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Hotel cancellation

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  • 11-08-2020 9:51pm
    #1
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭


    On June 25th we booked a hotel in Killarney via Groupon for this Thursday and Friday night. At 5.30 this evening (Tuesday)we got an email from the hotel to say Groupon had made an error. This deal should not have been available Friday night. We would be refunded our money from Groupon. Our other alternative was their goodwill gesture of having to pay an extra 90euro for Fri night! My partner rang them and the duty manager refused to budge. This is less than 48 hours before arrival. I am shocked that a hotel would treat us this badly! Also by the fact that the mail states they addressed it with Groupon weeks ago (but never contacted us!!). I'd be interested to know how others would handle it!! I copied and pasted the mail below.

    I do apologise as I know the following may be frustrating for you to read, However, the fault with this booking lies with groupon, I have contacted groupon and they have confirmed same.



    Please allow me the opportunity to explain where the fault lies with them;


    We have been waiting a number of weeks for groupon to modify the terms and conditions our hotel has agreed with. We have informed groupon and they are aware that we will not honour any bookings which are outside the terms and conditions we have agreed with them.
    It is our confirmed agreement with groupon that once a guest has selected a date, That date cannot be modified. This is our agreement as with groupon offers we have very limited availability due to the low rates
    The package you purchased with groupon is a package for Sunday – Thursday only. As you are paying a Sunday to Thursday rate we will not be able to accommodate on that package for a Friday night (I have since contacted groupon, They confirmed this and they will be happy to refund you as the error is on there end)


    As a gesture of good will, I would be able to offer you the following option with ourselves:

    should you wish to book directly for the two nights, I would be able to offer you a discounted rate of €230, Normally a direct booking for Thursday & Friday would cost €270.

    Again, I do apologise for the frustration that this booking has caused you however, the error is on groupons end.



    Kind Regards,


«13456

Comments

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    #2
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Tippgirl74 wrote: »
    On June 25th we booked a hotel in Killarney via Groupon for this Thursday and Friday night. At 5.30 this evening (Tuesday)we got an email from the hotel to say Groupon had made an error. This deal should not have been available Friday night. We would be refunded our money from Groupon. Our other alternative was their goodwill gesture of having to pay an extra 90euro for Fri night! My partner rang them and the duty manager refused to budge. This is less than 48 hours before arrival. I am shocked that a hotel would treat us this badly! Also by the fact that the mail states they addressed it with Groupon weeks ago (but never contacted us!!). I'd be interested to know how others would handle it!! I copied and pasted the mail below.

    I do apologise as I know the following may be frustrating for you to read, However, the fault with this booking lies with groupon, I have contacted groupon and they have confirmed same.



    Please allow me the opportunity to explain where the fault lies with them;


    We have been waiting a number of weeks for groupon to modify the terms and conditions our hotel has agreed with. We have informed groupon and they are aware that we will not honour any bookings which are outside the terms and conditions we have agreed with them.
    It is our confirmed agreement with groupon that once a guest has selected a date, That date cannot be modified. This is our agreement as with groupon offers we have very limited availability due to the low rates
    The package you purchased with groupon is a package for Sunday – Thursday only. As you are paying a Sunday to Thursday rate we will not be able to accommodate on that package for a Friday night (I have since contacted groupon, They confirmed this and they will be happy to refund you as the error is on there end)


    As a gesture of good will, I would be able to offer you the following option with ourselves:

    should you wish to book directly for the two nights, I would be able to offer you a discounted rate of €230, Normally a direct booking for Thursday & Friday would cost €270.

    Again, I do apologise for the frustration that this booking has caused you however, the error is on groupons end.



    Kind Regards,
    I would be fairly annoyed as well but I would have thought Groupon would need to compensate the hotel, not you, have you read Groupon's terms and conditions.


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    #3
    antix80
    Registered Users Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    I'd say Groupon have it written into their t and c's.

    Obviously, t and c's don't supercede statutory rights.

    If you're still getting an ok deal from the hotel, just go and enjoy your night.

    Try to recover a bit more cash from Groupon.

    And write a short, honest one-star review for the hotel, saying it would be a 5 star review only for the extra charge. Facebook, google and tripadvisor.


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    #4
    Darc19
    Registered Users Posts: 3,817 ✭✭✭Darc19


    Looks like it's Groupons fault. Your issue should be with them as they write the terms and conditions and you bought from their site.


    Having dealt with them a few years ago, they do make errors and they don't give a damn. They have a huge staff turnover and this causes the problem.


