal. How much can you actually eat and drink between these hours?
Check with your travel agent but I am sure you will find that these times are standard. Also I think you will find that alcoholic drink is always only locally produced and very rarely international (due to the cost of importing) but I may be wrong.
Bizzilady
Yes I know i will get breakfast, but the brochure clearly stated 24 hours and international drinks. Its not how much we can eat or drink, but we are not looking to go to bed at 12 o clock every night and just like the choice! We have been on similar All-inclusives many times. Lots of hotels have international brands! I was looking for advice not sarcastic comments.
Voilet I understand exactly what you are saying, and its completely unacceptable that you booked your holiday so far in advance to get a good deal only to find that the facilities offered when you booked it in good faith are no longer available!!!
When I go on holiday I normally stay up after 12midnight, and if it was advertised when you booked that the drinks would be free after that time then thats what you should get!!!!
Having said all that I am not an expert so I cant advise you any more, other than to contact Holiday Truths Solicitor, who gives advice free of charge ................her name is Ros Fernighough...............dont have her phone number to hand but Im sure very shortly another member will come on with her details.
Sounds like youve been treated unfairly and she is the one to tell you what to do now.
Please keep us informed.
When I go on holiday I normally stay up after 12midnight, and if it was advertised when you booked that the drinks would be free after that time then thats what you should get!!!!
Having said all that I am not an expert so I cant advise you any more, other than to contact Holiday Truths Solicitor, who gives advice free of charge ................her name is Ros Fernighough...............dont have her phone number to hand but Im sure very shortly another member will come on with her details.
Sounds like youve been treated unfairly and she is the one to tell you what to do now.
Please keep us informed.
Thanks tootsie,
Thanks for your kind words and understanding.
We are really anxious to have a good holiday, because we had a really horrible time at Christmas in Cuba.The hotel was under going refurbishments and they only re-opened 2 days before we went. The refurbishments were still on going and the hotel was not ready to take guests. I found out one month prior to travel but First choice would not let us change holidays. Thomas cook did let there customers going to the same hotel have a full refund or a change of hotel.
I am not really wanting to cancel but a move to another hotel with all the facilties as advertised and at no cost to us would be our ideal solution. We are already booked to go easter 2008 to the hotel we went to last easter with thomas cook we have had many good one with this company. last year the hotel was superb and the one this year is going to be a dissapointment. We actually viewed it while there last year and it is a beautiful 5 star hotel, so no problems on that score but we are not going to have available what was very clearly stated in the brochure. A german lady on a german site went to the hotel last summer and again at Xmas ans she commented on the difference of what was not available to them
All we want is a stress free holiday this time and I am already fed up before we go. we are waiting for a response to our letter of complaint from the cuba holiday I am not having much luck again with this one it would seem.
I had been waiting for phone calls from T C and for answers for nearly 2 weeks and got know where with them.
i think these days they put so many things in the brochures to cover themselves for every eventuality and we travellers are at there mercy so to speak once we part with our hard earned cash.
regards violet123
Thanks for your kind words and understanding.
We are really anxious to have a good holiday, because we had a really horrible time at Christmas in Cuba.The hotel was under going refurbishments and they only re-opened 2 days before we went. The refurbishments were still on going and the hotel was not ready to take guests. I found out one month prior to travel but First choice would not let us change holidays. Thomas cook did let there customers going to the same hotel have a full refund or a change of hotel.
I am not really wanting to cancel but a move to another hotel with all the facilties as advertised and at no cost to us would be our ideal solution. We are already booked to go easter 2008 to the hotel we went to last easter with thomas cook we have had many good one with this company. last year the hotel was superb and the one this year is going to be a dissapointment. We actually viewed it while there last year and it is a beautiful 5 star hotel, so no problems on that score but we are not going to have available what was very clearly stated in the brochure. A german lady on a german site went to the hotel last summer and again at Xmas ans she commented on the difference of what was not available to them
All we want is a stress free holiday this time and I am already fed up before we go. we are waiting for a response to our letter of complaint from the cuba holiday I am not having much luck again with this one it would seem.
