Maybe your right Newman, but you could say that about alot of companies though.

Maybe we should start a Travel Republic thread. I've never heard of TR until you mentioned them earlier, so I'd like to hear of peoples experiences with them before they get my hard earned. If they are all that and more I'll definately be checking them out in a couple of weeks when I take the missus away for a break.

Cheers

Jazz.

Thanks to all for the info on TR..I used the code and duly got the 5% discount on some apartments we have previously used in Fureteventura.Are going there at the end of the month so I`ll let you all know how it went.Usually use Alpharooms but after some of the postings on here,thought I`d avoid them.

Paully

Last year (My first DIY) I wanted to go with wintersunshine because of the good reviews, when checking I found atlaschoice a lot cheaper so sent a email to wintersunshine because they said they would price match.
Wintersunshine did price match and also knocked about £20.00 extra off the price.

I was very impressed.

Michelle

Just come back for Majorca using Winter Sunshine Holidays, no problems everything went smoothly. Stayed at the Eden Lago in Alcudia, will do a report later, really impressed as we only paid 70 pounds each for the accommodation but full of Germans. Only saw one other english couple all week

I have just come back 10/10 using WSH third time I have used them with no problems whatsoever, but have found Travel Republic to be a little bit cheaper so going to give them a whirl. off to Benidorm 31/10 with WSH. TR in Feb to Mallorca. These companies all seem the same once you have your voucher there should be no trouble, but I understand anyone a little bit nervous the first time of travelling DIY. WSH are ok.

Just back from the Algave and used Wintersunshine holidays for the first nervous time,everthing went 100% and would not hesitate to use again, we even had a salad and fruit waiting in our room at 9-45 pm

shrimper,

Got to say, I've heard of having fruit and wine in rooms, but salad... WTF??? lol

I went on Winter Sunshine's site earlier today and saw that they've got an offer on loyalty discount at the moment. It says you get 8% instead of the usual 5%.

Shame really, as I've already booked mine a few weeks ago :'C *cries like a baby*

BTW Shrimper, love the your logo image lol. I never tire of seeing that, its so funny. hehe

Jazz.

Booked my first diy holiday with them and everything went smoothly, just showed the voucher when we arrived at the hotel and that was it. I would defently use them again.

We have just booked our first diy holiday with wintersunholidays.We are going to the same hotel as last year and its come up alot cheaper than what we paid with the tour operator.From reading the reviews on here and they always have good feedback and not to mention that they are cheaper than Alpha rooms and Hotelopia. We fly bmi baby and got some good flight prices too.Will report back end of May on how things went.

After the problems I had last year ( see other posts) I thought I would give WSH another chance this year. How wrong I was!! I decided to phone for a price and also invoke my loyalty discount from two years ago because to get the discount you have to phone, you can't book on the web.

So yesterday (Thursday) I phoned for a quote and was given a price with 5% discount and the price with 8% discount but to get the 8% I would have to phone back with my booking ref from two years ago!! They couldn't just look my name on a database like most companies would do.
I figured that the extra 3% was just as well in my pocket and so went looking for an email print out from two years ago.( I have replaced my computer since then so it wouldn't even be in my inbox). I eventually found the email which fortunately wasn't thrown out and went to phone back WSH only to find they closed at 5pm and it was an answering machine.

I then phoned again today (Friday) to (I thought) confirm my previous reference number. I was then told that the "quote" I had been given yesterday was not a quote at all and was yesterday's price and because I did not call back yesterday I could not have yesterday's price and today's price was over £100 more!!!.

At no point in the conversation from yesterday was it explained that this was not a quote and that prices could change. I thought that I had agreed a price and was merely phoning back with my previous reference number
to confirm 8% discount instead of 5% . I spent several hours looking through papers because WSH didn't have a database facility(or couldn't be bothered looking it up) only to end up with a higher quote than the price without any discount at all from yesterday. The "supervisor" I spoke to today was most unhelpful and flatly refused to budge.

I don't suppose there is anything I can do about it as there is no record of the quote. All I can do is point out to other members on here that if all is well with your booking then fine but if there are any problems at all then WSH and their customer services stink. Be very wary when dealing with this company.

I agree with the problems about getting the 8% discount, you do have to "go around the world" to get it. It is a pity it isn't available online.
I don't understand how a quote could be £100 more Was the original quote an error?? I do know their prices are fluid though, they fluctuate on the Euro rate. Hope they can get this sorted.

