We booked a hotel in Benidorm for last Xmas with TR and the confirmation stated youtravel as the agent. I checked direct on their site and they were much more expensive.

We had no problems whatsoever with the booking.

luci

Hi Pippa,
I have booked with TR twice recently and the provider is YOU travel, we went to Tenerife at Christmas with no problems, that said they did invite us to a rep's meeting, which is part of the reason why I prefer DIY, we go to Madeira in April and again You travel are the providers. As Luci says to book via TR is cheaper than their own website.

Dave.

Booked a holiday to Turkey June 2008 with Youtravel via Bookableholidays.co.uk.
They are not interested in their customers. The date on my booking waas changed, no problem with that but they did not rebook our accomadation with the hotel. We were left with no romm for the first night and had to share a 'family room' with the other couple with us for th second and third night. Youtravel offer us a 50% refund £58.00 for no room on the first night after a lenghty and difficult correspondance via bookable holidays, who are totally useless when it comes to customer service, and a pre abritration letter they increased it to £176.00 a so called full refund for the first night. Nothing about having to share a room with another couple for two nights, or any gesture of good will. Avoid dealing with either of thses companies as you would a doddgy kebab!!

The travel company I used to work for did use youtravel until they were taken off their approved supplier list. Think this was due inpart to the number of complaints that were received.

As I started this thread almost a year ago I thought I should update!

Last April/May we came across some info stating that the Coastline Hotel in Malta which we had booked with Travel Republic/You Travel was from last Autum going exclusively over to Saga. Having booked for January 2009 I contacted the Coastline direct to be told that You Travel had been notified and were supposed to be offering us alternative accomodation. I contacted both Travel Republic and You Travel who claimed to know nothing of this! Eventually after many emails to both TR and YT including me forwarding on emails from the Coastline we were offered an alternative which we were not happy with. After much persuasion TR refunded our deposit and we got most of our ticket money back from Air Malta.

We can't be sure but we don't think that You Travel were passing on the info to Travel Republic as in the first instance they would have been the TO that the Coastline contacted. We found that the customer service of both Tour Operators left a lot to be desired.

Incidentally we went to the Algarve instead and booked the hotel via Thomson (accomodation only). This is the second time we have booked hotel only with Thomson and I can highly recommend them. If they have the hotel/apartment that you want then the prices are usually very good - you do have to pay the total when you book though.

Pippa

Just come back from Malta having curtailed my holiday. Booked via Travelrepublic, who used YouTravel. I am currently in dispute because I was refused accommodation at the Hotel Canafor due to overbooking and transferred to a sister hotel. This was despite a confirmation on the 19th April and being given a reservation number on the 9th June.
The Youtravel rep consistently supported the transfer, insisting that this was an up-grade, that my booking of a Superior room with pool view was only a request and did little to effect a change, exept by offering to try, later in the week.
I stayed on for two nights before leaving Malta early. During this time I discovered that I was the sixth party to experience the same problem with the Hotel Canafor that week.
You can draw your own conclusions re, Youtravel, but I believe that in this instance they supported a cynical exploitation of clients by their action.

willilar

I have just returned from Rhodes where we were booked into the Blue Bay Deluxe Resort Hotel - 5 star rating on an AI basis.
On arrival at 2am, we were told we were not in the main building but the block behind the waterpark.
The Hotel's reception area looked very nice. The one we were duly marched over to did not - The Sunland Apartments.
We expressed our concern whilst checking in but the guy behind the desk was half cut - stinking of alcohol and enjoying an ouzo with an equally inebriated security guard, and as he reminded us constantly, it wasn't his fault.
On walking into the room, we realised we had been totally deceived. This was not a 5 star accomodation. It would not be possible to even give a classification.
Walking onto the scruffy balcony I surprised an extremely large cockroach (maybe a rat, similar in size so hard to tell!). Pulling back the sheets we discovered numerous insects inside. Perhaps they were hiding from the cockroaches - who knows. We refused to stay in there even for a minute more.
Back at reception we gave back the key, demanded our passports and voucher back and marched back over to the main hotel. We discovered another couple who also chose to sleep in reception awaiting the arrival of the manager at 9am. He refused to attend the hotel any earlier despite repeated requests.
The hotel staff told us that overbooking happened every week. Always YOUTRAVEL clients.
The rep from youtravel was very bolshy and rude informing us that they were suitable accomodation and compensation in the form of spa treatments would be made.
That was an insult as surely choosing a night in reception was preferable to staying in there.
We demanded a room but between a useless manager who admitted it was common practice and the rude rep, we eventually were offered the sunshine vacation club down the road.
There was about 40 of us at this point and more arriving during the day.
It was certainly not the 5 star we had booked but we accepted it on the basis we would be seeking compensation on return. Youtravel say 5 star, all others state 4 star. It is over £100 cheaper for the week compared to what we had paid.
On the 25th more British Youtravel clients arrived, having had the same issue and refusing the sunland apartments. The rep pleaded with them not to tell the guests (us) who had arrived previuously and admitted that it would happen again with all of the saturday 26th arrivals. All other companies guests were given rooms in the hotel as booked.
Youtravel should be closed down. They are a total disgrace and are operating fraudulently by selling rooms they know they cannot provide.
It was a constant fobbing off of who was to blame, leaving us absolutely seething angry.
We racked up huge bills trying to email and phone to sort things out and alter our transfers, etc which the rep did not do.

My advice would be to avoid youtravel.com at all costs, the Blue Bay Deluxe Resort too.
They are willing to take bookings and money knowing they cannot accomodate people on arrival.
They then put you in cheaper, lower grade accomodation and offer no assistance, hoping that you just accept where they put you.
I am thinking of reporting them to BBC's watchdog. If anyone else feels this way then maybe we can all contact them and make it a big issue for youtravel.

