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We booked a Paris break with Alpha Rooms but changed the dates. Then the hotel gave us a bill for another €468
Last August, I booked a four night stay in December for two at Hotel Claude Bernard in Paris through travel agent Alpha Rooms, paying the Alpha bill in full in October. In November, it became clear we would not be able to travel on those dates and I contacted the hotel and asked if it would be possible to stay four days later. The reply confirmed our modified reservation.
On arrival, we presented the Alpha Rooms voucher and our emails about the change of date. All seemed fine, but when we checked out we were handed a €468 bill. We argued that we had already paid but the manager claimed that, as the dates on our voucher were different from our stay, it was worthless. It seems wrong we should have to pay twice. PJ, Hertfordshire
All the hotel knew was that it had a paid booking from Alpha. It did not have a record of your names. So when you rebooked the new dates, there was nothing to connect you to Alpha. No one turned up on the first night but it could not sell the room again in case the Alpha customer appeared later.
You should, of course, have amended your booking via the travel agent. The Association of British Travel Agents and Alpha say the hotel was within its rights to charge you. Alpha will send a £50 voucher against your next holiday.
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