Loveholidays.ie

BraveDonut

I was looking at booking a summer holiday for June using this site.

Prices seem very good - but, too good to be true

I did a search on boards and see that people have used them without issue.

As an example, I was looking at this 5-star hotel in Crete -

Holidays 2024 | Holiday Search | loveholidays -

€2309PP All inclusive with flights

Booking.com shows the hotel only without flights as €2444PP without flights

Mitsis Laguna Resort & Spa, Hersonissos – Updated 2024 Prices (booking.com)

Booking flights separately would be about €300 PP

Saving of approx €435 PP - 870 for the 2 of us

I was mentioning to a friend and they thought the this company is risky as they are not fully bonded. ( I have a full year multitrip insurance policy)

So, too good to be true?

brownbinman

the .com version has 4.2 from 137k reviews

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g1-i12290-k12240966-Is_loveholidays_ie_legit-Bargain_Travel.html has good (bad) reviews on them

book it on a credit card to be safe

Personally I wouldn't

rizzee

I have used them 4/5 times in the past; they have always been the best prices. Absolutely no issues, highly recommended.

Wanderer78

i know a couple of people that have used them, some regularly, no complaints whatsoever, great deals to be had, enjoy....

Kimbot

I booked through them in 2022 and no problem at all, will probably get through them again this year.

BraveDonut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121561989#Comment_121561989

Any specific reason that you wouldn't?

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058329257/loveholidays-ie

We've used LoveHolidays ourselves in the past with no issue, and would use them again if it suited too.

In your particular instance, seems to actually be a case of booking.com not giving the best possible price:

Your link shows a price with booking.com of €4,888 for two people in a Twin Land room, all-inclusive, for those dates

Getting a price direct from the resort shows €3,956 (non-refundable rate) and €4,389 (flexible rate) - https://www.mitsis.com/en/booking?hotelcode=MLAGUNA&checkin=2024-06-03&nights=14&rooms=1&adults=2&children=0&infants=0&currency=EUR&location=crete&properties=&api=true

Going through stayforlong.com shows prices of €3,430 (non-refundable) and €3,906 (flexible) - https://www.stayforlong.com/hotel/gr/mitsis-laguna-resort-spa-all-inclusive_hersonissos

What I'd take from this is not that loveholidays.ie might be "too good to be true", but rather that booking.com shouldn't be relied upon for finding the best rate possible.

Another example is a place in Tenerife we've booked for 10 nights in late June/early July (two adults & one child, all inclusive):

€2,186 by booking direct with the hotel

€2,491 is the price showing right now on booking.com for the exact same thing

brownbinman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121562110#Comment_121562110

just from my very quick initial look at the reviews

I personally have never used them, but I stand very much corrected from others on this thread who have

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121564626#Comment_121564626

Am not going to bat for them (and just to point out I've absolutely no connection with them other than having been a customer in the past!), but have just noticed your link was to a TripAdvisor discussion with all those negative comments.

Things look far more positive on Trust Pilot, with 75% of almost 20,000 reviews being a five-star rating: https://ie.trustpilot.com/review/loveholidays.ie

Somewhere amongst all those is one I left myself a couple of years ago.

I have used loveholidays around 15 times in the last two years.

The only issues I have ever had were:

Booking with Ryanair, you need to do a rigermaroll to actually book your flights as all loveholiday bookings are made with a random email ( no idea why). Usually it means you have to confirm who you are with a passport and such with Ryaniar. Not a huge deal but a pain.

Only other issue was that Room choice is not often what you can get if you book directly, as in there seems to be less choice through loveholidays. But most places, if you want to, will allow you to upgrade if you pay on site.

I have found them great to be fair in the past, even in one case where the trip was cancelled due to illness, they organised a partial refund.

Amouar

I also have a similar concern and therefore I'm hesitating to book an all inclusive hotel with them.

They are waay cheaper than any other hotel booking site, including the hotel's own website: LH price: €154 p/n, hotels.com: €383 p/n, hotel's own website: €277 p/n. How can they obtain such a low price? Really hesitating to book using LH in case I will face problems with my booking.

Curious to know if anyone noticed a big price difference in LH, and whether they had any issues with their booking.

The Davestator

I've used them for over 10 holidays to date.

