Holiday Complaints

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virgin hotel -building work
15 Posts
jaykay2
2009-04-03 13:54:58
I have just received this letter this morning.

RE:THE HILTON RAS AL KHAIMAH RESORT & PSA

"thank you for booking with virgin holidays.the Hilton ras al khaimah resort & spa officially opened in march 2009.and the feedback from our passengers is very positive.there is some information we would like to share with you,just so you know what to expect when you arrive at the hotel.

There is another wing to the hotel which is not due to open until October 2009.
We have been advised that there will be no noise disturbance unless you are within the vicinity of this.
As this is not a virgin holidays wing,our guests will not be allocated near this.
The Espirit bar and Al bahar retaurants is also not due to open until october 2009.
there are many other restaurants for you to use that offer a wide variety of dining options.

I'm sorry that we've had to notify you of this and should you have any queries regarding this or any other matter,please feel free to contact our service team."

Yours sincerely.
Virgin holidays Ltd.

I have just phoned virgin and spoke with their service team.

I asked what my options where, he told me I could change hotel but if more expensive I would have to pay the difference.
I asked him what other hotels where available on an all inclusive as this is what we have booked,
He said they do not have an alternative hotel for me.

I asked what my options where regarding canceling,he told me I would loose the full deposit.

I then said well basically you are telling me that I have to put up with this hotel as it is or loose my deposit.
He replied YES.

Does this sound right? :(

We are not due to go till July,but my husband doesn't fancy going to a half finished hotel, with half the facilities on open to us.

Any advice please?
Reply
Travelling Sam
2009-04-03 15:05:55
Re: virgin hotel -building work
I'm sure this can be challenged if they didn't advise you at the time of booking, as they have missold the hotel. I wouldn't be happy.

However, i'm not sure that you are missing 50% of the facilities - 2 restaurants in a hotel that size is nothing.

But read through the Trip Advisor reviews as you will see the reality of what your experience will be like.
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Aliceadventures
2009-04-03 15:15:24
Re: virgin hotel -building work
They are only covering incase you complain and they haven't told you in advance.

I would expect at a Hilton brand hotel that large, you won't notice the disturbance, as they say the VHols room allocations are not near the build work and all others bars and restaurants are open. I would be slightly disappointed at the information prior to the holiday, but VHols would not let you stay there if there was a real chance of customer complaints. I would go and forget the letter. Take the letter with you and make a proper complaint at the resort with the rep if it is not as expected in the letter.

I hope you have a brill time. Its looks great.
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Glynis HT Admin
2009-04-03 15:58:43
Re: virgin hotel -building work
If your Tour Operator notifies you too late for you to change your holiday then write to them asap and send by recorded delivery keeping a copy for yourself. State that you are accepting the holiday 'under duress' and are reserving the right to pursue a claim for compensation should this building work mar your holiday.

If you find yourself on a holiday which is being marred by building works then collect your evidence.

1) Report the matter to your rep and fill in a complaints form. Keeping a copy for yourself. (This is very important)

2) Take photographic evidence (using a separate roll of film - not one containing happy holiday snaps)

3) Take camcorder evidence - especially if noise is a problem.

4) Collect names and addresses of other holidaymakers who are complaining.
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keela1eva2
2009-04-03 22:04:16
Re: virgin hotel -building work
I would have thought that in a situation like this you should be able to cancel without penalty. I cancelled a holiday once as they changed from a day flight to a night flight and I was informed I could cancel which I did with no loss of deposit.
I then booked another holiday with another Operator to a long haul destination and was happy with my choice.

Sue
Reply
Sunaddict
2009-04-04 08:32:25
Re: virgin hotel -building work
A change of day flight to niight flight is classed as a major change and as such is deemed a reason for cancelling without penalty.
Tour operators are obliged to inform clients of building works that they are aware of but do not have to allow penalty free amendments or cancellations. As has been said previously it is doubtful they would send guests there if they thought there was going to be a cause for complaint. Under those circumstances they would then probably offer alternatives.