I had been waiting for phone calls from T C and for answers for nearly 2 weeks and got know where with them.
i think these days they put so many things in the brochures to cover themselves for every eventuality and we travellers are at there mercy so to speak once we part with our hard earned cash.
regards violet123
Give Ros a ring on 01922 621114 as she will know where you stand legally regarding this issue.
Her advice is free.
Her advice is free.
It may be worth you having a look at The Package Travel,Holidays and Package tours Regulations 1992,we had a similar problem to your selves a couple of years ago only we did not know that the facilities were not going to be available until we were actually on holiday.We were able to win a court case againest the tour operator as it is down to them to ensure the facilities that they said were going to be there when we signed the contract were actually there when we went. We used the sections entitled "Significant proportion of services not provided" and "Liability of other party to the contract for proper performance of obligations under contract".Your circumstances are slightly different to ours as you are already aware of the changes but as i say it may be worth a look.Good luck in getting all of your monies paid back.
Hi,
many thanks for your advice glynis I will ring tommorrow it is just so frustrating after looking forward to the holiday for so long.
Shazzacat, glad you got an happy ending with your claim.
It is all the waiting and uncertainty thats the worst. I have never had to go to court over anything, was it straight forward for you! I just hope we get a result before travel and hopefully to a different hotel. fingers crossed andI will see what tommorow brings.
Regards Violet123
many thanks for your advice glynis I will ring tommorrow it is just so frustrating after looking forward to the holiday for so long.
Shazzacat, glad you got an happy ending with your claim.
It is all the waiting and uncertainty thats the worst. I have never had to go to court over anything, was it straight forward for you! I just hope we get a result before travel and hopefully to a different hotel. fingers crossed andI will see what tommorow brings.
Regards Violet123
Violet
Good luck on getting this sorted out.
I do agree with you that different hotels across all destinations offer different levels of 'All-Inclusive' facilities.
Some do, as Bizzylady pointed out, limit the length of time that AI food and drink is available and some only offer locally-produced alcoholic drinks.
This is usually reflected in the price and should be clearly stated in the brochure.
From what you say, you chose this particular hotel because it had certain facilities and now you are not going to get them.
Bizzylady said:
I don't think that this has ANYTHNG to do with this isue at all - you're simply not getting what you originally paid for.
Regards
Polly
Good luck on getting this sorted out.
I do agree with you that different hotels across all destinations offer different levels of 'All-Inclusive' facilities.
Some do, as Bizzylady pointed out, limit the length of time that AI food and drink is available and some only offer locally-produced alcoholic drinks.
This is usually reflected in the price and should be clearly stated in the brochure.
From what you say, you chose this particular hotel because it had certain facilities and now you are not going to get them.
Bizzylady said:
How much can you actually eat and drink between these hours?
I don't think that this has ANYTHNG to do with this isue at all - you're simply not getting what you originally paid for.
Regards
Polly
Shazzacat is correct in quoting the Package Tour rules - and in particular clause 14 (Significant proportion of services not provided) and 15 (Liability of other party to the contract for proper performance of obligations under contract).
Clause 14 states:
Crown Copyright Acknowledged
Clause 15 states that the tour operator is basically responsible to YOU, the traveller irrespective of the hotel's policies. It further states that you are due "damages" for the failure, by the Tour Op. to provide the stated services.
Check this link for more info:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1992/Uksi_19923288_en_1.htm
Tell Thomas Cook to provide a selection of international brand bottles in your room, to be accessible other then 10:00-midnight
failing that, they should agree to repay your costs pursuant to purchasing international brand drinks 24/7.
Being realistic, their contractual dealings with the hotel bear no relationship to the contract they have with you. If their brochure states AI is available 24/7 and includes international brands then Thoma Cook MUST provide you with that service/facility or compensate you.
Ring Ros for the best advice and do please let us know the outcome as this helps us all.
Good Luck, Mike
Clause 14 states:
(2) The organiser will make suitable alternative arrangements, at no extra cost to the consumer, for the continuation of the package and will, where appropriate, compensate the consumer for the difference between the services to be supplied under the contract and those supplied.
