I booked with Travelodge inOct 06, for Sept07 in Cardiff & they rang me yesterday to cancel, where do i stand?

Question

I booked a room with them on 2nd Oct 2006 as soon as rooms were released for 15th September 07 during the RWC as i have a Wales V Aus on Saturday and another game on sunday. They rang me yesterday (1 month before) and told me i have to either have a room in Swansea or Bristol (both about an hour away), or cancel the booking, as due to an error they had over booked the hotel.

My question is where do i stand and what can i do to keep the room?
I havent accepted anything as of yet and told the person who rang me to call me back at some point today.

Booking was made over Travelodge website and Credit card was used to reserve the room, I rang and double checked with central reservations in May, and was told that this was fine as a reservation is a reservation.

HELP PLEASE!

Additional Details

Edit: I had to book so far in advance due to the demand for hotels over this weekend.

oh yeah i live in Weston-super-Mare which is about 15mins from Bristol so might as well go home and get train back up next day, but thats not the point

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I don't think that there is a lot that you can do at this late stage as everywhere will be booked up for miles due to the rugby. I would go for the Swansea option, as it is the easier option travel wise than travelling from Bristol. I would complain about the service that they have given you and hopefully they will give you a reduction on the booking. Hope that things work out okay for you.

Answer 2

DUNK is talking crap as the popular ones DO get booked in advance,especially in coastal areas.as for your booking if you were the one who booked first i dont see how they can make you cancel.if you booked nearly a year in advance i dont see how anyone else would do the same too!...ask for head office number to **** them up! and ask for her name who you talk to!

Answer 3

So they made an error and you have to pay for it? That doesn't sound right to me, especially if you booked so far in advance.

Answer 4

it sounds to me like they have forgot all about your booking, and given it to someone else,bloody typical.ring up their head office and kick up a storm.tell them that you've taken legal advice.thats the only way to get things sorted.they don't give a dam about you as long as they get they're money.good luck and i hope you get your room.

Answer 5

OUT OF LUCK, if you want a holiday away, take what they offer. You won't win a suit, and the head office already knows you have no leg to stand on, sorry.

Answer 6

i know this is an inconvenience for you and dont know if travelodge are right to do what they do but if you have to take a different hotel ask them can you stay in newport as i think they have 2 hotels there and it is closer to cardiff than swansea or bristol.hope this helps.

Answer 7

Tell them that your not happy and surely the people who are having the rooms must have booked after you. Just be nice to them and see what they offer you.
Cant they book you into the travelodge in Pentwyn just outside cardiff. But only 10mins from city centre.

Answer 8

You shouldn't book a travel lodge so far in advance! Your only supposed to book those like a day in advance! But, you booked first, so threaten to take them to court!

Answer 9

It would be interesting to find out (if you can) how many rooms were available at the time of your booking, I cannot believe that they would be at that time, fully booked or I am sure they would have intimated such to you on the basis of needing your credit card to confirm the booking.I think the original booking was never made. Suggest you write to the MD setting out the detail, it will not help this booking but you should at least get a free night's stay!

Answer 10

Put your case to their head Office and ask them a better explanation and what are they prepared to offer for the inconvenience they would put you to.
Write to a Senior Director

Answer 11

When you made a booking at the TravelLodge in Cardiff nearly a year in advance specifically for this years Rugby World Cup the hotel made a contract of agreement with you whether you paid them money upfront or not.
They must have been aware that bookings so close to the event would go through the roof and command a heafty premium over the normal tarrif.

They claim they made an error of overbooking the hotel (a likely story).It is their problem and not yours and the fact that

You made a booking over their website which TravelLodge accepted and thus entered into a legally binding contract.
If Travellodge now break that contract by claiming they overbooked your room then they are obliged to compensate you in some way.

Naturally they have accomodation in Swansea or Bristol and if they insist on booking you into there then they can pay your taxi fare there and back to the millenium staduim and give you a free meal in the process.

It was they who broke the contract of agreement between you and TravelLodge (check out the terms on the webpage you filled in, I bet there is nothing there about doublebooking on the biggest event in Cardiff this year or any year.

If you are still unsure having read this, copy this and take it to your local Citicenzn's Advice Beureau i will be very surprised if they say anything differnet.

A contract especially over the interenet is a contract and TravelLodge are fully aware of the fact.They simply want to make more money knowing that accomodation in Cardiff during Rugby World Cup will be almost impossible to get.

You booked well in advance so the room you booked is the room you should be given and not in Swansea or Bristol.

Stick to your guns TravelLodge have not got a chance in the matter.Its their problem and they can fix it .

You say you have not accepted anything,well by filling in TravelLodges website booking form and reserving your room by payment of credit card is entering into a legally binding contract.

If you hadnot paid by credit card then maybe TravelLodge would beable to cancell your agreement but you have (contact your Credit Card company and ask them for a statement to show you actually paid TravelLodge ).

By filling in that webpage you are accepting the terms and conditions set down by TravelLodge.

I bet my last pound there will be nothing on their webpage about doublebooking as most hotels rarely make such a mistake.

Answer 12

You have no comeback against the hotel. You need to read the terms and conditions on their website which explains that they overbook their rooms as a percentage of prebookers don't turn up on the day. Sorry.

Source(s):

www.travelodge.co.uk go to frequently asked questions, then general help and you will find a question - what is overbooking.

Answer 13

I'd make sure you have all your confirmation documents with you and ring the manager of the travelodge, they cant do that! Thats disgusting!!! I'd make a fuss until you get what you want!! Good Luck!