Just wanted to warn others about Travel Republic to hopefully avoid others holiday turning into a nightmare. Here's what's happened so far...
On the 25th February 2015 we booked flights, hotel and airport parking via their website that allowed us to book the bungalow at...
isabelfamilyhotel .com/en/bungalows-en.html
... for 2 adults and 3 children (13yo/11yo/4yo). We really loved the bungalow as it was more private so less chance of noise compared with built up apartment blocks / hotels and they all had a terrace and a gardened area. Perfect, just what we wanted after many many hours of searching various websites.
Then after we are informed that Ryanair can't do the flights at the price we booked at, and there would be a £61 additional cost. Obviously unhappy about this we finally agreed, thinking everything is confirmed now, not so. On the 9th April, that's right 43 days after our booking, we get notified that, and I quote...
"The hotel supplier has advised that the room type you have booked does not accommodate 5 people. Therefore they will accommodate you in two interconnecting rooms at no additional cost. "
... so remove the beautiful bungalow picture with gardens and terrace and now replace that a 4-5 story high apartment blocks with no gardens or terrace. When questioned on why we were able to book this they keep blaming the "hotel supplier", however their site has now been fixed so 2 adults and 3 children can't book the bungalow.
Trying our best to be reasonable, we explained that our 4yo loves her blow up ready bed and will be sleeping in our room and their website states that 2 adults, 2 children and a cot so would this be possible ? or could we move to one of the villas they offer which are similar, and we were told, and I quote...
"Please find below an email from your hotel supplier: "We have spoken to the hotel and the option that guests offer (the blow up bed) is not viable for security reasons. Also the villas are fully booked for the period of stay of these guests, so it wouldn't be an option either… Our last intention is to ruin these guests holidays but we have offered a feasible option, 2 apartments with a connecting door in which the guest will have directly access to each other apartment in case that it is any matter with the children… As I previously said, if the guests are not satisfied with this alternative, they are still on time to cancel the booking without fees."
Now we can cancel the hotel however Travel Republic wont refund the flights. I know they are separate purchases, however when this whole mess is their fault and it took them 43 days to let us know so now all the prices have gone up even if we do book elsewhere, you would think they would be own up to this being their fault and do something. We've even looked to try and find other villas / bungalows etc in the same area but there's nothing. It's a shame they can't be as quick with such issues compared to the fast turn around to charge you another £61 on your flights. Oh and good luck trying to get things resolved on the phone, the best option seems their online ticket system where they seem to write comments about you as well and I quote...
"On the Hotel website it clearly says 5 people can fit in a bungalow ... Customer is unhappy about the interconnecting rooms due to safety of children...
Please can we double check there is no rooms as she is so angry, she has had a pup on her flights too!
Thank you."
Lesson learned for me, my family and anyone who cares to listen to my story on this. I'll never use Travel Republic again. So now we're waiting (wont hold our breath) if they can put us in two of the bungalows as they are interconnecting, put up with built up apartments or take action to recover the money. And this is just the logistics, we had hoped to get away somewhere nice and quiet to get over a very challenging year and Travel Republic just want to add to the stress, never again.
Sarah Smith
Welcome Sarah ,
I understand your frustration and anger ! I see you have also relayed your experience on the " dark side"
and have read the replies , certainly like that some think TR have displayed good service , but would never use them !! I'm sympathetic to your situation and all I can say is that at some time we all experience a situation where wrong info or poor advice or poor service happen and it's not always our fault and its not resolved fairly in our favour , but in the past I've placed trust in agents or " made mistakes " and now I research everything and hopefully understand how these types of OTAs operate , and would I ever use them ? NO , I'd rather let my nearly 3 year old nephew loose on my iPad to book a holiday for me than use someone like TR or other OTA .
I understand your frustration and anger ! I see you have also relayed your experience on the " dark side"
and have read the replies , certainly like that some think TR have displayed good service , but would never use them !! I'm sympathetic to your situation and all I can say is that at some time we all experience a situation where wrong info or poor advice or poor service happen and it's not always our fault and its not resolved fairly in our favour , but in the past I've placed trust in agents or " made mistakes " and now I research everything and hopefully understand how these types of OTAs operate , and would I ever use them ? NO , I'd rather let my nearly 3 year old nephew loose on my iPad to book a holiday for me than use someone like TR or other OTA .
Hi Sarah
It's clear when booking with on line travel agents like Travel Republic that your initial enquiry then leads them to contact their suppliers, so I'm not sure why you though you had a firm booking initially.
All OTA's operate in the same way and Travel Republic appear to have many satisfied and repeat customers.
The customers who complain do so because they do not understand what they are booking in the first place, and do not read the T&C's attached to the booking which is not TR's fault.
In this instance they appear to have worked with their suppliers to get you as best possible outcome as they can, bearing in mind the room you initially chose was not suitable to accommodate your party, I appreciate it must be disappointing but I'm not sure what else you expect them to do. I assume their suppliers gave incorrect details of room occupancy.
I don't think you can expect an hotel to allow you to knowingly breach their occupancy rules. Presumably Spain/The Canaries has Health and Saftey Regulations just like anywhere else and if they were found to be complicit for all we know could be fined for letting five people stay in a four person room.
