How about looking for a holiday to a different destination bally. Solves the problem of staying in a hotel you are worried about. Or the other option is to ask to be moved once you arrive at the resort.

Hiya can't!

Thanks for your reply, thomson are refusing to help us (as we are less that 56 days to depart), they have given us one option, and one option only, and that is to cancell ( we'll lose 90% of what we have paid)! I'm happy with the destination, just not the accomodation!! They had a number of hotels available( 2-9 oct), but because the flight was full, they said they could not help us, (if the flight had been available they would have charged us £50 each ammendment fee, plus the extra cost if the holiday would had been more), we would have been happy to pay the £50 each, (and would have chose a holiday as near to the cost of original - holiday). Was on the phone to them for about an hour yesterday, with no joy at all!

I'm so angry that they just wouldnt change our accomodation, and that they are still sending customers to this hotel, knowing that there is a sickness/diarreah (sp ?)bug at this hotel, and has been for the past 12 months, which they cannot shift! You would have thought that they would have put the health of their customers first!

Regards, BBB

BBB

Have you spoken to a Line Manager ? If so and had no joy why dont you give Ros Fernihough a call on Monday to see what she advises ?

It's ok Thomsons saying they have to cancel the holiday and re-book it. I know they used to use a system called TRACS which allowed them to change details ie transfer holidays without losing flight seats etc. Although I cant confirm they still use it as this was quite a while ago. However, I am sure they have their ways and means.

Legally you should be into cancellation charges within 56 days of departure but if you are willing to pay the transfer fee I dont see why they cant be more accommodating.

Ros number is 01922 621114

Kath HT Admin

BBB

If you haven't done so already, remember to download and print off our Safe and Sound booklet HERE which outlines your rights.

luci

Hi Kath

Thanks for that, I'll give her a call on Monday, and see what she advises!, I spoke to the manager at thomsons (where I booked), a supervisor at pre-departures (who denied there was a "problem", then let "slip", that they were aware of a number of "cases", but not enough which would deem them to stop sending customers there. , but they were both adament that, they could not change accomodation, as the flight was not available! (as it was booked as a package),Personally I can't see what the problem would have been, I'd have though it would have been easier for them just to change accomodation, rather than accomodation, and flights

After no response to emails, I've also wrote to the head office too (via recorded), and just waiting for a response.

Will let you know what Ros advises!

Thanks again

Belly

Hi Kath/Luci, please could you move my posts the complaints section now.

After reading the latest review by alan and marie, (On holiday truths). I am even more determined that thomson change our accommodation (no matter what the cost), there is no way I am putting my mums health at risk, or my son's (who has a very week immune system).

The hotel in question is the Regente in Benidorm.

Many thanks, BBB

Split and moved to Complaints.

luci

Bally

I changed my hotel with thomsons within the last 2 weeks from departure. Its there in the terms and conditions they charge £50 per person. I consider the £50 per person amendmant charge as a rip off, it cost the same to change one per or more.

I booked to go the sa coma playa and found out they allowed dogs in the rooms. I told thomson you know the hotel allows dogs in and I have told you am allergic to dogs, if I have asthma attack I will be seeing you in court. They done the change free of charge. I point blank refused to pay amendment fee because if their brochure had said the hotel allows dog to stay in the room I would of booked the hotel. And the hotel is one of their platinum hotels.

I would tell them they know there is a problems with the hotel and you won't let me change hotels. If I have a problem at the hotel I will be seeing you in court. Do it in a letter and either send it recorded delivery or take somebody you if you hand it into the shop, they will be your witness that they received the letter. Let the person who you hand the letter over to know the person with you is there to witness you gave the letter and they received the letter. Its no good going softly softly with the tour ops

The amendment fee is strictly applied by thomson, but yesterday I asked thomas cook to change my complete holiday, no mention of a amendment fee. They wouldn't price match another agents price for the change so I cancelled and rebooked. I only paid £75 deposit for 3 of us with no strings attatched and got £200 lower than their web price. What is annoying I looked at the hotel I change to when booking the orignal hotel. The hotel I am going to now only came up for the apartments and not the hotel rooms, the apartments supplements added £300 per person to the price.

