Article by Barry Loughran

So you found the brochure you want and you’re eagerly scanning hundreds of hotels for that perfect break from your tedious 9 – 5 working year. Page 221, you have finally found it – The perfect holiday! It’s within budget, has spacious rooms, entertainment each night, located near to the beach and sports facilities for the kids during the day. Hook, line and sinker you’re taken by it all and you book straight away and immediately you begin the excitement of the advent to the holiday.

Now, the majority of us would assume we would get exactly what we read in the brochure; surely it is what we’ve paid for? Are we being naïve? Unfortunately, not every Travel agent delivers every expectation it promises. For many, if the matter is minor it will be easily forgotten as they drift away poolside sipping on a deserved fruity cocktail, but for the unfortunate few it will frustrate and even ruin the entire atmosphere ultimately destroying any dream holiday expectations.

A few precautions you can take to ensure you have the holiday you deserve are to; research the tour operator – are they a member of an official trade association (ABTA & Association of Independent Tour Operators)? Check any reviews the hotel has online – these will show what holiday makers before you have experienced from similar brochures to what you have and finally, contact the tour operator once you have booked to confirm all the specifications promised in the brochure – if not, change your holiday to suit what you want, it’s your money after all.

Unfortunately some folk will expect to get what they read in the brochure and for the minority of these might experience some of the following; noisy hotel maintenance, poor entertainment, service and food from the staff, little or none of the promised daytime sports activities, a longer than expected journey to the beach and that ever so dreaded tiny unhygienic room. Any of these examples would affect anyone’s holiday. If you have suffered from any of the above, you can take action against your tour operator (subject to terms and conditions of your contract). Contact them and demand compensation for your holiday and for any stress you and your family may have suffered, failing their co-operation or if you are unhappy with their offer, report them to their trade association.

When looking for cheap hotels look thoroughly and always research a selection of hotels online. Whether its cheap hotels in Madrid, Barcelona, Rome or Paris you’re after, be prepared so you maximise the dream holiday experience out of your budget.

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