We arrived at the Hotel in the early hours and were told to follow some chap to our rooms . We went out of the hotel grounds along an unlit dirt track towards a slum called the Sunland . I was the first in a line of confussed guests at the reception to be greeted by the Drunk reception man and even more Drunk Security guard. Having moved the cockroaches off of the desk I asked what was going on and why were we here to which I got the reply" I only work here I feel sorry for you but I have had people shouting at me all day they keep doing this and it is wrong there is nothing I can do the Manager will see you in the morning "
Still confused we asked where the room was and the so called security guard said I will come with you we can try and find it together as he stumbled about . We spent all of three minutes in the room as I was not prepared to continue trying to kill any more cockroaches that were all around the room or the strange bugs that were on and in the bed and the fact that the window was broken and a lady had warned us on route that her room had been broken into . We returned to the reception got our Passports and booking sheets and went back to the Hotel that we booked . In short we had no choice but to sleep in the lobby joined by several other guests in the same boat as us .(The Security guard also had a sofa to sleep it off !!!)
There was some gathering by the time the Manager decided to come and address the matter at around 10.45 and the we had asked him over the phone for help at 07.00 then 08.45 but he was in no rush to help anyone . The excuse for a Rep from YouTravel came in but was to busy telling us she needed a Fag and coffee and why cant we go and stay at the hotel we were given as its not that bad. We managed to get into the maqnagers office and he agreed that the hotel was awfull and he would not want to stay there but he had no choice. After some time we were told we could go to another Hotel but if we did not agree to stay there we would have no choice but the Slum called Sunland .
Once there we knew we had no choice the Rep would not come to see us or re-arrange our airport transfer nor arrange a late check out as promissed for the fact that we had lost a night and a day off our holiday and put eventually in a cheaper hotel.
I think there were 16 moved the same day as us then we were talking to another group during the week that had just arrived and they said they were asked not to mention it to anyone and that it was going to happen on the weekend . We spent another 50 euros to get a late check out that the rep said she would arrange as we had lost a night and day but as we were sorting that out the Manager told us that the weekend was busy with more rooms being booked out by the Blue Bay but could not be sure how many as they were not sure how many would except being coned into staying at the "Slumland"
Well please be warned as we read the reviews before we left and thought it can not be that bad but it was it was worse ! YOUTRAVEL should be ashamed and you should avoid the risk !

Hello there just got back yesterday if i was to type about my trip i might as well cut and paste yours, cannot believe these people the local rep was a complete wast of space and agressive with it. We got taken simple as that no accident we paid for main hotel and was taken by the liar of a security guard to Slumland as we christend it.
Get in touch ill support any claim you make we booked Travel republic whom are denying You Travel have had anything said bad against them, im thinking they are in denial.
rgds
LW

I am currently waiting for a response from youtravel. It is interesting to know that this is still happening.
I will post the outcome. If it is denied that this happens regularly, I will know they are not being truthful and will inform them as such.
Did you stay at the Slumland or did you demand to be moved?
Youtravel should be ashamed of themselves by taking money for bookings that they know they cannot fulfil.

Yes we stayed at Slumland, we did not get moved however people from other companies did. 1st choice rep told us that it does not happen with there clients only You Travel. The hotel know exactly what there doing they are selling the main hotel taking our money and deliberatley sending people across the road telling us its the same hotel. The hotel was full each day i got told no rooms by Friday i gave up it was spoiling my days hanging round the reception waiting for the daily liar to tell me more lies.
i am blazing mad about this, ill post the letter we are writing as soon as we finish it, bit of an Enid Blyton several pages long.
rgds

If your letter is several pages long, and not yet finished, I would recommend scrapping it and starting again.

The Complaints Depts get hundreds of letters and anything more than an A4 page is unlikely to to read, much less addressed. You are much more likely to have your complaint taken seriously if your letter is short, concise and to the point.

There is an example of a successful complaint letter HERE

luci

It was always only youtravel clients.
If my request for a refund is not fulfilled then I will take them to court. I am also thinking of contacting watchdog.
There should be plenty of people to respond as it happens every week.

Have been offered an insulting £93 refund from youtravel.
NO WAY!
We incurred £70 of expenses alone, the hotel we ended up in was over £100 cheaper on the website and we lost a nights accomodation and the first day of our holiday.
It's an insult.

If you complain they have to get back to you within 28 days.

flyer
It is ABTA Code of Conduct that stipulates 28 days for a reply. I don't think YouTravel are Abta members though so perhaps don't hold your breath!

I booked through an abta member who unfortunately used youtravel so they are bound by that I believe. Had one reply already, albeit a ridiculous offer so we'll wait and see what's next.
Otherwise it gets nasty!

Scared now.... we have booked with TR to go to Gran Canaria in September, the tour operator is Youtravel.... Is there anyway to check beforehand that we havent been doublebooked?

I guess you could try contacting the hotel directly to ensure the booking will be honored. Perhaps request something in writing as confirmation.
I'm certain that our situation is not experienced by everyone otherwise youtravel would be out of business, but it appears to be more common than it should be.
Good luck.

We use youtravel practically everyday for clients bookings with a minimum of fuss but they are not alone in changing accommodation.

Don't forget that youtravel don't have control as to how many bookings the hotel takes, after all they are an agent for the hotel, it is up to the hotel to make sure that they don't over book but for some reason hotels appear to do this, quite often too.

Worst offender for last minute hotel changes are lowcostbeds, nightmare and i will not say no more !!