We changed accomodation with thomsons last year, having to pay £50 per person to be on a complex more suitable for a grandparent who is considered disabled. They were happy to do it,and charge us £200 + phonecalls + extra for the new accomodation but we couldn't be bothered to argue it with them as it was making the elderly relative in question depressed.

Mrs Chivas here.

I would keep arguing with Thomson on this one. We went to the Regente at Whitsun and Chivas got the bug, a noro-virus. He was the most ill I have ever seen him, it was quite scary. It is an incredibly strong sickness (projectile vomiting really) and diarrhoea bug. He couldn't keep fluids down even water and we went to the emergency surgery a couple of mins down the road and he collapsed in the loo after being sick again and the doctor had to pick him up to treat him. He was very ill for about 36 hours and weak for another week afterwards. I would not risk this hotel with anyone who has a problem with immunity. Chivas never gets tummy bugs, whereas I get them at the drop of a hat.

The hotel knew there was a bug - I spoke to the night manager and he had been away for a week and thought it had been eradicated during his absence. The thomson rep couldn't point me to a Dr and admitted people were ill but denied a bug. I found around the pool that a girl our daughter was playing with had her grandad fall ill with it. A woman heard the conversation and said she had been ill and howling with pain. On the coach back to the airport another couple said they had been to the Regente at Xmas 06 and they were having ambulances daily to take elderly people to hospital after they became severely dehydrated.

Thomson and the hotel are clearly aware there is an ongoing problem. The solution is a total shut down and disinfect (had to be done in one of our local schools when they had a norovirus outbreak) but obviously that hits profits. After I had reported it I noticed a marked smell of disinfectant around the hotel. Some members tried to poo-poo the bug as bad luck but it really does seem to be isolated to the Regente.

BBB, I suggest you print off all reports of the "bug" and take them to your Travel Agent and post them to Thomson's with a recorded delivery letter requesting a change of hotel.

However that will depend on the advice you get from Ros when you call.

luci

Thanks you so much for your replies!

Chivas - So sorry Mr Chivas "Caught "this bug, I can't believe thomsons are still putting people's lives at risk, by sending people here, - they are definately well aware of this!, will contact thomsons (again) tommorow, although like I said in my earlier post, I feel as though I am banging my head against a wall!!, and they are beginning to get quite "fed" up of me calling in and ringing, (I can tell my their expressions, and tone of voice

Hyper music - I know exactly where you are coming from, when you mentioned one of your family memebrs feeling quite depressed (over the accommodation you were going to), because this is exactly how I am feeling at the moment, I have a constant "knot" in my stomach when I think about going to this hotel!, and even more so at the thought of either my elderly ma, and son (who has a very week immune system.), catching this nasty "bug"

Can't - Glad you managed to get your accommodation sorted in the end, as I know how animal hair can aggrivate someone with asthma, as son has asthma, and his breathing was terrible when he stayed at friends house for the weekend, (He wasn't aware they had a dog!!)

Luci:- I have sent a 2 paged letter off to thomsons (last tues - by recorded delivery!!!), I also included about 20 bad reviews which I got from the various other holiday review websites,(although I wished I had printed more off, - because believe me there was more!), just waiting for a reply back, will let you know (IF) I do! Also the last time I went into my local thomsons, I took the bad reviews down, (Before posted them off Tues), and asked the assistant manager if she would like to read them, to which she replied " It wouldn't make any difference, whether I read them or not" (Charming eh).

In my opinion thomson probably won't admit there is a problem (as it would cost them too much). Like mentioned previous - it certainly does look like they are putting their profits first (Rather than the health and safetly of their customers!)

Will contact Ros tommorow, and report back!

Thankyou very much for all your help, and advice, and support regarding this, I really really appreciate it!

Regards, Belly!

BBB

I hope you have some good luck and get it all sorted out. Don't back down, but if the price has change for the change is more than you paid you will to pay up. In the thomson T&C if change of holiday is cheaper than the original they count it as a cancellation. They win all ways.