I can't see any advantage in booking a Ryanair flight through an OTA, if I was using TR, I would have booked the flight direct with Ryanair to ensure best price and accommodation only through TR or direct with the hotel if they took direct bookings.
I hope it works out for you and you have a lovely holiday, but I don't see this as any reason for others to avoid Travel Republic if they fully understand what they are booking.
It's clear when booking with on line travel agents like Travel Republic that your initial enquiry then leads them to contact their suppliers, so I'm not sure why you though you had a firm booking initially.
All OTA's operate in the same way and Travel Republic appear to have many satisfied and repeat customers.
The customers who complain do so because they do not understand what they are booking in the first place, and do not read the T&C's attached to the booking which is not TR's fault.
In this instance they appear to have worked with their suppliers to get you as best possible outcome as they can, bearing in mind the room you initially chose was not suitable to accommodate your party, I appreciate it must be disappointing but I'm not sure what else you expect them to do. I assume their suppliers gave incorrect details of room occupancy.
I don't think you can expect an hotel to allow you to knowingly breach their occupancy rules. Presumably Spain/The Canaries has Health and Saftey Regulations just like anywhere else and if they were found to be complicit for all we know could be fined for letting five people stay in a four person room.
I can't see any advantage in booking a Ryanair flight through an OTA, if I was using TR, I would have booked the flight direct with Ryanair to ensure best price and accommodation only through TR or direct with the hotel if they took direct bookings.
I hope it works out for you and you have a lovely holiday, but I don't see this as any reason for others to avoid Travel Republic if they fully understand what they are booking.
I like to think I'm not unreasonable at all, but 43 days after receiving our confirmation of all booking etc to then change things isn't acceptable at all, plus our options are either take the downgrade but still pay the same, go to a 3 star they've offered us on the other side of the island which is rated 13 out of 14 in trip advisor, loose the money on the flights or take action against them. I also realise mistakes happen, it's life, but it's how people / businesses deal with those mistakes that tells you about the company. Being in business myself, I've made mistakes, but have gone out of my way to correct the situation and put the relationship back on track which has actually resulted in stronger client relationships. As a family that holidays at least twice a year, their lack of help on this now means they will never get any business from us or anyone we know, a little "service" and extra help, could of turned us into life long loyal customers, but they dont either see that, or care.
>>> I don't think you can expect an hotel to allow you to knowingly breach their occupancy rules. Presumably Spain/The Canaries has Health and Saftey Regulations just like anywhere else and if they were found to be complicit for all we know could be fined for letting five people stay in a four person room.
Of course note, we only went on the info on travel republics website, on a call their customer service team they even said their data said it was fine so they will contact the hotel etc. It was only later when we were given the hotels own website we saw there were limits, as far as I know the hotel aren't involved here and haven't done anything wrong.
>>> I hope it works out for you and you have a lovely holiday, but I don't see this as any reason for others to avoid Travel Republic if they fully understand what they are booking.
Thanks
I hope so too but isn't looking likely at present. I agree people shouldn't avoid them IF they know what they are booking, and I think that's the issue - the small print covers them but they look like you are buying a holiday with everything together. If there were clear that you are saying you would like to pay X and that the price isn't guaranteed, and that nearly 1.5 months later they can change the accommodation on you and if they do you cant have a refund on any other parts of your holiday, I'm sure people would think twice on using them.
>>> but in the past I've placed trust in agents or " made mistakes " and now I research everything and hopefully understand how these types of OTAs operate , and would I ever use them ? NO , I'd rather let my nearly 3 year old nephew loose on my iPad to book a holiday for me than use someone like TR or other OTA .
lol @ 3yo yeah you live and learn and next time (not with TR of course) we will research the actual provider as much as we do the holiday itself
>>> I don't think you can expect an hotel to allow you to knowingly breach their occupancy rules. Presumably Spain/The Canaries has Health and Saftey Regulations just like anywhere else and if they were found to be complicit for all we know could be fined for letting five people stay in a four person room.
Of course note, we only went on the info on travel republics website, on a call their customer service team they even said their data said it was fine so they will contact the hotel etc. It was only later when we were given the hotels own website we saw there were limits, as far as I know the hotel aren't involved here and haven't done anything wrong.
>>> I hope it works out for you and you have a lovely holiday, but I don't see this as any reason for others to avoid Travel Republic if they fully understand what they are booking.
Thanks
I hope so too but isn't looking likely at present. I agree people shouldn't avoid them IF they know what they are booking, and I think that's the issue - the small print covers them but they look like you are buying a holiday with everything together. If there were clear that you are saying you would like to pay X and that the price isn't guaranteed, and that nearly 1.5 months later they can change the accommodation on you and if they do you cant have a refund on any other parts of your holiday, I'm sure people would think twice on using them. >>> but in the past I've placed trust in agents or " made mistakes " and now I research everything and hopefully understand how these types of OTAs operate , and would I ever use them ? NO , I'd rather let my nearly 3 year old nephew loose on my iPad to book a holiday for me than use someone like TR or other OTA .
lol @ 3yo
yeah you live and learn and next time (not with TR of course) we will research the actual provider as much as we do the holiday itself
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