 Poster: A snowHead
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skimom, I agree, how can they charge a room supplement when there is no basic room price available? Like you say in most of their properties every room has a supplement. I find it particularly bad when in the case of a late deal they are selling off the last remaining room(s) and they still charge the supplement! In that situation you have no choice of room, you are taking whatever is left!
I find it shocking that they have charged you a supplement because your bedroom opened out onto what was in effect a 'public' balcony  I would take that up with them.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This is one thing I will say Thomas Cook seem to be good on.
I searched their site for 1 person, given date, any UK airport, any resort. It gives a list of possible hotel/flight combinations - which include all flight and room supplements.
I saw a headline price of £373 for the room I fancied, and the final price taken from my debit card was £375. A difference of £2 from the headline price, I can accept.
There was breakdown of the price, showing what supplements and surcharges had been included, but it was just about all in the headline price.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| sarah wrote: |
skimom, I agree, how can they charge a room supplement when there is no basic room price available? Like you say in most of their properties every room has a supplement. I find it particularly bad when in the case of a late deal they are selling off the last remaining room(s) and they still charge the supplement! In that situation you have no choice of room, you are taking whatever is left!
I find it shocking that they have charged you a supplement because your bedroom opened out onto what was in effect a 'public' balcony I would take that up with them. |
I'm not defending here, I have never skied with Esprit before so I know nothing - but is it not the case that since they put their offer out all the rooms they did have without supplements have sold out? And if you are getting a good price anyway, and you are aware of the supplements before you book you have the choice of either swallowing the supplements but still getting a bargain OR deciding it's too expensive after all and not buying it? (Unless they've added supplements after you've made an agreement - then that's different! Supplements shouldn't be added on after you've booked and agreed your price!).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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And I just read the bit about the balcony too...that's a bit off! Strange that people would feel comfortable sitting outside your bedroom window too, don't you think? There are some strange folk about!! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Joanne Mountainsun,
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I'm not defending here, I have never skied with Esprit before so I know nothing - but is it not the case that since they put their offer out all the rooms they did have without supplements have sold out?
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But as skimom, said...once she saw the brochure all the rooms had supplements. Surely that can't be right. For a simpleton like me the Esprit website is impossible to understand and to get to the final price you have to phone whereupon you are offered a bewildering number of supplements and options...all quite removed from their headline price. Does this not smack of sharp practise?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Joanne Mountainsun wrote: |
| sarah wrote: |
skimom, I agree, how can they charge a room supplement when there is no basic room price available? Like you say in most of their properties every room has a supplement. I find it particularly bad when in the case of a late deal they are selling off the last remaining room(s) and they still charge the supplement! In that situation you have no choice of room, you are taking whatever is left!
I find it shocking that they have charged you a supplement because your bedroom opened out onto what was in effect a 'public' balcony I would take that up with them. |
I'm not defending here, I have never skied with Esprit before so I know nothing - but is it not the case that since they put their offer out all the rooms they did have without supplements have sold out? And if you are getting a good price anyway, and you are aware of the supplements before you book you have the choice of either swallowing the supplements but still getting a bargain OR deciding it's too expensive after all and not buying it? (Unless they've added supplements after you've made an agreement - then that's different! Supplements shouldn't be added on after you've booked and agreed your price!). |
Nope - if you look at the Specials Page you will see that they often know which specific room they are offering - yet the room supplements for that room will not be included in the price.
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I agree in principal skimon but they have so many chalets and rooms and resorts that it is impossible to supply this information correctly and efficiently. I know (very well) teh chap that does the pricing updates and it is an impossible task at this time of year. They load the prices up and things get booked before they even golive on the website let alone sunday press.
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| Nickster wrote: |
| I agree in principal skimon but they have so many chalets and rooms and resorts that it is impossible to supply this information correctly and efficiently. I know (very well) teh chap that does the pricing updates and it is an impossible task at this time of year. They load the prices up and things get booked before they even golive on the website let alone sunday press. |
It isn't remotely difficult if they have a half way decent IT department. And some TO's manage it (e.g. Thomas Cook)
The website will be searching a database, which shuold contain details of all the relevant prices and supplements - it must do since it will be the same databse used when actually booking, when said suplpements are added.
It isn't rocket science to work out the lowest available supplement in each category (flights, rooms for given party size, etc), and add those in to the price which will be displayed.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Nickster wrote: |
| I agree in principal skimon but they have so many chalets and rooms and resorts that it is impossible to supply this information correctly and efficiently. I know (very well) teh chap that does the pricing updates and it is an impossible task at this time of year. They load the prices up and things get booked before they even golive on the website let alone sunday press. |
Thats as maybe - but the point is that NONE of the available rooms in the chalet could be had for the advertised price at ANY time when it went on the website. How do I know? The chalet was filled with just 5 "parties" - we compared when we had booked - three of us booked using the 'Specials' page - we ALL whinged that we couldn't get the rooms without paying a supplement - the 4th family had booked months before and also paid room supplements and the 5th couple got a deal because their daughter was repping in resort for Ski Total. There were NO rooms available without a supplement on the special that was advertised.
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It isn't rocket science to work out the lowest available supplement in each category (flights, rooms for given party size, etc), and add those in to the price which will be displayed.
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It's even less like rocket science for them to add the list of surcharges they specify at the bottom of the page onto the prices they list all down it.
I phoned up to enqire on a trip they had up for £599 and the total price came to almost £800! That's a third extra. When I said that I thought this extra was a bit excessive the guy became quite curt with me and told me that all these extra charges were there to be seen at the bottom of the page (ater the great long list of pretend prices). The extra charge for the compulsory balcony wasn't there though 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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x7, I hope you threatened him with bad publicity on a global internet ski club chat forum 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm not the threatening type 
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Guess we all have a choice to pay or not pay. Went with Esprit last year on a late deal. Doing the same this year - not a bad price. If I had held out for another 10 days,I could have got it £400 cheaper. That said, when I booked, the chalet was empty and I got to choose the room without supplements - so they do exist.
Off on Sunday from Bristol so might see some of you there !!
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You know it makes sense.
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| x7 wrote: |
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It isn't rocket science to work out the lowest available supplement in each category (flights, rooms for given party size, etc), and add those in to the price which will be displayed.
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It's even less like rocket science for them to add the list of surcharges they specify at the bottom of the page onto the prices they list all down it.
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No, that one is impossible, unless you want a brochure that takes a fork lift truck to lift.
I haven't ever seen any brochure price with supplements that will be unavoidable for everybody. So in order to add the list of surcharges, they would have to list every possible combination, including the price they currently do list.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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There is also the option of haggling.
If you are booking with less than two weeks to go, you can pretty much name the price you are willing to pay.
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FAQ
