Crusader Holidays - www.crusader-holidays.co.uk

Do not book a trip or holiday with Crusader Holidays unless.....

Do not book a trip or holiday with Crusader Holidays (Part of the Motts Travel Group) unless…….you are happy to be accommodated in a room in a building 100 metres from the hotel which was advertised for the trip – Disgraceful!!

I have always valued customer reviews, both positive and negative, when purchasing an item or service. There are times when it would seem that the author of a negative review has an obvious agenda, but there are also times when a negative review is most definitely genuine - this review falls into that category. Having booked 2 rooms for 4 people in the Hotel Pinger, Remagen, Germany, through Crusader Holidays, and having booked 8 months before the trip, on arrival we were told that there was no availability in the hotel and our accommodation was to be in 2 rooms for 4 people in a building 100 metres from the hotel, and this was in the middle of winter. This we said was totally unacceptable as my wife had a medical condition (of which I have professional records) which made the use of stairs very difficult (this building had no lift - the hotel did), and we most certainly didn’t want the walk back and forth in the cold. The driver of our trip was sympathetic and asked all those on the trip (more than 30 people) if they would consider exchanging rooms. Nobody was willing to entertain this option, quite understandably. The hotel manager, rather flippantly, then said there was a single room available into which could be squeezed another bed – again, totally unacceptable!! The end result was that we had no option but to stay in this unsuitable building which totally ruined the trip, to the point where we then just wanted to be in the comfort of our own home. I suggested that this building was being used as the company and hotel had purposely overbooked the hotel. The response I got was that it was necessary to use this unsuitable accommodation as a result of, and that the hotel had done well, considering there had been an emergency. This emergency was that the communal toilet was being refurbished, necessitating the need for a guest room to be used as a public toilet. This refurbishment had been going on for three months at the time we were there, as proudly admitted by the manager - and they considered this to be an emergency!! Yes, that is 3 MONTHS!!, not 3 days. I was later told that I should have informed the company of my wife's condition as a special request for a room in the hotel. When I book and pay for a room in a hotel, 8 months before the trip, and having checked that the hotel had a lift, I do not expect that to be a special request - I expect that to be my right. I did not book a totally unsuitable room in a building 100 metres from the hotel; I booked a room in a hotel. Having made my feelings known at the time, I penned a comprehensive and detailed letter of my displeasure and total dissatisfaction to the company on my return. Their eventual response was one of complete indifference – they really couldn’t care!!

I have much more negative information should it be required.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

P – My wife and I, usually accompanied by others, go on several 3 or 4 day trips per year and I am very pleased to announce that, in the future, none of these trips will be with this company.

P P - Advance apologies to those who may have already read this review elsewhere - it will be on numerous sites.

I have always valued customer reviews, both positive and negative, when purchasing an item or service. There are times when it would seem that the author of a negative review has an obvious agenda, but there are also times when a negative review is most definitely genuine - this review falls in that category. Having booked 2 rooms for 4 people in this hotel through Crusader Holidays, 8 months before the trip, on arrival we were told that there was no availability in the hotel and our accommodation was to be in 2 rooms for 4 people in a building 100 metres from the hotel. This we said was totally unacceptable as my wife had a medical condition which made the use of stairs very difficult. I have medical proof of this. (This building had no lift, but the hotel did) The driver of our trip was sympathetic and asked all those on the trip (more than 30 people) if they would consider swopping rooms. Nobody was willing to entertain this option, quite understandably. The hotel manager then said there was a single room available into which could be squeezed another bed - totally unacceptable!! The end result was that we had no option but to stay in this unsuitable building which totally ruined the trip. I suggested that the building was being used as the company and hotel had purposely overbooked the hotel. The response I got was that the hotel had done well considering there had been an emergency. The emergency was that the communal toilet was being refurbished, necessitating the need for a guest room to be used as a public toilet. This refurbishment had been going on for three months at the time we were there, as proudly admitted by the manager. Yes, that is 3 MONTHS!!, not 3 days. I was later told that I should have informed the company of my wife's condition as a special request for a room in the hotel. When I book and pay for a room in a hotel, 8 months before the trip, and having checked that the hotel had a lift, I do not expect that to be a special request - I expect that to be my right. I have much more negative information should it be required. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!