| |
1 2 3 > >> |
hogweed
|
25-05-2007 12:42 PM
|
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 1
| I booked a holiday with them a few days ago and have been comprehensively stitched up, and am having to take legal action. To put it briefly:
They advertise their holidays as “all inclusive”, and when you have selected everything you want, a “Total Cost of Holiday” price in shown at the bottom of the page, and you have to click “Buy”, which commits you to a non-refundable £400 deposit.
Shortly afterwards, I received a confirmation e-mail which had added £180 to the price. They said this was for “compulsory airline meals”, which I didn't want or need, and transfers to and from the airport, which were also not included! Despite the fact that it says in their FAQ, for example, that they don't provide in-flight meals, and that you are welcome to bring your own food onto the plane!
I am trying to get my money back, but it's a hell of a struggle – their attitude is “Nothing to do with me Guv – it's the airline/the Turkish government/Santa Claus”. If you try to talk to them – very politely – on the phone about problems, they just put the phone down.
Whatever you do, for God's sake don't use this company – it's the most shameless rip-off I've encountered in my 52 years.
|
|
|
Jan.C
|
25-05-2007 01:19 PM
|
Joined: 08 Jan 2004
Posts: 2398
My Profile
| Ring them back and ask to speak to the manager, then explain that because you did not agree to the extra charges you will not pay them and you will be talking to ABTA and your credit card company unless a full refund is given.
|
My Latest Review: Aug 2008 Norton Lodge Hotel & Conference Centre, Norton Disney (10/10)
|
|
holywullie
|
25-05-2007 07:52 PM
|
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 1
| Hogweed's comments have shocked me as I have just returned from a marvellous Tenerife holiday bought through OntheBeach online. They organised flights, accommodation, airport transfers and Gatwick parking, all of which went like clockwork with not the slightest problem. Their website was easy to work, staff were helpful when I telephoned and tickets arrived well in advance of the holiday. Additionally the holiday cost at least £200 less than the High St boys.
Are there two OntheBeachs or am I living on a different planet?
|
|
|
divingbird
|
17-06-2007 12:03 PM
|
Joined: 17 Jun 2007
Posts: 1
| I have just booked a holiday a couple of days ago. they also put the price up by £50 once we had already agreed. they said it was for using a credit card but it was already charged on the first invoice. i am very annoyed by this however. The same holiday with other companies are £800 dearer so I will have to lump the extra charge. Just hope it is all worth it.
|
|
|
Carl
|
21-06-2007 07:50 PM
|
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 3
| I booked a holiday with On The Beach on 19/6/07. This would have been my first holiday abroad with my two kids. I had my confirmation of booking and went ahead with booking transfers at resort costing £65. I spoke to them on the 21/6/07 they said that the holiday could not go ahead without me paying an additional £120 for another flight because there weren't any seats left on the flight I had booked. I felt extremely confused and as I began to ask for clarification I was stopped in my tracks and told that I should have read the small print.
I explained that I was on a budget and could not afford to pay this unexpected additional charge. "Thats fine I'll just cancel the booking, next time read the small print" was his reply. I'm now going to my local travel agent and feel extremely let down.
I would not recommend using this travel association. They are unpredicable, unreasurring, unresponsive, and useless.
I wish I had read the watchdog reviews before I booked and not after!
|
|
|
bubbins
|
22-06-2007 09:10 PM
|
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 1
| I have just booked a holiday through otbeach.com and have just found these reviews and i'm now very nervous!! Is there anyone else who has had a good experience with them?!
|
|
|
THEWHALE
|
25-06-2007 03:46 PM
|
Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 1
| Hi - I have just read all these reviews, and have also just booked a holiday with them on Friday. I have had confirmation booking through, and they haven't charged me anything additional.......I was also going to book additional tranfers through their website. Has anyone had a bad experience doing this....?
|
|
|
Staceya
|
25-06-2007 04:05 PM
|
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 47
My Profile
| Hi, sorry to hear that youve been ripped off. I booked my holiday with otbeach.com a few weeks ago, £152 each for me and my friend for a 2nd july, a week in Marmaris, Turkey which was very cheap. When I booked the only thing they added was £10 each for compulsory flight meals, whcih I wasnt bothered about. I booked my transfers seperately from transfers.net for £24 each return. So all in all, still only £186 each for a week from 2nd-9th july which I think is excellent.
I have had no problems with them at all, the confirmation email and documents came through immediately and I recieved my tickets about 2 weeks ago. My parents are in Olu Deniz at the moment, half-board for 2 weeks and booked through otbeach also, they had no bother at all. They said its the best holiday theyve been on, and they go on about 2 or 3 per year.
It looks like we have been one of the lucky ones but I havent had no problems at all so far!
|
|
|
pete67
|
30-06-2007 08:29 AM
|
Joined: 30 Jun 2007
Posts: 1
| I have booked our honeymoon through on the beach and i am getting very nervous now, one week to go and flight tickets have not turned up . I also got a phone call the day after i booked saying the price quoted was wrong and they needed another £60 pp by that time i had already paid a deposit of £300 and could not afford to lose it.
|
|
|
pat38
|
01-07-2007 07:25 AM
|
Joined: 01 Jul 2007
Posts: 1
| Thank you for all your comments, i was thinking of booking an (AI) with this company but with all the negative feedback i dont think i will bother.Thanks again.
|
|
|
Carl
|
01-07-2007 12:49 PM
|
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 3
| Following on from my previous review, just wanted to let you know that I have now booked an AI holiday with Directline-holidays and everything has gone really smoothly, no problems whatsoever. Would recommend going onto www.directline-holidays.co.uk, and prices were reasonable.
