A number of things can go wrong with a holiday. The travel estate agent may have double booked your room, the accommodation you booked may look nothing like it does on the images you looked at, the resort you booked may have exaggerated just quite how close it is to the beach in the brochure. When any of these things do go wrong, it is important to remember that you may be eligible to make a holiday claim in order to compensate for your disappointment of inadequate experience abroad. The following case study present the experience of Felicity Brown and her family’s bad holiday experience in Spain. Felicity, however, managed to make all of the right decisions at the time of events and managed to ensure that when she did make a holiday claim on return, there would be no problem or obstacle in her securing the full amount of money she was claiming in her holiday claim.
It was June in 2010 and Felicity had booked an eleven day stay in a lovely town called Calpe in Spain, a few miles away from the famous party destination of Benidorm. She had booked a villa for her two daughters and husband, which was situated in an idyllic setting, amongst the rolling hills, and sharing a swimming pool with the two other villas in the complex. The pictures on the internet had looked like ‘Sunsea Villas’ (the name of the villa) was the perfect family holiday destination, so Felicity and her family were extremely excited about their holiday together.
A coach had been arranged to pick the family up from the airport. This coach was shared with other holiday goers who were going to various destinations. The coach had to go through Benidorm in order to get to Calpe which was further up the Spanish hills. When the coach stopped at Benidorm, the travel representative began to call out the names of the people who were to get off at this stop. The Brown family heard their own name called out. Felicity immediately thought that there must have been a small mistake made and ventured down the aisle of the coach to have a quick word with the representative. He however confirmed that the Brown family were definitely down on the list to stay in Benidorm – at The Sunsea Apartments. Felicity explained that she had booked to stay in Sunsea Villas, in Calpe. The representative told Felicity that she really had no choice but to sleep in the Sunsea Apartments until the morning (it was 3.00am by this time) and then contact her travel agent. Sunsea Apartments, was a high rise apartment block just a few metres away from Benidorm town centre. Although it was quite a high-end party-goer apartment block, it was completely inappropriate for a family holiday destination and it was not what Felicity had booked at all.
On arriving in the reception, Felicity told her family not to open their suitcases or go to the room until she had spoken to the manager of the hotel. Felicity recalls why she did this,
‘I knew I could not ring the travel agency in the UK until the morning when it would be working hours, so I wanted it officially noted by the manager of the hotel that I had said that this was not where I had booked. I didn’t want to be in a situation where somebody could turn around and say that we had accepted the rooms and so we were not within our rights to make a holiday claim. I wanted to make it clear before I put the children to bed that I did not wish to stay here. I knew this fact would be helpful in making a holiday claim’
The manager was very helpful and kind and made note of the fact that the Brown family had expected to stay somewhere else. The next morning, Felicity immediately called the UK to get through to the travel agency. They looked into the problem and said that whoever had booked the rooms had made a mistake and it was their fault. Felicity asked if Sunsea Villas had any space at all, and the travel agent said that it was full. Felicity was furious, but managed to keep her cool and asked if there were any flights home for four people. The travel agent looked into it and said that there weren’t any flights – they were all full. Felicity asked whether her holiday would be refunded. The agent replied that she was not at liberty to say. Felicity pressed the topic but was left with no other choice but to leave the issue.
Taking pictures of ‘holidays from hell’ puts individuals in good stead when considering a holiday claim
It is always a disappointment when a holiday goes wrong, especially if you have put a lot of effort into planning and saving for the occasion. However, you should always remember how to make a strong holiday claim if you are put in this situation.
A key point to made is that photographic evidence can be a vital part of making a successful holiday claim. If you are able to take a photograph of something which has made your holiday impossible to enjoy, then it is likely that your claim will be easy to process and that you will receive the full amount of money that you have asked for.
Holiday nightmares and holiday claims
Families save up all year for a well earned holiday but sometimes a relaxing break can turn into a holiday nightmare. Holiday-makers find themselves in an unfamiliar environment and this can lead to accidents and injuries, despite your best efforts to stay safe. This can include food poisoning, slips and trips or vehicle accidents. If you have been injured or suffered an illness on holiday that was the result of someone else’s negligence, speak to a solicitors with experience and expertise in this area, such as Macks Solicitors. You may be entitled to compensation through a holiday claim.
Family wins compensation after holiday claim
Illness can ruin a holiday. Certain precautions are usually advised in guidebooks and by holiday companies to avoid illness whilst on holiday abroad. These precautions usually include not drinking the local tap water and making sure food is thoroughly cooked.
Spanish Pipe Blast Sparks Holiday Claim Fear
Two British holidaymakers have been seriously injured when a pipe exploded as they walked past a hotel in Marbella, Spain. The injured tourists, both women, were friends travelling with their husbands on a relaxing holiday.
Winter Holiday Claims
With the long cold nights closing in, many Brits are digging out glossy holiday brochures to plan a winter getaway. For many people, a winter vacation is replacing their traditional ‘summer holidays’.
Holiday Claim Fears over Bouncy Castle Danger
Bouncy Castles are associated with fun, excitement and the laughter of children. Inflatable rides of all kinds are on the increase; from slides, to ball pools. Bouncy castles and inflatable swimming toys are such a part of the British summer holiday that it is hard for parents to see them as a threat.
Holiday Claim as a Result of Food Poisoning on the Seas
The number of serious food poisoning outbreaks continues to rise. Hundreds of passengers aboard an International cruise liner have fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhea. The ship has been quarantined by the authorities in Brazil.
Holiday Accidents Caused by Roller Coaster Danger
This week, news of the fault on the Mumbo Jumbo ride at Flamingo land in North Yorkshire hit the UK media. The roller coaster drama, one of a recent spate of accidents at UK theme parks, has sparked concerns about the safety of white knuckle rides.
General Advice for Holiday Accident or Illness on Holiday Victims
If you have been injured in a holiday accident or illness on holiday there are a number of things that you can do that will help you if you later decide to make a holiday compensation claim.
Illness caused by bacteria in Swimming Pools
When you go to a swimming pool whether it’s on holiday or just your local pool, you want to have an enjoyable time with your family in a safe environment. While supervising your children and making sure they are safe may be at the front of your mind few people think that they are at risk of catching a waterborne illness in the swimming pool.
