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“Our Travel Republic Nightmare - Avoid This Operator”

written by sarahlsmith on 14/04/2015

Just wanted to warn others about Travel Republic to hopefully avoid others holiday turning into a nightmare. Here's what's happened so far...

On the 25th February 2015 we booked flights, hotel and airport parking via their website that allowed us to book the bungalow
... for 2 adults and 3 children (13yo/11yo/4yo). We really loved the bungalow as it was more private so less chance of noise compared with built up apartment blocks / hotels and they all had a terrace and a gardened area. Perfect, just what we wanted after many many hours of searching various websites.

Then after we are informed that Ryanair can't do the flights at the price we booked at, and there would be a £61 additional cost. Obviously unhappy about this we finally agreed, thinking everything is confirmed now, not so. On the 9th April, that's right 43 days after our booking, we get notified that, and I quote...

"The hotel supplier has advised that the room type you have booked does not accommodate 5 people. Therefore they will accommodate you in two interconnecting rooms at no additional cost. "

... so remove the beautiful bungalow picture with gardens and terrace and now replace that a 4-5 story high apartment blocks with no gardens or terrace. When questioned on why we were able to book this they keep blaming the "hotel supplier", however their site has now been fixed so 2 adults and 3 children can't book the bungalow.

Trying our best to be reasonable, we explained that our 4yo loves her blow up ready bed and will be sleeping in our room and their website states that 2 adults, 2 children and a cot so would this be possible ? or could we move to one of the villas they offer which are similar, and we were told, and I quote...

"Please find below an email from your hotel supplier: "We have spoken to the hotel and the option that guests offer (the blow up bed) is not viable for security reasons. Also the villas are fully booked for the period of stay of these guests, so it wouldn't be an option either… Our last intention is to ruin these guests holidays but we have offered a feasible option, 2 apartments with a connecting door in which the guest will have directly access to each other apartment in case that it is any matter with the children… As I previously said, if the guests are not satisfied with this alternative, they are still on time to cancel the booking without fees."

Now we can cancel the hotel however Travel Republic wont refund the flights. I know they are separate purchases, however when this whole mess is their fault and it took them 43 days to let us know so now all the prices have gone up even if we do book elsewhere, you would think they would be own up to this being their fault and do something. We've even looked to try and find other villas / bungalows etc in the same area but there's nothing. It's a shame they can't be as quick with such issues compared to the fast turn around to charge you another £61 on your flights. Oh and good luck trying to get things resolved on the phone, the best option seems their online ticket system where they seem to write comments about you as well and I quote...

" On the Hotel website it clearly says 5 people can fit in a bungalow ... Customer is unhappy about the interconnecting rooms due to safety of children...
Please can we double check there is no rooms as she is so angry, she has had a pup on her flights too!
Thank you."

Lesson learned for me, my family and anyone who cares to listen to my story on this. I'll never use Travel Republic again. So now we're waiting (wont hold our breath) if they can put us in two of the bungalows as they are interconnecting, put up with built up apartments or take action to recover the money. And this is just the logistics, we had hoped to get away somewhere nice and quiet to get over a very challenging year and Travel Republic just want to add to the stress, never again.