(3) If it is impossible to make arrangements as described in paragraph (2), or these are not accepted by the consumer for good reasons, the organiser will, where appropriate, provide the consumer with equivalent transport back to the place of departure or to another place to which the consumer has agreed and will, where appropriate, compensate the consumer.
Crown Copyright Acknowledged
Clause 15 states that the tour operator is basically responsible to YOU, the traveller irrespective of the hotel's policies. It further states that you are due "damages" for the failure, by the Tour Op. to provide the stated services.
Check this link for more info:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1992/Uksi_19923288_en_1.htm
Tell Thomas Cook to provide a selection of international brand bottles in your room, to be accessible other then 10:00-midnight
failing that, they should agree to repay your costs pursuant to purchasing international brand drinks 24/7. Being realistic, their contractual dealings with the hotel bear no relationship to the contract they have with you. If their brochure states AI is available 24/7 and includes international brands then Thoma Cook MUST provide you with that service/facility or compensate you.
Ring Ros for the best advice and do please let us know the outcome as this helps us all.
Good Luck, Mike
-
Edited by
MikeCunliffe
2007-02-16 15:43:29
Great reply, Mike.
It sounds like Violet has a positive way forward with Thomas Cook.
Hope you had a great holiday Mike, I'm pleased that you're not posting about your trip on this forum!
Polly
It sounds like Violet has a positive way forward with Thomas Cook.
Hope you had a great holiday Mike, I'm pleased that you're not posting about your trip on this forum!
Polly
THank you to all who responded,
I think the advice from mike is relevent to us in both the holiday to turkey and the recent cuba holiday .
I have had a letter today from trading standards asking for all the info on the turkey holiday, and I rang them up and spoke to the lady dealing with it. She said if we go on the holiday we should keep a record of what we have to pay for drink etc in case we had to take TC to court (after the 12 o clock dead line but that would still mean drinking the local stuff which is not what we like to drink.) Also the al a cartes are not all going to be available, only 2 out of the 5.
We like whisky and bacardi and they is not local drinks- we do not have a drink problem by the way!!
our son is 14 and we do not have to go to bed early like when he was younger. We do not go out to the pubs etc here and save for our much loved holidays and we just want to go and not have all the fuss on our return, making claims etc cos it wears you down.
Hopefully we can sort this before we go.
Thanks again Violet
I think the advice from mike is relevent to us in both the holiday to turkey and the recent cuba holiday .
I have had a letter today from trading standards asking for all the info on the turkey holiday, and I rang them up and spoke to the lady dealing with it. She said if we go on the holiday we should keep a record of what we have to pay for drink etc in case we had to take TC to court (after the 12 o clock dead line but that would still mean drinking the local stuff which is not what we like to drink.) Also the al a cartes are not all going to be available, only 2 out of the 5.
We like whisky and bacardi and they is not local drinks- we do not have a drink problem by the way!!
our son is 14 and we do not have to go to bed early like when he was younger. We do not go out to the pubs etc here and save for our much loved holidays and we just want to go and not have all the fuss on our return, making claims etc cos it wears you down.
Hopefully we can sort this before we go.
Thanks again Violet
Just to up date on my request for advise and to say that everything turned out fine after the intervention by trading standards who got a good result for us and the rest of the Thomas cook guests travelling to the hotel.
We got most of the advertised facilities but other guests from other countries were still on the winter season all inclusive, the only thing for us was that we did not have all the al a cartes but we were happy that we got everything else and had the bonus of room service from midnight till 6am, with a small choice of food and beverages at no charge whidh is a facility not advertised.
We had a stroke of luck in that we were on the top floor and my husband as a fear of hieghts and the open attrium was making him worried so we asked for a lower floor but we had to wait a day because the hotel was full but on the second day we got moved to a junior suite with a double jacuzzi bath and king size four poster bed and a huge wrap around balcony which was great. We got flowers in the room and twice got a friut basket and bottle of wine and we had a wonderful holiday.
just to say sometimes there is a happy out come if you seek help and advise.
