Last November I used AccorHotels’ website to book a night at its Stratford-upon-Avon Mercure hotel at the end of this April. I paid upfront at the advance saver rate of £98.10. Last weekend I checked the website for directions, only to find that the rate had dropped to £71.10. I rang the hotel to ask them to refund the difference and was told that the manager would get back to me. They haven’t.
Since then I’ve contacted Accor by phone and email with no joy. I’m pushing 70 and greatly enjoy my trips to the theatre, but would rather spend an extra £27 on a better seat than a so-called saver rate, which is no such thing. Hopefully you can get it to admit that it is a blatant misnomer. EC, Winchester
In keeping with every other hotel booking website, Accor promises those booking its rooms a best-price guarantee. But as you found, this guarantee turned out to be worthless. The difference between this and some other booking sites is that Accor is selling its own rooms and has complete control over prices. An email to the French HQ prompted the hotel to spring into action. The manager has now replied and apologised.
“I have taken this up with the person responsible for bedroom pricing at our head office and he has apologised and confirms it is an oversight – we would never normally lower our prices; we always reward those who book earliest with our lowest rates,” he claimed.
He has agreed to charge you £65 and is refunding you £33. He has also promised, if possible, to upgrade you to a better room.
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