As it would seem only 2 of the 9 restaurants are non operational I wouldn't have thought this would have too much impact on the holiday.
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stacey82
2009-04-06 09:36:22
Re: virgin hotel -building work
I too am in the same situation.

I rung Virgin this morning and was very rudely told that the hotel was fine, and that i would not be able to cancel penalty free.

In addition to the restaurants, the public toilets are not open, neither is the children's club, pool bar and many other facilites.

I am travelling with a small child and need these open.

Surely we have been missold this holiday and they have to refund in full?
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isplumm
2009-04-06 13:20:14
Re: virgin hotel -building work
stacey82 ... i'M NO expert on this, but if the childrens holiday club is not available & you booked hotel for that reason, well that might a mahjor change for you?? What do other people think? Also have you checked t&cs ... what do they say about major change?

Mark
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Aliceadventures
2009-04-06 14:08:05
Re: virgin hotel -building work
I think if your booking has children on it, and you booked the resort, because the kids club was a facility and priority, then you may have a right to be offered and alternative hotel of equal standard (with that facility) in the same destination.

I think ! Give it ago anyway.
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Sunaddict
2009-04-06 19:49:40
Re: virgin hotel -building work
Unfortunately the lack of a childrens club would be not considered a major change by a tour operator. Try emailing the hotel to ascertain exactly what will be and what won't be available when you are due to travel, and then contact Virgin when you are armed with all the facts. You might be able to persuade them to let you amend FOC. Good luck!
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denny.53
2009-04-06 23:01:29
Re: virgin hotel -building work
Well I think the lack of a children's club is/should be classed as a major change by tour ops! and I know of several hotels where the lack of a promised kiddies club has been classed as major change and where the customer has been allowed to change hotels FOC. The White Sands HV Cozumel (owned by FC/Thomsons) last year being one of them!
I would get in touch with Virgin again and let them know how disappointed you are and ask again for a change of hotel FOC.

Denny
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Sunaddict
2009-04-07 12:42:54
Re: virgin hotel -building work
I agree that a lack of a childrens's club is a problem if that is one of the reasons you picked a specific hotel and to some should be considered a major change, but according to t&c's unfortunately this is not the case with any tour ops that I know of.

Major Change' includes the following when made before departure:-
a change of resort area for the whole or a major part of your holiday,
a change of accommodation to that of a lower official classification for the whole or a major part of your holiday,
a change of UK departure airport (excluding change of London Airports),
a change of outward departure time or overall length of your holiday of twelve or more hours.

The big problem is being able to prove you booked the accommodation specifically for the facilities that aren't going to be available.
Unless it can be proved the holiday was 'mis-sold' it is down to the tour ops discretion whether to allow a change FOC.

I hope you manage to get this sorted. What date are you travelling?
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Aliceadventures
2009-04-07 13:10:48
Re: virgin hotel -building work
If a family with children on the booking find out there is no kids club for their family holiday, that is a significant change. If the hotel promotes their resort with a facility which is withdrawn (due to work or have removed the service), then that is wrong, more so if it is an all inclusive holiday, because you have paid for it in advance and its' not there. The same change it were 2 adults (no children on the booking) then the kids club wouldn't make any difference to their holiday experience. But if it were a spa holiday and 2 adults booked because it had a spa only to find out the the spa was closed for instance, that too would be a significant change to them.

I think there is a difference between 'major' and 'significant' change, but I expect VHols will have it covered in small print, that facilities can be withdrawn at any time without prior notice! If so, ask them where it says that.
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Aliceadventures
2009-04-07 13:19:09
Re: virgin hotel -building work
Vhols are still advertising the kids club on their holiday site. Are you sure it won't be open?
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Aliceadventures
2009-04-07 13:23:06
Re: virgin hotel -building work
The photos, exterior and interiors are artist impressions.
Reply
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