Hi all, just a quick update, (although nothing to report as yet)

Spoke to Ros's assistant (who was very nice), -, she took all my details, and she said she found it "Ludicrous" that thomson would not change my accommodation, (regardless of the fact there was no flight available), and especially as I had offered to pay the ammendment fee's, she said she would have a word with Ros when she comes back into the office, and would get back in touch with me!

Just going to try thomsons again, in the hope that I will get some joy, (although I won't hold my breath)

I have also had a few PM's from other HT member's who have caught this "Bug", although I won't go into details, but one member lost a stone and a half, due to this bug/virus/,during their stay at the regente.

Will let you know what Ros suggests!

Regards, BBB

BBB

How about contacting the press, they love good holiday from hell story to get their teeth into.

Hi, all

Ros's assistant rung back, and said she'd had a word with Ros, and that Ros had agreed that she too found it ludicrous that they wouldn't change accommodation too, and advised me to ring ABTA.

Rung ABTA told them of the situation in detail: I was told that, it was a rule of the travel agents that a package holiday flights and accomodation, must be booked together, (they can not seperate them), and that is why thomson would not change my hotel, (because the flight was fully booked).

With respect to the bad reviews (which I also posted to thomson's), was that nothing regarding hotels will ever be monitored on the interent by the travel agents (or abta).

Regarding the bug/virus - If local inspectors have given the hotel the "okay", then the travel agents will keep sending customers to the hotel.

In my opinion, ABTA was all for the travel agents, (and not your average joe public! )

Rang thomson again, too, and have been switched from department to department for the last hour, (total fed up with repeating myself)and , with no joy (which doesn't surprise me in the least), was told the same as I was told last week, they were not budgeing an inch . The only different option she came up with was to book another accommodation (only), and use my original flights. Which I said yes to, only for her to come back with 1 available accommodation : Sheraton Real De Faula Hotel (about 5 miles out of benidorm), never heard of this hotel, and at a price of over £700, just for b+b, (More than we had originally payed as a package!!!), I said no thanks (I'm sure I can find my own accommodation for less), Then to add more insult to injury, the cheeky ***** said she was not sure if we could use the transfers, (we had originally booked and payed for), even though I said we'd just get off at the regente, and get a taxi to the accommodation. (The accommodation I am now going to have to try and find for that week ),

Thanks very much thomsons!

To all HT members thanks so much for your help, advice, support, and PM's it really is much appreciated, (Pity I can't say the same about thomsons)

Regards, BBB

Hi,
If you need a letter or anything from me saying how bad I was let me know!

One thing I will say, up until I was bad I was loving the Regente!
Also my wife usually catches anything way before me and she and our daughter were fine!
But there were just so many people ill or knew someone who'd been ill for it to be a coincidence!
I remember when I got back my wife posted about my illness and basically got shot down by certain HT member/s!
Something about an airbourne virus, but it's strange how many people who were ill actually went to the Regente!
Anyway if you want anymore info let me know!
Lee

Thanks Chivas - sent you a PM

Hi, I've been reading all the recent posts with interest. We stayed in the Regente in May 2006 and "The Bug" was rife at that time. Thomsons were strenuously denying it but we only had to read on here how severe it was.
We went rather naively thinking that if we ate out we would all be ok not realising that it probably wasn't anything to do with the food.
Anyhow we braved the restaurant and really enjoyed all that we saw and ate. The hygiene standards were second to none throughout all the restaurant bars and public areas.
None of our party of 4 experienced any sickness or diarrhoea throughout our fortnights stay although we did meet one or too that did but in my experience that isn't unusual in a hotel full of Brits in Benidorm or anywhere else for that matter probably due to change of food water e.t.c.
Yeah ok I accept that there may be issolated problems at this hotel at the present time who knows but I know of quite a few people who have stayed there throughout the summer who have been absolutely fine and have in fact sang it's praises.
Just because there is a serious negative review on here I really wouldn't let it deter you.

Sue