From a legal point of view - no.

All you could so is have a word with the tour operator and see if they can change accommodation free of charge or maybe at a reduced rate.

Mark

Thanks Mark - where do we stand if it really is as bad as the right ups? Can we get compensated in some way?

Thanks
Lee

You will need to go on the holiday and anything described in the brochure that hasn't been delivered may give you reason to complain and start the process asking for compensation. If that is the case, ensure you complete a complaint form in the resort.

I would have thought that changing hotels may be the best choice. No point going somewhere knowing you're not going to enjoy it. You will never get 100% back in case of complaints.

Mark

Firstly contact your Travel Agent if you used one. Ask for a change of accommodation (you have your flight so just need accommodation) at this late stage, & time of year it may be that there isn't anything available or could be pricey to change.

If you don't get any joy, then write to the Tour Operator explaining your fears. (Keep it simple, just outline the points you've witnessed with links if possible).

When you get to the resort, if you have any complaints, immediately report them to the rep in resort. You MUST do this in order to give the company the opportunity to resolve the situation in resort. Fill in a complaints form. If the rep says there isn't any available then write out your own report (keep it simple - bullet points) and ask them to sign it. Keep a copy for yourself.

Any problems with accommodation/hotel etc take photographs. Also if anyone else is complaining within your hotel swap names and addresses in order to back up each others claims for future reference.

Immediately on your return send a registered letter to the TO with all your evidence. And let us know

In all honesty I think you will be extremely lucky if they allow a change at all at this late stage, even with extra charge. A change done so close to departure is usually classed as a cancellation with charges at 100% but it never hurts to ask.
I agree with Glynis's comments re resort reports, photos etc.

Hi there

Thankyou all for your advice - we contacted the travel again - Thomas Cook - who said it would indeed be classed as a cancellation so I guess we dont have any choice than to hope for the best and record any evidence IF it is as bad as all that... fingers crossed!

I just wasn't sure if there was any grounds on the fact the agent recommended it to us as being "one of the best" hotels in Marmauris... What does concern me is that Thomas Cook themselves are mentioned a few times in the reviews - primarily that the rep is 'never available' and the hotel manager 'hides in his office' - that does not instill much confidence of a happy ship when the people you would complain too don't hang around!

Oh well, I'm hoping that the complaints are just from a small percentage of unhappy customers out of probably thousands that have been there already this summer! Unitl I'd read the reviews I'd heard good reports from Turkey and Marmauris - in fact a lot of my colleagues from work have been there this year with no complaints of the area itself - I just hope our hotel isnt one from The Secret Tourist

Thanks again all!

what you have to remember with these websites that mainly people who write on them either love it or hate it, not many who have mixed reviews comment.

I have booked holidays in the past on reviews from trip advisor and monitored the hotel reviews up until I go away, so far we have been lucky as all the bad reviews have never seemed to cause any concern for us in the resort when we have stayed there.

I never understand the huge mix in reviews from travellers who have stayed in the same hotel at the same time, how can the hotel be either really good or really bad.

Go with an open mind, enjoy your holiday and as others have said, if you have cause to complain make sure you get it recorded in resort.

Hope you have a great time.

Good advice so far, all I can add is the same as sutty, go with an open and positive mind, not with the mentality that it is going to be awful. I work for a Tour Operator (not TC) and I look at Trip Advisor et al all the time and there are some horrific reviews for properties that I KNOW are excellent! What bothers one person may not bother another and remember that folks are more likely to post a bad review than a good one. Flight delays, night flights, rude cabin crew, no in flight meal or entertainment, long transfers, bad weather, one bad mannered person at reception, unreasonably high expectations and miriad of other things can colour a persons judgement about their whole holiday experience. You only have to look at some of the reviews to see that.

It is a base for your holiday and Turkey is a a lovely country with wonderful people, beautiful beaches and lots of history. I wish I was going with you!

I agree with sutty939 & loubychew - don't go expecting to hate the hotel & facilities. That's the best way to have a bad holiday.
Glynis has given some great advice about how to deal with complaints in resort should you need to.

Where did you read the bad reviews of the Pineta Park Delux?

I think holiday reviews are useful but you really need to read between the lines.
One guy gave a hotel in Goa that we were looking at booking 2/10 but everybody else had rated it 8/10 or even 9/10.
On reading the review, all he'd said about the hotel was that it was clean and the staff were pleasant.
Then he had a 2 page rant about how he hated the beachsellers, the taxi drivers, the cows wandering along the road, the red dust, the food etc etc.
Basically he hated Candolim and he hated Goa.
The review wasn't representative of the hotel at all - even though it was supposed to be a hotel review.