I have nothing but praise for trading standards help!!and our faith has been restored in Thomas Cook
Regards violet123
We got most of the advertised facilities but other guests from other countries were still on the winter season all inclusive, the only thing for us was that we did not have all the al a cartes but we were happy that we got everything else and had the bonus of room service from midnight till 6am, with a small choice of food and beverages at no charge whidh is a facility not advertised.
We had a stroke of luck in that we were on the top floor and my husband as a fear of hieghts and the open attrium was making him worried so we asked for a lower floor but we had to wait a day because the hotel was full but on the second day we got moved to a junior suite with a double jacuzzi bath and king size four poster bed and a huge wrap around balcony which was great. We got flowers in the room and twice got a friut basket and bottle of wine and we had a wonderful holiday.
just to say sometimes there is a happy out come if you seek help and advise.
I have nothing but praise for trading standards help!!and our faith has been restored in Thomas Cook
Regards violet123
Am really pleased everything turned out well for you Violet - Many thanks for letting us know the outcome. 
Always appreciate feedback on an outcome and I'm glad yours was so positive. Well done.
Glad to hear it worked out well for you.
Obviously Bizzilady has never been on an AI holiday before.
Obviously Bizzilady has never been on an AI holiday before.
I have been on AI holidays and some have the 24 hour AI and some don't. I just depends. Perhaps the one BIzzilady went on didnt have 24 hour AI
Glad you got it all sorted out and had a nice holiday
Glad you got it all sorted out and had a nice holiday
Violet
I'm so pleased that you got a final solution for your holiday and that you enjoyed it.
I think the point on All-Inclusive is that what is actually included differs from hotel to hotel.
As FWH points out in other threads, you need to read what is actually included in your specific AI package.
The key point here was that Violet had booked expecting what was specified in the brochure at the time she made her booking and then discovered that that wasn't the case.
I've been on a couple of AI holidays, one with 24 hour food and drink, the other not.
However, I DID get what was specified in the brochure in both instances.
Polly
I'm so pleased that you got a final solution for your holiday and that you enjoyed it.
I think the point on All-Inclusive is that what is actually included differs from hotel to hotel.
As FWH points out in other threads, you need to read what is actually included in your specific AI package.
The key point here was that Violet had booked expecting what was specified in the brochure at the time she made her booking and then discovered that that wasn't the case.
I've been on a couple of AI holidays, one with 24 hour food and drink, the other not.
However, I DID get what was specified in the brochure in both instances.
Polly
It is so good to know that people really care and look out for each other. on this site I must say I was really pleased for all the other Thomas cook guests who could enjoy all the advertised facilities after trading standards got the result. and felt satisfied with myself that I had helped others. When we checked in in the early hours the reception staff said we were the first guests to recieve the ultra all inclusive and we were given burgundy wrist bands, those on yellow who were on the winter season deal could not have the lovely gateaux in the display or branded drinks and all there facilities ended at 12 o clock. They did not have free room service etc.We spoke to 2 german girls who like us had previously stayed at the Barut Lara which has the same all-inclusive deal all year round, (except for things that the weather restricts.) They were so disappointed with the deal they got and are returning to the barut next time.If you had yellow bands you had to pay for fresh squeezed orange juice at breakfast and it was two and a half euros for a small glass.
I am always careful about booking a holiday to suit our personal needs and we like to have the choices there if we want them. We only used room service 2 or 3 times but it was a nice extra not even in the brochure.
We have been to Turkey 9 times and each time have chosen more wisely and once this was sorted we had a fantastic time and I have nothing but praise for the Delphin Palace unlike the 2 german girls who went home disappointed.
Regards to all violet
I am always careful about booking a holiday to suit our personal needs and we like to have the choices there if we want them. We only used room service 2 or 3 times but it was a nice extra not even in the brochure.
We have been to Turkey 9 times and each time have chosen more wisely and once this was sorted we had a fantastic time and I have nothing but praise for the Delphin Palace unlike the 2 german girls who went home disappointed.
Regards to all violet
I think anyone in your situation would have done the same. If you pay for 24 hour AI make sure you get it. It sounds like you had a great holiday.
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