Best of luck,

Robby

BlueBlazer,

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to yourself regarding your recent attempt to place a loyalty discount booking with our company.

We understand and appreciate your frustration that the accommodation you require is no longer available at the price previously quoted by telephone. Quotes provided over the telephone are to be used as a guide only, they are not guaranteed, this is stated in our terms and conditions (point 2 - Our price guarantee).

Please understand that our website contains live availability fed in by multiple worldwide accommodation providers. As the content is live, it means availability and prices may change at a moments notice, for better or worse.

Our sales team have confirmed that the quote you were given over the telephone was for a 5% discount booking (standard telephone booking discount). Loyalty discount quotes are only given when previous invoice ID details are provided.

Loyalty discount online is a facility that we are at present developing to prevent the need for contact to me made with our staff via telephone.

Once again, please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Very Kindest Regards

David Clifford
Managing Director
Winter Sunshine Holidays

Loyalty discount online is a facility that we are at present developing to prevent the need for contact to me made with our staff via telephone.

Best of luck trying to get this facility online David.

And well done for coming online to try and explain. It's a pity other less reputable companies don't follow your lead.

Robby

I 2nd that. Well done WSH.

If it's any comfort to you blazer, I had the same issue with Alpha Rooms a while back (price quoted was not available an hour or two later).

Although as Robbie suggested, the response I received from them was not as polite as Winter Sunshine's, not to mention I couldn't get any higher than a sales person to talk to me
Good to hear that web loyalty discount is being worked on, it'll make things so much easier.

Jazz.

Hi

I have booked with wintersunshine five times and I find them the best for online bookings, as for the discount it only takes one phone call which is pretty easy

jeanie

Sorry to disappoint you Robby and Jazzman but there is only one reason that Mr Clifford has replied on here and that is because I knew he was a member on here and so out of courtesy I PM'd with my posting inviting him to reply.

Fair enough, he did reply promptly but his reply is no different from the other agent mentioned except as Jazzman says perhaps a bit more polite.
He has simply done what most of these agencies do when something happens and that is to hide behind the dreaded small print. The complaints forum is full of such incidents where when something happens the company involved doesn't want to know and merely points to the "terms and conditions".

The true test of a company is how they treat their customers and this only becomes clear when something happens. OK, maybe by the "letter of the law" a company is right but a reputable company will go out of their way to ensure satifactory customers relations if they want business and for customers to come back again.

This situation could have been avoided by either of two ways. Firstly by the addition of a sentence on the front page of their website under Loyalty Discount saying that you needed a previous reference number to claim. Or, more simply a basic database of previous customers whereby someone could see at a glance whether it was a returning customer.

On the WSH terms and conditions I found this little gem:

On some occassions hotels may change rates after accepting bookings in areas where, and when, Trade Fairs for example are taking place (usually city hotels). We make every effort to determine any rate rises for specific dates such as the above at the beginning of the season, before rates are loaded onto our websites. In the unfortunate event that we have not been informed of a rate rise, and you have already made your booking at the hotel at a lower rate, on the particular dates in question, you will be given the opportunity to either cancel your booking free of charge, or pay the additional rate required.

Apart from not being able to spell properly, it would appear from this clause that they could attempt to charge you more EVEN AFTER you have made a booking!!!!

The fact remains that you may travel several times and have no problems as Jeanie has done. It is when something happens that WSH and other agencies show their true colours and fall down drastically in the customer service department. Is it really worth the worry and stress?

Sorry WSH hasn't worked out for you this time blazer. Any ideas on who your now going to try?

I'm afraid I personally can only recommend Alpharooms & Winter Sunshine Holidays, but if you want to try someone different here's a link to other companies you can try http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=64406.

Let us know who you go for in the end and how much you paid.

PS. For the love of god, read the terms and condtions before you book it. Sorry mate, couldn't resist.

Jazz.

I know where you are coming from Blueblazer, but at least you got a reply. Try getting one of them from Alpharooms. Although I do recommend WSH, so far the most professional agency has been http://www.hotelconnect.co.uk/. They send me out proper vouchers, info on the area/pamphlets etc, they went out of their way just that little bit more.

Best of luck, and no doubt you have learned that customer loyalty means nothing.

Robby

Further to recent posts about the WinterSunshineHolidays loyalty discount scheme, I understand that this facility is now available online.

Previous customers need only enter their e-mail address and as long as it matches the address held on the WSH database, the 8% loyalty discount will be deducted from the holiday cost.

David