ARmy Rumour SErvice

**canarybob** · 19-08-2012, 14:45

We have just returned from a weeks holiday in Dubrovnik, booked on-line with an ATOL/ABTA/IATA travel agent.
The website described the room as having a balcony/terrace, but when we arrived we were in a room with no balcony/terrace and basically looked out over a brick wall and big air con unit.

We mentioned this to the hotel management, and they said we were booked into the "classic" room which doesn't have a balcony. They were fully booked and unable to upgrade us.

We then contacted the travel agent back in the UK and they (eventually) agreed that when we booked their website did specify the balcony. However, they actually booked the holiday through a third party. They apparently contacted this third party who said they would move us to another hotel at no extra cost. 2 days later the original travel agent got back to us and said that the third party agents wanted to offer us a meal for two and a bottle of wine in the hotel as way of compensation, as they were unable to find another hotel. I declined this offer saying it did not go anywhere near compensating us.

So, basically we paid nearly 2 grand for a holiday that I wouldn't have paid 500 quid for. I have taken some photographs of the view we would have had had we had the balcony (lovely, looking over the old city of Dubrovnik) and what we could actually see, a brick wall and air con.

What is my best course of action, and any ideas what sort of compensation I should expect.

Many thanks.

**Donny** · 19-08-2012, 15:58

I don't know what compensation you might expect but as for the best course of action I'd try the top result on Google if I were you: Let me google that for you...

**jarrod248** · 19-08-2012, 16:23

Can't say I spend much time looking out of hotel windows.

**LancePrivateJones** · 19-08-2012, 16:30

Dubrovnik is an OK place but you can do the walled city in under a day and there isn't much else quite frankly.

How did you manage to fill an entire week there?

**Ravers** · 19-08-2012, 16:38

Which hotel was it? When wifey used to work for a luxury travel firm, she blagged us a freebie to Dubrovnik on the basis that we checked a few hotels out and took some phots etc. We spent a day being driven about while she had meetings and inspected rooms and I 'inspected' the various hotel bars.

She reckons your best bet is to write a proper stinking snottogram to the tour operator/travel agent, if their reply is unsatisfactory, then contact ABTA who act as a sort of ombudsman for travel operators. There is no point going to ABTA first as they will only deal with you after all other means have been exhausted.

**jarrod248** · 19-08-2012, 16:38

Originally Posted by 3123

Ex-feckin-zactly Jarrod.

He booked on line, looking for cheap stuff, couldn't be arrsed to sit with a travel agent - I managed to have a fantastic time in NZ and Oz all booked on line as I took half an interest in what I was doing and what I wanted.

Now he wants his money back as it's no doubt his human right... if you want a holiday where you stay in your room all day OP then do a bomb hoax or finger a minor....

Meh...

(Sale of Goods Act?..)

I always use Trailfinders as they'll just do the bits I want them to, I book most of my holiday myself. I can understand if a resort isn't quite as described but a view from a city centre hotel?
I booked a secluded hotel earlier this year miles away from anything else, reviews on Tripadvisor complained that it was secluded and miles from anywhere. Idiots.

**jarrod248** · 19-08-2012, 16:42

Originally Posted by Ravers

Which hotel was it? When wifey used to work for a luxury travel firm, she blagged us a freebie to Dubrovnik on the basis that we checked a few hotels out and took some phots etc. We spent a day being driven about while she had meetings and inspected rooms and I 'inspected' the various hotel bars.

She reckons your best bet is to write a proper stinking snottogram to the tour operator/travel agent, if their reply is unsatisfactory, then contact ABTA who act as a sort of ombudsman for travel operators. There is no point going to ABTA first as they will only deal with you after all other means have been exhausted.

Reckon it's better to be polite and firm at the time with complaints. Can't go back in time and he's not likely to get much joy now, worth trying though.
Might be best to print off the Internet a picture of what view he would have had.