As an example - last year, we arrived at our hotel and there had been a falling between owner and operators the previous day and they were basically closed down and not taking anyone else in. Phoned Love Holidays and had a new place within 45 minutes.

rodneytrotter15

I've used them a few times. No issue other than a mistake I made.

PopTarts

I’ve used them previously as always the cheapest for family holiday. Never had any issue.

Re Ryanair flights, I think it’s more a Ryanair issue than LH/Other company. It’s explained really well here though and should cause no issue!

https://www.loveholidays.ie/faq/ryanair-flights/

frameclick

Will never use them again! Taken our money but have not booked our hotel. Due to depart in a day and still no hotel for us. This company is shockingly bad.

frameclick

we had to book the hotel ourselves as we were about to depart on our holiday. they finally finally agreed to refund us due to the fact they were unable to provide the hotel for us but leaving it to the last minute caused terrible stress for my family

jmcc99_98

Can someone please help me.

My son and his 6 friends have booked a trip to Croatia to celebrate the end of the leaving cert. They have booked through love holidays and are flying with Aer Lingus on the 27th. The booking was all through the loveholidays websitebut it looks like loveholidays create a distinction in that you manage flights through aer lingus website.

If the industrial action goes ahead and their flight is cancelled and they are unable to get another flight what happens with the hotel etc. Will they be entitled to a full refund of thewhole holiday or just the flight.

I'm devastated for them as they have all worked so hard for LC and have been saving for the holiday all year.

Any advice from anyone?

muzakfan

Ive booked probably 80% of my trips over the last 3 years with them. From summer holidays to city breaks. Prices are hard to beat tbh. 100% trustworthy, essentially just a big travel agent.

One trick to get a few euro more off: Go through the booking, enter contact details etc, right up until confirming payment, then close it. Guaranteed they will ring you within 30 minutes and knock another few quid off the price. Talking maybe €100 of a 2k trip.

endofrainbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287930#Comment_122287930

Doesn't really help the OP. Love holidays are NOT a travel agent, they're an online booking agent who cobble components together. Hence them directing you to EI. Have a very close look at their terms and conditions. It might be possible to claim on travel insurance which I assume the lads have?

Disappointing if they have to cancel...like thousands of others in similar positions.

muzakfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122292169#Comment_122292169

Right, ok. I'll keep paying rock bottom prices while you scour terms and conditions for something to be afraid of. Good lad.

OP is probably going to go and pay over the odds with some "trusted" site anyway who will still tear the arse out of them when anything goes wrong. 😂

Shawn180

LoveHolidays has lost a customer on the first time using them. I booked a holiday to Barcelona in October of 2024.

I made the booking in March and there were 3 of us going at that time.

It became apparently clear that only two of us would actually be able to make the trip by about early June.

I asked to remove a passenger from the trip in June, and now in July I'm being told its best to keep the booking as it is.

This has to be the least flexible booking system for a holiday I have ever seen. They don't take real life into account, people make bookings months in advance all the time and things come up that may necessitate changes. In 2024 for a holiday maker to say to your customers 4 months away from the trip that changes cannot be made is unacceptable.

So Now I will be forced to continue paying for 3 people even though only 2 of us are travelling.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325418#Comment_122325418

Yeah- I think what happens is whilst you might pay in instalments, you effectively commit to everything on day 1- so they’re using the style of flexible booking but in reality you’re pretty much screwed if you have a change of plans or if someone drops out - that’s my understanding.

I booked a holiday this year- flights and accommodation separate - I had flexible options for my flight booking and reserved accommodation with 50% to pay 1 week before arrival and other 50% on arrival- so I had some options if something went wrong - I don’t see the same flexibility with this crowd unless I’m missing something - maybe last minute bookings is the way to go with them when everyone’s committed and ready?

Shawn180

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325437#Comment_122325437

Thanks Oscar,

I think when it's a trip that is really far out in advance, they should allow changes. Perhaps even a feature that will allow you to make amendments up until 90 days before you travel even would be acceptable.

The person who is no longer travelling with us has a medical issue that will not allow them to go on the trip any longer but loveholidays is not being flex at all.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325749#Comment_122325749

A friend of mine experienced that last year- the travel agent they booked with allowed a swap out of names for a small fee and someone else went in their place so 4 people still travelled on the booked trip -but I’m pretty sure if they couldn’t have found an alternative person, I’m not sure if they would have got a refund - group bookings can be notoriously difficult -

endofrainbow

Could be that flights are purchased shortly after booking and LH and their like usually purchase the cheapest non refundable/non changeable fare tickets.

