I dont know where to start- I really dont know how a multinational company can do like this to me.. I am a traveller and infact travel every month to diffrent destinations. but this time when I took help of travelguru for hotel booking I got the shock of my life... Below is my story.
This is with regard to booking made on 23 Jul 2011 from Travel guru in Munnar rocks hotel, Munnar** Booking ID- TGU0000510151, before booking the hotel I had discussed on availability with Vinicia-travel coordinator from travel guru, usually if we see availavility online we go ahead and book but I really didn’t want to take chance as this hotel was not showin in any other travel portal like cleartrip, makemytrip, yatra hence called travelguru to reconfirm. Double assurance was given by vinicia and when I kept asking her multiple times she advised me to book hotel and write in remarks-“spoken to vinicia on availavility” based on this got the booking done and got the confirmation mail as well from travel guru.
I was happy.. Obviously things were going smoothly and I chose the hotel as per my requirement-big rooms, good view and more important value for money.. Away from city crowd- a very important criteria from bangaloreans.
However just few days back ie around 9thAug 2011 got a call from travelguru saying that the rooms is not confirmed and I will be given similar property ie, SN tourist Home. Please find some snapshot of discussion I had with travelguru agent.
Day 1- I got a call and was asked to look at alternate option SN TOURIST HOME and confirm back. In spite of me not finding the hotel that great(not matching my criteria mentioned above)I said will go ahead if complimentary MAP plan can be given. Agent said will confirm back.
Day 2- No phone call from travelguru-I called up twice and same response of will let you know soon. Day 3- No phone call from travel guru again- I called up twice and got to know in second call attempt that hotel does not have restaurant and can’t give the benefit(this is false as there is fully fledged restaurant in hotel-discovered this after arriving munnar).. I asked for alternate property which again was told to me that is not available. I asked for any other discount but was upfront rejected and when I asked to connect me to Manager was told that no one is available and morning 9 am the manager will call, no one called up in the morning as well.
Day 4 -called in morning to check if anything happened. Was told by agent that area manager has just come in now and will look at other property and will be called by travelguru in 1 hr. No response for 3 hours-called travelguru-was told straight no other property and no discount can be given. if I don’t book SN tourist home now even that will not be confirmed hence with no options in hand told travel guru agent to book the room in SN tourist home. Please note – Key points- Munnar rock was chosen by me as it has cottages type accommodation and big rooms. However SN tourist has small room and is hotel-4 wall concrete. Munnar rock is outside city (in the lap of nature)-our first preference.
I confirmed the room but till the last moment inspite of various follow up didn’t get the confirmation mail from travelguru.. finally there was no point in follow up as I was about to reach munnar.
13 Aug 2011- Check in Date-Munnar
Reached SN tourist Home-Munnar, was told by reception that room is not available and separate arrangement is done in SN Sujatha INN.alternate property. Again no option- had to drive back towards city to find the hotel.. we reached SN Sujatha INN and were given 4 Standard Rooms(regular Rooms), we were advised by travelguru that deluxe room is booked but hotel said only standard room is booked and no other room can be given.. trust me.. room was pathetic and as small as a bathroom of 3 star hotel.. we were 11 members (suppose to be 12-3 sharing each room) thank god 1 person dropped out in last moment-lucky chap. I tried speaking to hotel people to try and explain thagt rooms are too small and are very untidy.. no one heard and direct response was given only this room is blocked by travelguru.
I called travelguru multiple times- no reply only waititng tone saying you are in que and then disconnect. Finally was able to get connected- I literally begged the agent for change of room or hotel as the rooms were not at all livable.. I was given assurance that travelguru will speak to hotel.. no responseeee... I again called.. again same speech.. will speak to hotel.. I was frustrated and asked if I can speak to manager but like always I think managers in travelguru is only to manage themself not customer.. could not get connected.
I asked the escalation matrix and wrote a mail to them to refund the amount as travelguru did not deliver what was promised. Got a reply saying indirectly that this is not possible.
I have all the proof in terms of hotel bill- regular room, mail from travelguru on confirmation of Munnar rock, Mail from Service Manager confirming room is bloked in SN tourist home-Deluxe rooms and finally my Airtel Post Paid Bill with call details to travelguru.
My friends had come from different cities and had a disappointing holiday, I am really been harassed and want to file a consumer court complaint against them to recover my booking amount and to make sure it does not happen with anyone else.
Hope this forum can help me do the same.
Regards,
Raju upadhyay
9880490991