Lastminute.com Rant
Posted: May 11, 2009 at 3:33 pm | Tags: lastminute.com, lastminute.ieI am so sick of hearing ads on the radio, ezine sponsored links, everything to do with www.lastminute.com…
My issue started a couple of weeks ago when I did a quick search to check prices for an over night stay in Belfast. I found a great deal for €69 Room Only in Travelodge Belfast. As it was the Sunday of a Bank Holiday I thought this was a great deal and jumped at the chance of booking it, however when I clicked continue, a horrible red text popped up & said, “You know a good deal when you see one – this hotel is so popular it’s sold out of that room type. But don’t give up yet! There are more options below so please try again.”
How annoying, it said search results were of available hotels and rates…
So in true Lee Kutner fashion, I picked up my phone & rang them, I spent over 40 mins on the phone to their 0871 UK number asking them to explain it, I’d understand if I genuinely missed out on the rate but every date I tried the same thing happened when I went to book the rate. After speaking to the supervisor they agreed the said they would be able to rate for the original date however they would have to charge me £10 extra because I was booking it through their call centre and not online, HELLO! it wasn’t my fault I couldn’t complete my booking online.
Then I encountered problem number 2. I no longer have a credit card, I’ve decided that I am better off dealing in cash or using my Laser card so again lastminute.com had a problem with this, even though I had the use of my friend’s digits, it was not good enough, 3rd party and all that, eventually the Supervisor said if I got a letter from the owner of the card giving me permission this would suffice.
So 40 mins later the agent took the details to process & low & behold the rate was GONE! Gone! Gone! Gone off their system, what a waste of 40 mins of my life, never mind the cost of the phone call!
Over the next day or so I had to laugh when I heard their radio ads for their €10 Dublin hotel sale at 10am one of the days, I actually logged on myself for the giggle & their massive promotion was for 3 mediocre Dublin hotels and the dates were so limited I couldn’t understand the hype.
Today, I am organising my boyfriend’s birthday plans & decided to see how much a hotel would be for the night of his bday, saw a fab €30 room only deal for Travelodge Rathmines but YES, you guessed it, got the lovely red text again!
I mean COME ON!
I would love nothing more than to hear of everyone else’s experiences of lastminute.com good, bad & indifferent!
Mwah
The Discussion
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How bloody annoying, I am sure your blood was boiling. I think thats blatant false advertising. It’s a disgrace so many businesses get away with it. I think its got 10 times worse since the credit crunch too, they’re all taking advantage. I certainly won’t be using lastminute.com anytime soon! xx
Yea, there has to be a legal side to this. They can’t advertise something in such a complete and utter terrible way and expect to get away with it.
1800-OM-BUDS-MAN
why dont you just ring the hotel directly or try
http://www.travelodge.ie/special_offers/spring_room_sale_and%238364%3b29.459.offer.html
Have never booked through lastminute due to the reasons mentioned above (i.e needing to be born on the third friday of the seventh month or having a sixth toe in order to avail of said deal). The sales seem to be completely pointless. Usually use tripadvisor and the sites affiliated with that (hotels.com etc) if booking a wknd away or whatever.
I usually use bookings.com or lastminuteirelandhotels.com myself but once I saw the deal on lastminute.com I thought, deadly why not! Blood still boiling!
sue the bitches!!