Does pax 3 have travel insurance ?

raxy

I cancelled a trip with them recently for medical reasons, daughter broke her leg. They were useless, was told different things every time I called I was told something different.1 operator told me I can't cancel for medical reasons & I have to get the travel insurance to contact them to cancel. In the end I should have just cancelled straight away as cancelling for medical reasons does not change the loveholidays cancellation fees.

We had travel insurance so got most back from that, minus 95×4 as policy excess. I didn't know the excess was per person but seems all insurers are like that.

I would still book with them again but keeping an eye on their current issues.

flyer_query

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325418#Comment_122325418

I have never booked with this firm and have no plans but feel I may need to pull you up on this.

Did you read the T&Cs when you booked to see what the cancellation process and charges are? For the flight portion I would find it very hard to believe that loveholidays are selling fully flexible flights because they would have no customers, reason being fully flexible fares are normally at minimum +100% of the cheapest fare and I would guess that their customers are super price sensitive otherwise they would book direct.

I just had a look at their clearly printed T&Cs which are linked when you go to book:

"Any cancellation will incur a cancellation processing fee of €75 per Package booking and €25 for hotel-only bookings, plus any charges from the Service Provider(s) as follows:

Flight: 100% of the value of the flights is non-refundable from the point of booking (including baggage, insurance, etc.).

Accommodation: Cancellation charges will depend on whether you have booked a refundable or a non- refundable product. Cancellation charges will be specified to you at the time of booking and vary from one Service Provider to another. You should check your Booking Confirmation and any documentation for details of your specific cancellation terms."

Flights: clearly not cancellable.

Hotel: I am guessing after you factor the €75 cancellation fee and the fact that you will then need to be rebooked from a 3 bed unit to a 2 bed unit (you hardly expected to get to keep the 3 bed unit while only paying for a 2 bed unit right?) then as the travel agent mentions you will not save anything from cancelling.

It shows the importance of reading and understanding T&C's and having realistic expectations (realistic being a fully cancellable holiday for a bargain price).

Dano650

Have used them twice since last October and I can't fault them. Only returned from a recent holiday with them from the Canaries on Monday night. Accommodation was top class, food there was excellent and the kids really enjoyed it. Will definitely use them again

redoctober

I've booked with them a couple of times. We booked Tenerife a few years ago. Everything was fine. Hotel was reasonably simple but using LH allowed us to pay it off monthly for about 6 months. I was then booking them 2023 for Italy. First of all the hotel they booked for 2 adults and 1 small child didn't seem to have adequate beds. They weren't very good to deal with on this. I decided it was best to change accommodation and I booked a campsite through them instead. However, after reading reviews the campsite didn't sound great so I panicked and asked if I could cancel the accommodation altogether and just keep the flights. On chat they told me this wasn't possible. They were very inflexible. I was getting angry and then asked to speak to the supervisor. They then agreed to cancel the accommodation and just keep the flights.

I would be wary of using them as any changes can be a nightmare. If there are no changes they'll be fine. The main advantage I see with them is being able to pay it off bit by bit. Other than that you can probably book flights/hotel yourself and find the same deals.

sporina

whats the story with loveholidays now? last I heard they went into liquidation?

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122598423#Comment_122598423

Some of their suppliers did. LoveHolidays themselves didn't -

https://www.loveholidays.ie/faq/fti-youtravel-insolvency/

Edit: not sure why link isn't working properly. Looks fine as I post it, but then displays just as ordinary text.

BornSkippy

Good, sometimes great, value. Just don't expect much if plans change or things go wrong.

Used them before. The hotel didn't really live up to its rating but I didn't hold it against LH. When we got scammed by a service offered in the hotel, LH couldn't have given less of a toss and flat out refused to even contact the hotel on our behalf to help resolve the issue.

Always contact Airline and Hotel directly and early to confirm booking.

I suspect a lot of the bad reviews are from people who came up short on the payment installments, or otherwise deviated from the contract, and ended up with no holiday and no money back.

endofrainbow

What was the scam in the hotel ?