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    #5
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    https://www.groupon.ie/legal/termsofsalelocal

    These are their terms and conditions, agreement is between you and merchant i.e. hotel in this case, something fishy about all this I think, you should have got an email from Groupon if there was some error in the booking,


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    #6
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,001 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    antix80 wrote: »

    And write a short, honest one-star review for the hotel, saying it would be a 5 star review only for the extra charge. Facebook, google and tripadvisor.

    Why would you do that if it wasn’t the hotel’s fault and they are offering a discounted rate? It’s groupon that should get the bad review.


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    #7
    Darc19
    Registered Users Posts: 3,817 ✭✭✭Darc19


    Also, I've never seen a Groupon hotel deal that allows a Friday or Saturday night especially in peak season.


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    #8
    antix80
    Registered Users Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    Dav010 wrote: »
    Why would you do that if it wasn’t the hotel’s fault and they are offering a discounted rate? It’s groupon that should get the bad review.

    Hotel should honour the deal with any company they're using an an agent under the advertised terms. Hotel should have been onto Groupon daily until the listing was fixed, and hotel should have informed the customer immediately of any problems.

    I'd say a few weeks ago it suited the hotel to accept groupon rates, and a sudden uptick of business and they're gouging.


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    #9
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,001 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    antix80 wrote: »
    Hotel should honour the deal with any company they're using an an agent under the advertised terms. Hotel should have been onto Groupon daily until the listing was fixed, and hotel should have informed the customer immediately of any problems.

    I'd say a few weeks ago it suited the hotel to accept groupon rates, and a sudden uptick of business and they're gouging.

    You’ve pretty much just made all this up.


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    #10
    antix80
    Registered Users Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    Dav010 wrote: »
    You’ve pretty much just made all this up.

    That's how opinions work, duh.

    And that's my justification why I'd write a bad online review.


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    #11
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    Thank you so much for all your replies. Yes just went through the Groupon t&C's and contract now seems to be with merchant as we redeemed the voucher when booking. Clearly if the hotel identified an issue with Groupon weeks ago they should have checked their Groupon bookings. It is the timeframe that I find particularly distasteful. I'd started to pack lol!! Yes I think 1star hotel reviews is the best course of action!


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    #12
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,001 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    antix80 wrote: »
    That's how opinions work, duh.

    And that's my justification why I'd write a bad online review.

    You should give it more thought, blaming the wrong person is never just.


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    #13
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,329 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    august12 wrote: »
    https://www.groupon.ie/legal/termsofsalelocal

    These are their terms and conditions, agreement is between you and merchant i.e. hotel in this case, something fishy about all this I think, you should have got an email from Groupon if there was some error in the booking,

    It's been a while since I bought something with Groupon so I've forgotten. But the contract is with whoever you pay. Open to correction but AFAIR you pay groupon who give you a voucher to redeem with the hotel. In that case it's groupon who need to remedy it.


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    #14
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    Darc19 wrote: »
    Also, I've never seen a Groupon hotel deal that allows a Friday or Saturday night especially in peak season.

    True, but this was booked just before the lockdown ended so they may have been glad to see bookings at that stage. We booked via the Groupon site, where you select dates on a calendar. Hotel confirmed these dates. I really feel that they should have honoured it at this late stage.


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    #15
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    jimmycrackcorm wrote: »
    It's been a while since I bought something with Groupon so I've forgotten. But the contract is with whoever you pay. Open to correction but AFAIR you pay groupon who give you a voucher to redeem with the hotel. In that case it's groupon who need to remedy it.

    We redeemed the voucher on June 25th when we booked online using Groupon site. You enter your voucher code etc. As I understand it from then on the merchant is responsible?? I will email Groupon tomorrow. Doesn't seem to be a number, but I'm not very hopeful of any change!!


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    #16
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Tippgirl74 wrote: »
    True, but this was booked just before the lockdown ended so they may have been glad to see bookings at that stage. We booked via the Groupon site, where you select dates on a calendar. Hotel confirmed these dates. I really feel that they should have honoured it at this late stage.
    If the hotel confirmed these dates, then I would expect this to be a binding agreement. Did you show them the booking confirmation.


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    #17
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users Posts: 7,821 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    Just go there anyway and after breakfast on Friday morning put the "Do not disturb" sign on the door and don't leave the room until Saturday.

    That'll soften their cough.

    *bring sandwiches and extra tea bags*

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



  • Options
    #18
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    august12 wrote: »
    If the hotel confirmed these dates, then I would expect this to be a binding agreement. Did you show them the booking confirmation.

    I apologise I'm wrong. Just checked confirmation and it was issued by Groupon.