It may also be that some people have confused the 2 hotels and reviewed the wrong one, I found this on self-catering apartements on Kos. Same name but one was in Kos Town, the other in Tingaki. 2 (poor) reviews on the accommodation in Tingaki were actually for the Kos Town ones.
In fact, the latest review for your hotel on Tripadvisor (posted 13/8/2010) actually says that they confused the reviews between the 2 hotels and were worried but gave the hotel 4/5.

I hope your fears are unfounded and you have a great holiday.

another thing to bear in mind is, out of all the bad reviews on the hotel review pages, how many actually bother their arses in making official complaints or do people just like to moan about things?????? at the end of the day I know we pay a lot for our holidays and expect them to be good, however some of these countries have different views on standards and people try and compare country/hotel all the time. you cannot do this without giving false representation of a place/hotel or holiday. the review websites do wind me up but i still cant help checking them, i wouldn't change the hotel just because of some bad reviews, the holiday is what you make it. I have read the reviews on trip advisor for the hotel and there are some great reviews and then others taking pictures of cracked tiles on the floor, forgive me if i am wrong but aren't some hotels in our country the same, the only time you would get exceptional hotel is if you are the first guest to stay in a room that has never been used. as long as the room is clean, pool and restaurant to a good standard, what matters as long as the sun is shining, try not to stress about it or you will need another holiday.

Go with an open mind and look forward to enjoying your holiday. As others have said, some of the reviews posted on tripadvisor and alike really should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Hope you have a great holiday in Turkey

I recall the Pineta Hotel from my first year working in the Customer Service post departure complaints section with a tour operator.

We got so many complaints about it every week and compensation was paid out as long as the customers mentioned the words "chicken s**t" in their letter.

Apparently, the chickens just used to roam freely around the hotel and hopped up on the tables so the dreaded "chicken s***t" was everywhere.

Sad, but true!

Hi thank you all for your words! I agree with most of them!

We are definately going with an open mind, determined to have a good holiday - but there is a limit - I just hope the reviews arent all true... but unfortunately there are a lot of bad reviews on trip advisor - in the first two pages I think I only saw 2 or 3 "ok" reviews... like its been said though, people dont tend to rush to put good reviews online...

Regarding the Chicken S**t - the Pineta Hotel is the sister hotel across the road - this is one of the things the travel agent did tell us so we didnt get confused because the Pineta Park Delux is meant to be just that - delux!

We dont go until Friday, but I will update you all on our return! Fingers crossed!

leeh27
Are you sure you are looking at the latest reviews?
Have you sorted by 'date' newest?

I've searched for 'Pineta Park Delux Marmaris' on Tripadvisor but it just seems to bring up the Pineta Park.
People who've stayed at the Delux seem to review that on there too so it's hard to be sure which hotel they are reviewing unless they mention it specifically.
There are 297 reviews in total.

The latest review I mentioned in my earlier post (dated 13/8/2010) gave it (Delux) 4/5 and there's another on the first page (not sure if this is the Delux or the sister hotel) with 5/5.
Also one on page 2 (for the PP Delux) dated 10/8/2010 with 4/5.

Am I looking at the wrong hotel?

I think there is some confusion on names - the lesser rated hotel can be called Pineta Club or Pineta Hotel and the higher rated is known as the Pineta Park or Pineta Park Delux....I think...but I'll check out the reviews again!

Cheers

Oh heck I've just spent half an hour reading through the reviews and looking at the pictures and it truly looks a hell hole. If you want to get back alive and healthy I would asked to be moved hotel or ask for your money back. Sorry but I couldn't stay there after reading that, just reading the reviews has made me feel ill. Good luck!

do you think they are referring to the Delux or the Pineta? The Pineta IS meant to be badddddd...

I can only find bad reviews for all the Pineta Park whether it be delux or not.... the only hope I have is that people are confused in the write ups....


Here's hoping!

I've read reviews for both and too be honest although the delux doesn't have as many bad reviews as the other one I still wouldn't want to stay there. After reading someone found a maggot in their food and blood on sheets was enough to put me off. Saying that though you might have a wonderful time but when there's more bad reviews than good that really tells you all you need to know.