Change of holiday booking

[Russell]

We booked a holiday, last minute. Just got a call to say our apartment was over booked. And that we will be put into a 4 Star Hotel next door, looks very nice. However, as its not an apartment it looks like we will need to purchase all our food from the hotel. At a guess this will add an extra £400 to the bill, which was already expensive. I mentioned this on the phone and the lady assured me that food would be covered because we were still staying in an apartment. But the hotel doesn't have any apartments, its only a hotel. Would I be within my rights to demand full board?

Cheers

[blig]

No.

ABTA guidelines suggest one of their members would refund "reasonable additional expenses" which are out of pocket expenses:

1. Loss of value: the difference between the value of the holiday you paid for and the one you actually got. This might be the difference between a four star hotel and a three star hotel if your accommodation was below the required standard.
2. Out-of-pocket expenses: the refund of any reasonable additional expenses you incurred as a result of the breach of contract. These might be the cost of unavoidable phone calls or additional transport costs, if they were incurred as a result of the problems.
3. Loss of enjoyment: an amount to compensate for the disappointment and distress caused by things going wrong.

[Russell]

Okay thank you but the situation changed a lot. That hotel was also not available, and nor were the other 4 alternatives. We had to settle on a much inferior hotel. We were given about 10 minutes to decide, before their office shut. And he didn't know what our cancellation rights were. So we had to go with it, as we fly tomorrow.

Any ideas on this development? Or i'd guess the same 3 point apply. But surely, they should give you more time and be able to inform you of your right to cancel?

Also, going back to the original question, I'd say it would be a yes under those terms. We paid for accommodation in which we could supply our own food, section 2?

[atticus]

When you book a "last minute" holiday, how much time do you get to think about it? Can you reserve it for 48 hours while you decide?

[Russell]

It wasn't last minute. It was booked more than a week ago. In fact a fair bit more than a week.

[atticus]

Do you need to correct anything else that you have said in this thread, Al?