Best Western Seawake. Heard From Virgin!

[traceycooper]

Just wanted to update the kind people who gave me lots of support !!!

Well some of you might remember how my parents booked the seawake, as they couldnt get in the Hilton clearwater beach for my upcoming wedding.
We then heard the seawake was gonna be knocked down, mum phoned virgin - who denied all knowledge (even though hotel was took off sale!) & told parents if they wanted to move hotels they would charge them £200!!
They said parents would be better off waiting for 'official' letter & they could then change for free. Mum told them she was concerned they would be moved too far away from us, so virgin said they would put a note on their booking that they HAD to be in clearwater for wedding.

Today parents get a letter from virgin saying the seawake has been sold & because there is an 'ironman' (!!!) competition in clearwater that week there is no accomadation & they will have to stay in St Petes!!!
Mum rings virgin, who tried to 'fob' her off, telling her to ring back next week as they are on a skeleton staff (on a saturday!!) mum asks to speak to manager, who tells her they can stay at Hilton for 5 nights & will then have to move to harbour side for their last 2 nights. Mum accepts as she is frightened to death!!

Result:
Bad News: virgin charging parents an extra £60 for changing booking!!!!
Parents got hassle of moving hotels for last 2 nights of holiday.
Good news: mum & dad are now in the same hotel as us for the wedding
Hoping to get some good wedding photos of me with the
ironmen!!
(could feel very inadiquate on the beach in my bikini though)!!!!

 

[wilma-bride]

Good news about the ironmen though Tracey - don't forget you'll be a married woman

Glad it all got sorted in the end, although Virgin shouldn't have charged your Mum & Dad the extra £60 in my opinion

 

[Mumof2]

Glad your Mum and Dad will be in the same hotel as you for the wedding Tracey.

Virgin really shouldn't have charged your parents though - what poor service and PR!!!!

 

[Claire L]

Not good about the charge as it isn't your parents idea to move hotels! Good news though about your parents being at the same hotel for the wedding

Claire

 

[traceycooper]

thanks everyone
Got the charge wrong they have actually charged them £80!!
Can anyone give me an address to write to, to complain? Mum is gonna write - after we have received confirmation!!

 

[Claire L]

Are you eligible for the FVC if so give them a call and speak to them!

Claire

 

[traceycooper]

is that frequente virgin club???
If so no - they are first time flyers with virgin.

 

[Claire L]

Oh not much use then, unless you are a FVC member and called them to explain the situation re it being your wedding/big family ocassion etc etc.

Claire

 

[Scottish-Helen]

I remember your post about this and am glad they are geting to stay with you for the wedding. I cannot believe that they are going to charge £80 for this though. Make sure you write all the points down about the previous calls you have made and the fact it is your wedding, explain that St Petes is a different resort and therefore not where was booked etc and be prepared to get fobbed off in the first letter and then write to them again. I used to deal with customers complaints at Thomas Cook and it was very rare (but not unheard of) to get a satisfactory reply to the first letter.

The address to write to would be

Customer Services
Virgin Holidays
The Galleria
Station Road
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1WW

Good luck and let us know how you get on

 

[traceycooper]

thanks i will pass the address onto mum.
They were not going to charge them for changing there booking to st petes, it was when mum said that was no good as they needed to be in clearwater for the wedding & when they came up with the 5 nights at hilton & 2 nights at harbourside they then said they would charge!!!
I will let you know how we get on with the complaint!!