Annoyed with hotel

LadyE · 06-03-2015 11:25AM #1

Hey all,

I'm so annoyed! A friend enquired about booking a room in our hotel on our wedding day ( saturday in peak season) and was told that the hotel didn't do single nights. It's two or 3 nights only.

I called the hotel to see what the story is and they confirmed that this is the case!

They didn't tell us this at time of booking out wedding, when we questioned why they didn't tell us we got a "well you didn't ask" response back. Customer service here is shocking. It's not a small wedding and I just feel sick of the cost of two nights in the hotel will impose on our guests when they haven't the choice.

I feel completely duped here. The only people who can book single nights are the 15 people who can get the reduced wedding rate.

Has anyone come across this??

whiskeyman · 06-03-2015 11:28AM

I've come across variances of this alright, but moreso where the wedding party are taking over the whole hotel / estate which is usually fair enough.

Does the hotel have a policy of doing this on other weekends, and not just for your wedding?
It would be a bit much if they are specifically targeting your wedding for this.
However, if it's they're standard policy during the peak season. I'm surprised they never were up front about it.
Do you have a contract with them?

MrWalsh · 06-03-2015 11:36AM

Have you booked out the whole hotel?

Are there B&Bs, other hotels nearby - if so would you consider doing a block book and getting people a deal with them?

If someone wasnt attending the wedding would they be able to book that Saturday night only in the hotel?

LadyE · 06-03-2015 12:02PM

No we haven't blocked booked anything. We haven't given a list of names of anything yet.

my oh is going through our contract today but I'm pretty sure it doesn't mention it.

There's only 2 hotels in the town, both owned by the same crowd so no other options if this is their stance.

tbh I would never have booked this hotel had I known. It's not fair on the guests.

Ascii · 06-03-2015 12:11PM

Happened me last October 12 months. Rang a well known hotel in the south to books one nights accomm for a friends wedding. Was told as it was the bank holiday weekend that I could only have two nights (sat + sun). Told her no thanks, only needed one night.
went onto a certain generic hotel booking website. Booked one deluxe room for one night on this website for less than half the price of what I was quoted for 2 nights in a basic room when booked directly with the hotel. Breakfast included on the website option.
Rang the hotel an hour later to confirm that my booking was made for one night (and also to gloat) and it was.

Moral of story. Try booking websites, there are a good few of them out there.

LadyE · 06-03-2015 12:13PM

I've tried hotels.ie and it's saying one night is unavailable

I'll try others though.

MrWalsh · 06-03-2015 12:14PM

LadyE wrote: »

There's only 2 hotels in the town, both owned by the same crowd so no other options if this is their stance.

There must be B&Bs?

Alternatively you could lay on a bus to get your guests to a hotel in the next town - its be cheaper than them all having to pay for an extra night.

Pretty sharp practice by the hotel tbh. Do try the booking website idea though.

Milly33 · 06-03-2015 01:13PM

That is horrible what a bunch of muppets.. You should should ring making an enquiry to see if this is normal policy just pretend to be a customer. or get a friend to do it and see what they say..

If it is not in the contact I would be more than annoyed with them and you would have ever right to be... Shame shame on them

lazygal · 06-03-2015 03:31PM

As others have said, there must be some BandBs locally? We have often stayed in them after a wedding as the hotel was full and/or too expensive. As a guest, there is no way I'd sign up for three nights accomodation in a hotel just because I was going to a wedding. I'd either look into a BandB or one of us would stay off the drinks and drive to other accomodation or head home.

LadyE · 08-03-2015 07:03PM

lazygal wrote: »

As others have said, there must be some BandBs locally? We have often stayed in them after a wedding as the hotel was full and/or too expensive. As a guest, there is no way I'd sign up for three nights accomodation in a hotel just because I was going to a wedding. I'd either look into a BandB or one of us would stay off the drinks and drive to other accomodation or head home.

there is one b and b locally, for about 8 people.

We checked the local sister hotel and yiu can book one night there so that's something. We have spoken to the wedding planner and don't think they will budge on this. It's just that we feel misled and shafted...We are giving the hotel alot of money and I feel that they are taking advantage of our guests.

MrWalsh · 08-03-2015 07:37PM

Well you are being shafted. They know that you probably can't rebook at this stage, even if you could you'd lose deposits, so they have you by the short and curliest.

But there must be another option in the next town or within a 50 mile radius that you could lay on a bus for?

LadyE · 08-03-2015 08:45PM

Yeah there is mrwalsh, at least that's something.

There were various reasons we picked this hotel, mainly the family friendly facilities they have in the hotel so the guests won't get the use of those the next day. Plus I don't want to split the party but I guess we won't have much choice now..its just hassle that we don't want.

bren2002 · 08-03-2015 08:47PM

So name and shame. If its all true you can't be accused of libel.

alchemist33 · 08-03-2015 08:56PM

Is it too late to change hotel, OP? (I presume it is if friends are ringing them)
You're entitled to be very angry. They know damn well most guests will only want one night and should have told you when booking. If you can't change and are stuck, bussing people seems the best option.
However this seems the sort of issue a local radio station would love to deal with. If you're both feeling ballsy enough, you could mention this to the hotel.

Kalimah · 08-03-2015 09:08PM

Funnily enough the same thing happened to me trying to book a hotel in the west in 1998. We only wanted one night. It was March by the way and not a bank holiday either. We couldn't afford two nights so booked a B & B. Every time I hear an ad for the same hotel with presumably the smug owner doing the voice over , I think of it! Kind of always wished they'd go out of business so I could say no wonder

MrWalsh · 08-03-2015 09:27PM

alchemist33 wrote: »

However this seems the sort of issue a local radio station would love to deal with. If you're both feeling ballsy enough, you could mention this to the hotel.

