A chara, – In my experience, hotels can do and charge whatever they like with little fear of sanctions.
In November 2021, I booked a family break for the weekend before Easter for six adults and four children.
Consider our disappointment when a lady who introduced herself as one of the owners of the hotel rang, eight days before we were due to travel, to say they were cancelling our booking. The reason she gave was that she wanted to make the hotel available to accommodate Ukrainian refugees. I felt that was a good thing for them to do and said so to her.
However, the following weekend the hotel had an ad in a Sunday national paper advertising spring breaks. I contacted their reservations office to check and they confirmed they were taking bookings. I then emailed the hotel, marked the mail for the attention of the lady who had cancelled, and asked for clarification of the situation. They never replied.
I contacted Fáilte Ireland and was told they have a formal complaints procedure whereby I could lodge a complaint which they would submit to the hotel and monitor their response. The hotel would have two weeks to respond. This sounded positive and supportive, However, the hotel refused to engage and, when I asked Fáilte Ireland what they would do next, I was told there is nothing they can do and that the hotel can decide just how they wish to conduct their business: “Irish consumers who have a concern against an Irish hospitality business may wish to consider contact with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission” (CCPC).
I then contacted the CCPC, which told me there was nothing it could do and suggested I consider bringing the matter to the small claims court.
Irish hotels can do whatever they want with little fear of sanctions. – Is mise,
SEÁN MALONE,
Dublin 16.