Beware of booking holiday cottages through trip advisor

[maxthecollie]

Just look at my review on
Holiday Cottage, Rhosneigr, Anglesey, North wales - Rhosneigr Holiday Cottages - TripAdvisor

[cashman]

Looks very grim mate, always n idea to read reviews before booking, even if yeh been before, things sometimes obviously change.

[maxthecollie]

I had read a previous review and contacted the owner just after we sent the deposit and he said it was sour grapes from a competitor. Just after we paid the balance another bad review appeared. Now we have seen it for ourselves and I am chasing the owner for a refund. He said we should have contacted him whist we were there but we had no mobile signal.

[Michael1954]

Originally Posted by maxthecollie

I had read a previous review and contacted the owner just after we sent the deposit and he said it was sour grapes from a competitor. Just after we paid the balance another bad review appeared. Now we have seen it for ourselves and I am chasing the owner for a refund. He said we should have contacted him whist we were there but we had no mobile signal.

Saying you should have contacted him while you were there sounds like he is looking for a get-out in not giving you a refund.

[Rowlf]

So sorry to hear of your ruined holiday Maxthecollie. We have been self catering many times and we have never had this sort of experience thank goodness. We have not used Trip Advisor though. I have looked on that site when we have been going to a hotel we have not been to before but have always found the reports were not accurate. I think some folk like to look for faults. Obviously in this case the reports were correct. Telling you you should have reported it while you were there is not much use when there is no signal which he must know. I sincerely hope you get a substantial refund.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Post your pictures on trip advisor....It is so that others can see that this a true report and not one from another competitor with an intention to deter travellers.
I have used the reviews from trip advisor many many times and have found that some reviewers want five star treatment at one star prices.
I have been to places that had dismal reviews to find them perfectly acceptable.

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Post your pictures on trip advisor....It is so that others can see that this a true report and not one from another competitor with an intention to deter travellers.
I have used the reviews from trip advisor many many times and have found that some reviewers want five star treatment at one star prices.
I have been to places that had dismal reviews to find them perfectly acceptable.

I have posted my pics and review on trip advisor. It's a pity I can only post 10 pics as I have loads more. The owner has not done anything to rectify faults reviewed by other trip advisor guests going abck quite a while.

[MargaretR]

I once salvaged a holiday disaster.
The hotel (in Corfu) was so atrociously bad, we moved out after one night; found another hotel, and (on return) successfully sued (small claims court) the tour operator for the cost of the 2nd hotel.

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I once salvaged a holiday disaster.
The hotel (in Corfu) was so atrociously bad, we moved out after one night; found another hotel, and (on return) successfully sued (small claims court) the tour operator for the cost of the 2nd hotel.

Good on ya Margaret. I am waiting for the owner's reply to my email asking for compensation.I have given him 7 days to reply

[lindsay ormerod]

Originally Posted by maxthecollie

Good on ya Margaret. I am waiting for the owner's reply to my email asking for compensation.I have given him 7 days to reply

I wouldn't hold your breath, looks like he only responds to positive feedback!

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

I wouldn't hold your breath, looks like he only responds to positive feedback!

The owner has replied he will not compensate me because I did not ring him from the cottage on the first day although we had no signal.

[Margaret Pilkington]

tell him you will be taking the issue up with the small claims court...see if that makes him have a rethink.

[Guinness]

Over the past few years I've booked many cottage holidays in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England through various websites, most of them lead to a medium sized unit in Earby near Skipton.

From time to time I've had problems, and when I have, contacting the agent instead of the owner has always led to a positive result, in one case where an owner tried to claim for damages I left the matter in the agents hands and received a polite email telling me that they would sort it and that was that.

All of the cottages have a visitors book that the agents read for adverse comments so that they can upgrade/downgrade the ratings accordingly for next year, so it's in the interest of the owners to be top notch.

No doubt I paid a few extra quid than you..but..you get what you pay for..peace of mind and a better, more relaxed, break away from home

Who needs trip advisor?

[gpick24]

Cottages4you Guinness?

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by Guinness

Over the past few years I've booked many cottage holidays in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England through various websites, most of them lead to a medium sized unit in Earby near Skipton.

From time to time I've had problems, and when I have, contacting the agent instead of the owner has always led to a positive result, in one case where an owner tried to claim for damages I left the matter in the agents hands and received a polite email telling me that they would sort it and that was that.

All of the cottages have a visitors book that the agents read for adverse comments so that they can upgrade/downgrade the ratings accordingly for next year, so it's in the interest of the owners to be top notch.

No doubt I paid a few extra quid than you..but..you get what you pay for..peace of mind and a better, more relaxed, break away from home

Who needs trip advisor?

All the companies in there are now owned by Hoseasons