All inclusive in Greek island for 3 people £1400 including transfers.
|
|
|
kazsatt
|
04-07-2007 09:39 PM
|
Joined: 04 Jul 2007
Posts: 1
| I am an avid user of otbeach.co and am amazed at the comments so far about bad experiences. As an experienced traveller I can only praise the website and all my friends who I have recommended it to have had and excellent expiences and bargains too especially last minute bargains!
I like the way everything is laid out for you to see so that you can chose cheaper or dearer flights or hotels according to your budget and you can peruse and compare the details of the hotel at your leisure.
While I accept that transfers are not included I have found it far cheaper and quicker to book a taxi from the airport that a coach. You dont have to wait for others with a taxi and can arrange your own transfers easily on the web.
Also otbeach have not taken any payment or made any confirmed booking without calling me first to confirm my requirements so I am wondering if you are refering to the same website www.otbeach.com. When you confirm your requirements on the website it is not booked as such that is done when they call you back to confirm requirements so yes there will be occasions when what you saw advertised is no longer available but hey that happens when you see one in the travell agents window - when you enquire it is no longer available!
Don't let this traveller's experience put others off, just be webwise
|
|
|
OTBEACH.COM
|
05-07-2007 02:26 PM
|
Joined: 05 Jul 2007
Posts: 6
| Message from On The Beach Holidays
We welcome these discussions and feedback on this and similar websites regarding our company. Whilst we cannot comment on every individual case we can assure any of our existing customers or potential customers that what we are interested in first and foremost is supplying great value holidays and good support should you need it prior to during and after travel.
Whilst the internet is a great tool for free speech it is unregulated and unfortunately we cannot respond in detail to every negative post written about us. We are however very positive that the majority of our customers are satisfied with the products we offer, our working procedures and our support services. 300,000 passengers so far this year can't all be wrong.
We welcome your comments and should you be an existing customer who does want to discuss any problems you may have experienced the avenues to do this are available to you our website under the FAQ's section. We always respond to any customer correspondence positive or negative.
We wish all travellers a happy holiday - On The Beach Holidays
|
|
|
linaambr
|
10-07-2007 04:23 PM
|
Joined: 10 Jul 2007
Posts: 1
| Dear OTBEACH
SO WHY I M BEING YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMER EVEN ONLY TRYING TO BUY A HOLIDAY FROM YOU CANT GET THROUGH TO YOU? THE PHONE YOU ARE OFFERING ON YOUR WEBSITE 0870 606 0708 IF I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE - NOONE IS ANSWERING. HOW CAN I TRUST YOU AND BUY FROM YOU? ACTUALLY THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I STARTED TO LOOK FOR FEEDBACKS ONLINE ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND FOUND THESE. THEY ARE NOT THE BEST, UNFORTUNATELLY.
|
|
|
OTBEACH.COM
|
10-07-2007 09:19 PM
|
Joined: 05 Jul 2007
Posts: 6
| Message from On The Beach Holidays
Hi Linaambr
As stated in our previous response any customers who may have experienced problems with a booking or a holiday are invited to follow our company's official complaints procedure as detailed on our FAQ section. On The Beach Holidays cannot enter into discussions regarding individual complaints on forums such as these.
Our main call centre number was down today for a short while but I can assure you if you try 08706 06 07 08 we do have many sales staff working late happy to help you book. We offer an e-mail based service for all 4 of our after sales departments finance, operations, customer service and admin with phone lines should sales staff need to put you through. I can only suggest you try again to get through.
To clarify our point regarding these sites being unregulated and using unsubstantiated information please go to the web site Travelrants and view the subsequent Public Apology to On The Beach Holidays.
|
|
|
theinsider
|
16-07-2007 11:30 PM
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 2
| On the Beach are well known within the travel industry for "bait & switch". Their website is a fake. It only takes an order - and your money. Then you should expect a phone call and some hard luck story which comes down to you, the customer, having to part with more of your hard earned cash. It is an age old con trick which should have died out years ago. Don't let them rip you off!
Also, their customer service is a complete joke - they don't even answer the phone to you once you have booked!
Once you have been stung for the real price they are actually more expensive than most other websites.
Fortunately they have been rumbled - just google them for other people's tales of woe.
On the Beach? Only if you are Off Your Head!
|
|
|
HW Techie
|
17-07-2007 03:28 PM
|
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 1704
My Profile
| Welcome all!
We're happy to see OTbeach taking this step and posting on the HW forum.
If you do have an issue with OTbeach as a customer, please take it up with them first directly.
If you then feel you have cause for grievance please feel free to post your experience and/or opinions.
It's nice to see a travel agent at least participating in the discussion and OTbeach should be applauded for this, but again we would ask that your first point of contact should be with them.
To OTbeach - Welcome to HW and we look forward to your continued participation. I'm not sure of the relevance of the TravelRants apology, as this was a case of mistaken identity if memory serves?
HW
|
My Latest Review: May 2007 Sunrise Beach Paraiso Playa Hotel, Playa De Jandia (8/10) + Photos
|
1 2 3 > >> |
