My Response To Their Response

Dear Loretta
Before I respond, you may like to read my latest review of your hotel on Hotel Chatter.
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/11/6/164657/068/hotels/Hotel_Blog_Watch_The_No_Hotel_Blog

Next, what an absolute farce! Where do I begin...

Firstly, when I receive an email, subject heading "Confirmation of Reservation" and beginning with the sentence, "We are delighted to confirm your reservation" I assume, despite your small print, that you have run all the checks necessary to guarantee the card! I don't assume that the card will have to go through another check, which if there is a problem then I'll be phoned. Furthermore, since you're resorting to the 'You forgot to read the small print', excuse (as all companies like yours do), perhaps to be accurate in future the subject heading should be, 'Confirmation of reservation (but please read the small print since it is actually neither confirmed or reserved)'?

This brings me onto the next point. I absolutely did NOT acknowledge I received a call. In fact, I told your reception manager I had received neither a call or an email. Ask yourself this - why would I acknowledge I received a call telling me my room was cancelled if I was standing in your hotel reception - one seems to contradict the other, no?! There was certainly no voice mail. I'd also like to know when these calls were made to me?

Finally, yes, your reception manager did offer to phone the Ibis, which I did NOT decline. In fact, he called them whilst I was there. Guess what? They were full too!! At which point his offers of help stopped. Which now, given this fact, seems to make your manager's recollection of events look a little sketchy?

I'll tell you what this is about. Novotel's greed. The check-in time of the hotel is 2:00pm. I got there at 2:20pm. Given that no-one had spoken to me, or left a voice mail or email, then perhaps you could of held the room open for a couple of hours. But no. Because, for the 'risk' of losing £144 you decided to cancel my room and put someone else in there.

You say the terms are 'explicit and transparent'? Well, so is an email saying "We are delighted to confirm your reservation". Rather weakly, you prefer to point out one whilst ignoring the other.

The facts are these.

1. I used to your online booking facility, in good faith, to book a room and received an email saying "We are delighted to confirm your reservation"
2. You cancelled my room without giving me advance notice. Saying 'We tried to call' is not adequate.
   
3. I expect compensation and will continue my blog until you do the decent thing.

Regards
Neil