Tips for reserving holiday accommodation
General tips
- If you book hotel accommodation online, you should first make sure that you are entering into a contract with a trustworthy party. Can you find the company’s name, street address, domicile, telephone number and e-mail address? Can you find other consumers’ experiences of the hotel online?
- Accommodation does not involve a statutory right of withdrawal. Therefore, carefully review the terms and conditions for cancellation. The terms and conditions indicate the terms under which you can cancel the reservation or whether it is possible at all at no cost. A separate cancellation insurance policy should also be considered, for example if you were to suddenly get ill before the trip.
- Your accommodation may also be part of a travel package (for example, you buy flights and accommodation at the same time from a travel agency). When it comes to package travel, it is also a good idea to read the terms and conditions carefully before making the purchase and to find out what is stated in the conditions about the cancellation practices and expenses of the trip.
Payment for accommodation
- How is payment done, what is the price, who is to be contacted if there are problems?
- We recommend that you use a credit card for payment, as in such cases you can also demand a refund from the credit card company in case of a problem.
- We cannot recommend advance payment because it always involves a risk of its own. Neither can we recommend payment via wire transfer or an anonymous service.
What if the accommodation does not correspond to what was agreed?
- When you arrive at the hotel and your room does not correspond to the agreement or is missing something you ordered in advance or was promised (for example, an additional bed, balcony, bath or air conditioning), contact the hotel reception, or if there is no reception, the party from which you ordered the accommodation. If the matter is not rectified immediately, file a written complaint on the spot and request or keep a copy of the complaint. This will also be useful if you later need mediation from the European Consumer Centre.
- If you notice any deficiencies or errors in the accommodation or hotel included in a travel package during the trip, please inform the travel guide or tour operator without delay. The notification should be made in writing if the matter is not rectified immediately. It is also a good idea to take photographs of the deficiencies or shortcomings.
- A good tip is to check the room/accommodation before unpacking the luggage. If you have ordered accommodation with a kitchen, you should also check the kitchen dishes and machines and immediately notify the person responsible for the accommodation, tour operator or guide of inoperability or broken dishes.