Arghhh...frustration....a nger.....fed up

[jowalshy]

Hi folks,

 

I'm in a bit of a dilema. I will be turning 40 next month and, along with a couple of friends who are in the same boat, decided to hold a party. We booked and paid for a function room at a hotel in April of last year to hold the party in July of this year. We received al the confirmations of booking in writing. Last month we all sent out our invitations to 150 people and have had confirmation that 138 will be attending. Also, we have booked and paid for the DJ, party decorations etc.

 

Now the dilema.

 

On the 15th June 2011 (yep, last Wednesday) we got a call from the hotel asking us how many people would be attending. We said 138. They said".........................Oh". The hotel then went on to say that they have accidently double booked the function room with another party who want the room for the whole day. They did however confirm to us that we had booked and paid for the room first. However, they then went onto say that as the other party want the room for the whole day, we would have to move to a different room. As myself and my friends are quite accommodating people, we told them that we would like to see this room first before we made any decision. Well, we looked at the room and was left feeling utter dissapointement. Turns out the room is the restaurant area to which they would clear for the night, but unfortunately cannot remove a large buffet serving thing (they are the ones you see in motorway cafes, the ones that have a space for your tray to slide on as you walk past selecting foods from a tiled area infront. It comes complete with a glass canopy of which they said they could take out the glass but not the large protuding brass prongs the glass attaches to. They would just cover the area)

 

We asked the hotel if they could just change the other party's evening booking to the room they had offered us, but alas they said they couldn't as there were too many guests (same amount as us), and that it wasn't fesible to change from one side of the hotel to the otherside part the way through the day because of the timing.

 

If we decide to go for the offered alternative room they will give us back half the money we have paid and also put £50 behind the bar for each of us as a tab for the evening. We paid £300 for the room we hired so all in all we get the same amount back, but still have to pay for the food and the sleeping rooms after. In my view, the half the cost of the room hire doesn't come into the compensation equation as the room they have offered is half the size of the original room we booked.

 

What can I do?

 

Do I accept their alternative room?

 

Do I cancel my party that I have been planning for over a year?

 

What would you lot do?

 

[PriorityOne]

If it was me, I would go ahead with the party. It's a dreadful c*ck up but what's done is done. Don't let it spoil things for you and for your friends.

 

The point you need to consider is what you would be willing to accept as fair compensation.... and once decided, put it to them. It seems that this is what's getting to you the most right now.

 

[jowalshy]

My frustration is the fact the hotel will not offer the other party the same option as us. We booked the function room as it was perfect for our needs. If it is perfect for our needs, then surely it would be perfect for the other partys' needs. It doesn't really matter how much compensation the hotel offer us as the room they have offered us is not what we wanted. Personally I think that the hotel have not even informed the other party of the blunder and that they are keeping them in the dark as their party would obviously bring in more money than our party.

[watchinginvestigation2011]

You could last min see if any other function rooms have had cancellations that would be more suitable before accepting the other room xx

[PriorityOne]

Yes, I agree.... the other party would bring in more money and they have based their decision on that. They are not going to risk losing that business to make you happy; someone has to be let down and they've made a business decision based upon which party will bring in the most revenue. Nasty but true.

 

In light of the booking error, they have offered something to your party instead to ease the bad feeling/frustration/anger. This decision is unlikely to change, no matter how much fuss you kick up. The only way forward is to decide what you would be willing to accept and go from there, otherwise you will ruin your own party.

 

I'm not defending them..... just saying it as it is. At the moment, you could still have a good night but if you kick off over a matter of principle, you might not because they hold the Ace card, so to speak.

 

I know it sucks.... and I wouldn't like it either.... but the choice is to either try and make the best out of a really unfortunate situation and accept their offer, try and negotiate further.... or not have a party at all.

[jowalshy]

I've already tried that but they are all booked.

[jowalshy]

Surely as we had confirmation of our booking first, then shouldn't the hotel offer the other party the alternative room first. The 2 function rooms are very near to each other, so in my view the other party could easily move from one room to the new room in order to let us have the one we booked. We could always let our guests know that our party will start a bit later in order for the hotel to have more time to move the other party.

[PriorityOne]

Surely as we had confirmation of our booking first, then shouldn't the hotel offer the other party the alternative room first. The 2 function rooms are very near to each other, so in my view the other party could easily move from one room to the new room in order to let us have the one we booked. We could always let our guests know that our party will start a bit later in order for the hotel to have more time to move the other party.

 

Yes.... they should.... but they have given you an explanantion as to why this is not possible and have said it's easier to move your party instead. You could put this to them again and see what they respond with but you also need to be prepared for them to turn you down, so before you speak to them.... have a back-up plan for what you want out of this if what they've suggested doesn't cover it.

 

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Wonder if the other party as the refer to it is a wedding, as that would explain what they have done, as sniffy as it is?

