Hotel Cancellation - help?!

[Belfastgal]

Hi Folks

First time on the board so hello to you all!

Me and my hubby are booked to go to Kissimmee on 2 June 2006 through Airtours. Hubby has just been looking up stuff on the net about the hotel and went into Mytravel website and couldn't find the hotel we booked! Did a search elsewhere and has discovered that it has just been sold along with the Watermania park!!! And Airtours haven't even bothered to tell us!

Has anyone else ever been in the same predicament with Airtours? We've already paid our deposit and stuff so will they refund this or would they simply arrange to put us in a similar rated hotel? If they did change the hotel, would they charge us anything to do this?

We've to ring them tomorrow about it (Customer Servs isnt open today! :ohno:) but I was just wondering what the normal procedure is for these kind of scenarios. Any help would be much appreciated!!!!

Thanks
Lou xxx

[triciacarole]

My guess would be that they would put you in another hotel of similar of higher standard. I am sure you are within your rights to cancel and get a full refund if they can not offer you the hotel you booked as this forms part of your contract with them, however they may have an opt out clause in their terms and conditions. I do think it is bad that they have not informed you. Keep a record of all phone conversations etc, getting names and noting times and dates, good luck :)

[PaulaK]

This has happened to us before and one thing I will say is get on to it asap. Our travel agent held back the info until we paid our balance off and then sent us a letter to let us know. By the time we found out all the alternatives we chose were full and they tried to give us somewhere we really didn't want or we had to pay more. We were furious and cancelled with no penalty. We booked a DIY and have never stepped foot in a UK travel agents since. :)

At least finding out now you may be one step ahead of others and have a few alternatives. Good luck! :thumbs:

[Belfastgal]

Thanks for the advice, will keep these points in mind. Hopefully we will have an available alternative! I'll let you know how we get on, keep your fingers and toes crossed for us in the meantime!

Lou xxx

[Keith]

Just like to suggest that you do some research on the web as Paula suggests.. ie. look on virgin atlantic at cost of flights, maybe expedia, maybe virgin holidays etc. In other words price a holiday up yourself. That way, before you call them, you'll know if you can match or even come up with a better holiday for a lower price! So, you'll know if you want to cancel or whatever depending on the hotel they off you :)

[Belfastgal]

Thanks for the advice but Virgin is a big no no, no way we could afford it! Wellwe rang and were told that letters will be going out to people who have booked to stay at this hotel however as we arent due to go until June 2006 it would be another month before we would get a letter. Hubby asked if we can change booking to another hotel and they said we could, but that if we spotted another hotel at a dearer price, we would have to pay more. If we saw one at the same or lower price, they are happy to offer us that.

So we had a nosey on their website and have changed our hotel to the Howard Johnson Maingate West. Its pretty basic on all accounts but as long as its clean, we'll be happy enough. We're pretty much going to be skint until June next year so we'd rather stay in a clean but cheap hotel and use the spending money to make the most of our time there! So it seems to have worked out ok so far, but it aint 100% til the confirmation comes through the door!

Hopefully the fact that we are in early has been a big bonus. People that are already booked to go at the same time as us next year wont find out for weeks yet that the hotel is sold! and by then, the best (and cheapest) deals may already have gone! so thanks for all the tips and advice! no doubt i'll be on here quite a bit before next June!

Lou xox

[PaulaK]

glad you got it sorted ahead of everyone else! :thumbs:

[Belfastgal]

Paula you were a big help! Many many thanks!