Id out them on their social media, facebook, twitter etc...

LadyE · 08-03-2015 09:54PM

We are going to speak to the reservation manager tomorrow to see can he do something...If he doesn't help then ill name and shame.

It's a relatively new hotel..maybe 8 years but is popular for weddings..Ive been searching forums but can't find any complaints from brides with the same issue!

MrWalsh · 08-03-2015 09:58PM

When is the wedding? Could you rebook somewhere else? Because if it was theoretically possible I would simply tell them that they either allow guests to book one night or they lose the entire wedding.

LadyE · 08-03-2015 10:06PM

Wedding isn't until next year, so we could book somewhere else.

I think that's how we are going to go. My oh is unhappier about all this than I am and he wants to cancel If they can't come to a compromise.

its just such a shame, we do like the hotel, it's one of 2 hotels in himself hometown (the other being owned by the same crowd) lots to do for the children and we got a great package. But look, if we have to cancel, we have to cancel.

MrWalsh · 08-03-2015 10:15PM

Well if its possible for you to rebook then you are in a very strong negotiating position.

Dumb policy of the hotel - talk about putting customers off!

Frigga_92 · 08-03-2015 10:19PM

I would post this all over their social media and if they are unwilling to budge then it's time to start looking at cancelling and rebooking somewhere else. Make sure they know you are deadly serious about them losing your business. You should start ringing around other hotels and look for prices etc.

Redser87 · 08-03-2015 10:41PM

LadyE wrote: »

It's a relatively new hotel..maybe 8 years but is popular for weddings..Ive been searching forums but can't find any complaints from brides with the same issue!

It's possible that the reason for this is that the two main Irish wedding forums don't allow users to name and shame. Often you will see things like 'terrible experience with a hotel in X town, PM me for more details'. Suppliers pay a fee to those websites to advertise on them so complaints where a supplier is named rarely get through.
Dunno what the position is on Boards, can you name and shame here?? Mods feel free to delete that question if it's not a Boards policy!
Definitely go all over social media with it. You still have the benefit of time so stick to your guns and see what other places can do for you. Your bargaining position will be even stronger if you have a similar or better offer in writing from a competitor.

lazygal · 08-03-2015 10:42PM

Kalimah wrote: »

Funnily enough the same thing happened to me trying to book a hotel in the west in 1998. We only wanted one night. It was March by the way and not a bank holiday either. We couldn't afford two nights so booked a B & B. Every time I hear an ad for the same hotel with presumably the smug owner doing the voice over , I think of it! Kind of always wished they'd go out of business so I could say no wonder

Is the password cheers by any chance?

Kalimah · 08-03-2015 11:18PM

Got it in one!

Toots · 09-03-2015 03:51AM

Redser87 wrote: »

It's possible that the reason for this is that the two main Irish wedding forums don't allow users to name and shame. Often you will see things like 'terrible experience with a hotel in X town, PM me for more details'. Suppliers pay a fee to those websites to advertise on them so complaints where a supplier is named rarely get through.
Dunno what the position is on Boards, can you name and shame here?? Mods feel free to delete that question if it's not a Boards policy!
Definitely go all over social media with it. You still have the benefit of time so stick to your guns and see what other places can do for you. Your bargaining position will be even stronger if you have a similar or better offer in writing from a competitor.

It's a bit of a grey area here, TBH. If someone is posting a genuine review of a place, then we're usually ok with it, although sometimes may have to delete a thread/posts if they had the potential to land Boards in legal hot water. In some situations, it's a case of 'he said, she said' so each one would be looked at individually. Companies pay to advertise on Boards (banners, offical rep accounts, etc) but Boards won't delete an unfavourable review purely because one of those suppliers requests it.

Toots · 09-03-2015 03:53AM

OP, have ye paid a deposit? I'm not sure what it says in your contract, but would you be prepared to walk away and potentially lose some or all of it?

Flippyfloppy · 09-03-2015 09:18AM

Toots wrote: »

OP, have ye paid a deposit? I'm not sure what it says in your contract, but would you be prepared to walk away and potentially lose some or all of it?

Should the accommodation rules not have to be listed on the contract though, seeing as they affect the guests attending the function? You could argue that this could counteract any retaining of a deposit imo.

LadyE · 09-03-2015 09:28AM

Redser87 wrote: »

It's possible that the reason for this is that the two main Irish wedding forums don't allow users to name and shame. Often you will see things like 'terrible experience with a hotel in X town, PM me for more details'. Suppliers pay a fee to those websites to advertise on them so complaints where a supplier is named rarely get through.
Dunno what the position is on Boards, can you name and shame here?? Mods feel free to delete that question if it's not a Boards policy!
Definitely go all over social media with it. You still have the benefit of time so stick to your guns and see what other places can do for you. Your bargaining position will be even stronger if you have a similar or better offer in writing from a competitor.

I actually didn't think of that, that forums don't allow hotels to be named.

sonners · 09-03-2015 10:42AM

Could you book an appointment to go in and check out the other hotel in the town. Go in there and explain that you are considering cancelling your current venue (without naming names) and wish to discuss holding your wedding there instead. I'd lay money on it that your current hotel will hear back that you are looking around at alternatives (this being Ireland and you say they are sister hotel). It would mean they take your threat to cancel alot more seriously.

Its a ****ty thing to happen though, even if they back down and you get your way any trust you had is now gone and If I was you I'd feel the need to double check every little thing from now on. the last thing you need is additional stress from the people you are paying to help alleviate some of your stress!

MrWalsh · 09-03-2015 10:53AM

OP said the other hotel in the town is owned by the same group.

Milly33 · 09-03-2015 10:59AM

Did you have any luck trying to talk to them again

Annoyed with hotel

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