 

Hope your party goes okay whatever you decide xx

[jowalshy]

Yes the other party is a wedding. The whole ceremony, breakfast and evening reception is at the hotel. The breakfast is held in a room adjoining the room we want, so in a way the party would have to move rooms anyway for the evening.

[locutus]

"Double booked" does sound like someone has come along after and waved a load of notes under their nose and asked them to move you.

 

I'd personally say your strongest bargaining chip is that as you had an agreement for the room and they are not going to honor your agreement. Obviously you know your 2 choices are call the day off or barter for a good deal. If the other room would suffice it's just a case of what deal you want. As the wedding is going to be paying far far more than yourself, it may even be profitable for the hotel to offer you the other room for free AND throw some drinks in to keep you sweet!

 

If the other room would be suitable this could even be a good opportunity to get more party for less money!

 

When life hands you Carbonated water, sugar, lemon juice from concentrate (2%), citric acid, flavourings, acidity regulator (E331), sweeteners (aspartame, sodium saccharin), preservative (E202), antioxidant (ascorbic acid)... Make lemonade

[jowalshy]

Thanks Locutus and everyone else. I've just had another discussion with my friends and we have decided to listen to what they can offer first. We will obviously try our hardest to get them to swing round to our idea of moving the wedding reception to our offered room. In the end the last resort will be to postpone our party to a later date at a reduced rate (around Halloween time). They will of course have to refund all the costs we have incurred to date eg. Disco deposit, cost of invitations & postage, decorations bought and travel costs incurred for meetings with them. It will be a real shame to do that as all our 40th birthdays fall around the same time. Mine on the 17th, and my friends on the 18th and 21st.

[locutus]

Same thing applies though, see what they'll offer you in way of a discount if you're prepared to alter your plans!

[jowalshy]

That's the annoying thing. Neither myself or my friends like the alternative room. As I have said before it is the actual restaurant for the hotel. It has windows on three sides, all of which do not have black out curtains. You can just imagine if, per chance, we have very good weather on that day how light it will be until very late in the evening. You wouldn't even see the disco lights etc

 

I have worked out a rough estimate of costs incurred so far that will be wasted if we were to postpone the event. The total being approx £670.00. Hopefully the hotel will then realise that it would be more beneficial to them to just move the evening reception for the wedding and let us have the room we booked in the first place.

[ukaviator]

First of all. . . . Where's me invite? . . .

 

I would try and get them to pay for the disco as well, but I think they will dig their heels in and the wedding party will win. They probably have a sit down meal to cater for as well so the potential profits for the hotel is quite large. Can you try and book another time, how about asking them to put up a Marquee for you?

[jowalshy]

The hotel does have a marquee but unfortunately they are not allowed to hold parties in it in the evening due to noise (I think). I will ask again on Tuesday when I see the manager. Looking at the website, it does have a marquee and in one pic there is a disco set up.

 

(oh.....errrrr. your invite is in the post Uk xx)

[SOD'EM]

Surely they could hang some decorative black material over the windows to block any daylight. I would also tell them that all of your guests are 40 at the same time as you 3. They should put £50 tab behind the bar for all of them:roll:. If not, give all of them their first drink free. This would not inconvenience the hotel too much at cost price. But at bar prices, 138 x £3-£5 is quite a lot.

[jowalshy]

I think I might actually suggest that Sod'em. So that is to put up with the room they have offered would be £150 back on the room we initially booked. We will forgo the £50 behind the bar each of us in order for the first drink free to all our guests. Or even keep the £50 behind the bar for each of us and first drink free for guests. This means they still get £150 room hire from us, £600 for the food from us, £400 for the rooms booked for the night and all the takings from the the booze bought for the rest of the night.

[sequenci]

As far as I'm aware they would need to reimburse your out of pocket expenses if you have to move elsewhere, so if you book a more expensive place they are oblidged to cover them. If you can find a place, of course. From what I've read it sounds like they will be covering your expenses - which is a good thing.

 

Sorry to learn this, what a nightmare!

[jowalshy]

I'm not too sure how it works. If we do find another venue, of which I have tried, would they have to fork out the additional costs upfront? I don't think any of us can afford to pay any extra to what we have paid already. I know that I can't.

[jowalshy]

Just a quick update. I had a meeting with the manager last Tuesday and they offered us the marquee (although the disco would have to be indoors - the disco room being the room that leads into the marquee). We all thought it was a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, they offered it to the wedding party and they decided that they wanted it. So, we now have the original room we booked (the disco, bar and seating area all in one room), with £200 off! Result!!! We are all happy now.

 

The only downside is, we were offered a room at another hotel at a very reduced price where Brad Pitt is currently staying.

[ukaviator]

Well not a bad result after all. Send Brad Pitt an invitation Jo, you never know he may turn up.