I had to drive our disabled daughter, and her two boys, home after Christmas. North Yorkshire… which is too far for her even though her latest operation has improved her situation tremendously and she no longer needs a wheelchair.
I rang the hotel, the day before, to explain I’d need two rooms next to each other, or across the hall, so that I could help with the boys. After three attempts (so much for the desk being manned 24/7!) I got through and a helpful chap said that wouldn’t be a problem and he’d make a note of it on the system.
The next day traffic was dreadful so we arrived just after teatime to be given rooms 11 and 24!
Because ‘the hotel is full’.
Yes… that’s why I rang the day before!
I think the problem was that there were two bookings with the same name, ours and another couple because, after settling our daughter in and walking to room 24 I got a panicked call from her as someone had come into the room just after she’d put the boys in the bath.
She had had a quick shower, got the boys undressed and in for a wash, exited the bathroom and bumped into a couple who were just coming into the room. Having been given a keycard, from reception!
Premier Inn’s response to this was that they ‘take the safety and security of guests seriously’.
Well God knows what it would be like if they didn’t take it seriously then!
They just give your keycard to someone else and then pretend that you’re secure when you stay with them.
Really… ?
Thankfully the other couple (same name as us, remember?) were nice but say they weren’t? My disabled daughter, half naked, my two naked grandsons in the bath and a couple of less admirable types walk in?
She slept (I use the word in the loosest sense) with a chair wedged under the door handle and I worried all night as my room was so far away.
Next morning the problems continued at breakfast.
‘There’s only one room with a meal deal booked’ when we got to the restaurant.
Of course both rooms had had a meal deal booked but one ‘wasn’t on the system’.
My disabled daughter, two grandsons and I had to stand, humiliated, at the entrance until I found my glasses, got out the phone and brought up the confirmation email.
Then we were allowed to sit down, by which time my daughter’s hip was playing up again.
But at least Premier Inn’s paperwork was in order… !
Be aware people that in the unlikely event that you have a rubbish stay it takes ‘ten working days’ for a reply to your contacting them online.
Ten working days is, of course, two weeks for normal people.
Our reply was to tell us that they’d refunded the cost of our two breakfasts already which they hadn’t… they’d refunded one… and they would process a refund of one of the two rooms my husband had booked in.. yes, you’ve guessed it… ten working days.
One of the rooms…
So one of us wasn’t worth refunding.
I wonder if the other couple, with the same name, got our second breakfast refund because I certainly haven’t. Sent Premier Inn a screenshot of my bank account showing one refund but, of course, no reply… ten working days for a response.
My wife complained in the comments section of one of their ads, on Fb, and Olivia replied with a link to discuss it further using Messenger.
A link that didn’t work.
Another way of delaying things… ?
She persevered and, finally, someone replied in Messenger requesting more details. Details that are already in their system as I had complained at the time.
Another way of delaying things… ?
This morning’s message is that they cannot discuss things further as my wife’s name isn’t on the booking and it would be against the data protection act.
Really, which section?
I find it extremely irritating when companies hide behind the DPA and when you ask them about the relevant section that bans them from continuing they reply ‘Ummmm… ‘
Because there isn’t one, it’s just another way of delaying things in the hope we give up.
The complaint went in online on the 29/12, today is 19/01 and they’ve still not replied substantively.