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    #19
    Darc19
    Registered Users Posts: 3,817 ✭✭✭Darc19


    antix80 wrote: »
    That's how opinions work, duh.

    And that's my justification why I'd write a bad online review.

    Opinion is normally based on knowledge / facts


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    #20
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,432 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    Tippgirl74 wrote: »
    I apologise I'm wrong. Just checked confirmation and it was issued by Groupon.

    Don't crucify the hotel over Groupons mess up.


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    #21
    antix80
    Registered Users Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    Darc19 wrote: »
    Opinion is normally based on knowledge / facts

    Please address any further concerns to the op and stop derailing the thread with nonsense. I have nothing further to discuss with you.

    opinion
    /əˈpɪnjən/
    noun
    1.
    a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.


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    #22
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    So no correspondence from hotel until today, that's not very professional, I still believe you shouldn't have to pay this, but that's just my opinion, if you argue it, you might get the worst hotel room, you could ask for an extra package if you have to pay extra money, a complimentary meal, a room upgrade, if you don't ask, you won't get.


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    #23
    Darc19
    Registered Users Posts: 3,817 ✭✭✭Darc19


    Tippgirl74 wrote: »
    True, but this was booked just before the lockdown ended so they may have been glad to see bookings at that stage. We booked via the Groupon site, where you select dates on a calendar. Hotel confirmed these dates. I really feel that they should have honoured it at this late stage.

    The industry knew in early June that it was likely staycations would be allowed from end of July (the early start was a bonus), so I can't see any hotels offering Friday in August on a cheap deal.

    Possibly they should have honored it as a goodwill gesture, but they probably can't afford to do so


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    #24
    antix80
    Registered Users Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭antix80


    Jim_Hodge wrote: »
    Don't crucify the hotel over Groupons mess up.

    Op is giving the hotel the opportunity to put things right. The hotel chose to sell through Groupon and were aware of Groupon's incorrect advertising. The hotel told groupon they would refuse to honour the booking and ignored the op until the last possible minute.


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    #25
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,001 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    antix80 wrote: »
    Op is giving the hotel the opportunity to put things right. The hotel chose to sell through Groupon and were aware of Groupon's incorrect advertising. The hotel told groupon they would refuse to honour the booking and ignored the op until the last possible minute.

    Which all points to Groupon being at fault. The hotel are offering a discount on their normal rate as a gesture of goodwill.


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    #26
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    Jim_Hodge wrote: »
    Don't crucify the hotel over Groupons mess up.

    You know I did stop and think when a previous poster reminded us that it's never just to blame the wrong person. However i find it difficult to absolve the hotel from all blame seeing as they have left it so late, when they clearly state they identified an issue several weeks ago. I feel they should have checked all their bookings then!!


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    #27
    SweetCaliber
    Registered Users Posts: 2,461 ✭✭✭SweetCaliber


    When you booked through Groupon did you get a voucher to input on the hotels website or did you give the dates to Groupon that you were to stay?


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    #28
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Dav010 wrote: »
    Which all points to Groupon being at fault. The hotel are offering a discount on their normal rate as a gesture of goodwill.
    And the Hotel waited over 6 weeks and 2 days before the event to inform the OP, not all Groupon's fault, if hotel knew this week's ago as they've already confirmed, they should have informed the OP,


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    #29
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    august12 wrote: »
    So no correspondence from hotel until today, that's not very professional, I still believe you shouldn't have to pay this, but that's just my opinion, if you argue it, you might get the worst hotel room, you could ask for an extra package if you have to pay extra money, a complimentary meal, a room upgrade, if you don't ask, you won't get.

    When my partner rang to discuss, he was pretty much told 'take it or leave it'. The email was sent at half 5 this evening! I also think the timeframe is very unprofessional!


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    #30
    Tippgirl74
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Tippgirl74


    SweetCaliber wrote: »
    When you booked through Groupon did you get a voucher to input on the hotels website or did you give the dates to Groupon that you were to stay?

    It was booked on Groupons own website. Their calendar shows the available dates.


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    #31
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,001 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    august12 wrote: »
    And the Hotel waited over 6 weeks and 2 days before the event to inform the OP, not all Groupon's fault, if hotel knew this week's ago as they've already confirmed, they should have informed the OP,

    As the booking was done through groupon, the hotel would have been communicating with the site, they have confirmed this. As far as I am aware, you pay groupon who then book the room in your name, giving the hotel a lower fee than the customer pays. The voucher groupon give you can only then be redeemed with the hotel. The hotel in this case has confirmed they were in contact with groupon about this for some time, I really think that groupon are getting off a bit lightly on this thread and the hotel is getting blamed unfairly.


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