Trip Adviser review:
On arrival for a 2-night stay, having paid two months before, I was told they could not honour the second night and the second night would be at their Huddersfield hotel.
They refunded the second night and said I would not have to pay at Huddersfield.
After I had checked out they re-charged me for the second night without my consent.
Originally having booked at Wakefield the Wakefield Cedar Court did not contact me to say they would not honour my booking but other people told me.
I therefore booked at Cedar Court Bradford for the Friday and Saturday night – paying in full on 26 March 2022 by Barclaycard. It was a good deal: £129 for two nights including breakfast, £15 off dinner, a free glass of Prosecco and free parking.
I got text messages from two colleagues during my drive up from Bridgnorth on the Friday warning me that I might be contacted about overbooking but I had not been contacted.
When I arrived just before 5pm, I was told that they would not honour my booking for the second night but could accommodate me in their hotel in Huddersfield for the second night.
Despite refusing their offer, after speaking to two managers I realised I didn’t have much option. I pointed out that I wanted to eat with the group at Bradford and they offered to taxi me from Bradford to Huddersfield after the meal and to taxi me back after breakfast on the Sunday to pick up my car.
During the evening they tried to find an empty room and said I might not have to go to Huddersfield. Two rooms were empty on their system but when they checked, each had some luggae deposited inside so the Huddersfiled plan was resurrected (they had not released the booking for it).
We had a pleasant meal using one of the exhibition tables for our meal in the Cedar suite (nine of us I recall).
One member of staff said that she would get a £10 bonus for each positive review we posted on Trip Adviser (if we mentioned her name) and, rather optimistically I feel in the circumstances, encouraged us to submit a review.
When I checked out on the Saturday morning, my second night’s stay was refunded (for which I have an invoice) and I was told that I would not have to pay anything at Huddersfield when I got there. The refund was small after the cost of dinner (less £15) had been added. I was reminded that I would need to enter my reg no again on the Sunday (which I did).
Huddersfield Cedar Court was excellent that evening. Reception was manned. A colleague had given me a lift (saving them one taxi) and we were given a bottle of Prosecco each.
They had forgotten about the taxi the next morning and although the staff were sympathetic, it took me half an hour to persuade them to order it. The Manager was unable to contact the Bradford Cedar Court as they would not answer the phone. This annoyed him and he authorised the taxi saying he would cross charge the Bradford hotel for it.
I now find that the £10.45 refund has turned into a pending £54.05 charge.
Without my consent the Bradford hotel has re-charged me for the Sunday night.
I have therefore raised a Section 75 claim for the booking with Barclaycard.