Hotel chains accused of luring in customers with fake bargain rooms that don't actually exist

New probe from Which? has recovered that immoderate large edifice chains are utilizing "bait pricing" to reel successful customers - this is wherever a merchandise is advertised astatine an unrealistically debased price

A probe has thrown the spotlight connected however edifice companies are luring successful would-be guests with tempting adverts promising cut-price stays, but leaving them frustrated erstwhile they observe there's hardly immoderate availability astatine the tantalising rates.

Diving heavy into the world of online vacation deals, Which? has uncovered immoderate big-name hoteliers engaging successful what's known arsenic "bait pricing", which involves dangling a country astatine an implausibly debased rate. However, these bargain rooms are either scarce, failing to conscionable lawsuit demand, oregon non-existent successful the worst scenarios.

This maneuver works by drafting imaginable customers successful with 1 price, who past whitethorn consciousness much inclined to publication conscionable to marque their anterior hunt efforts count, contempt the archetypal terms not being available.

In 1 lawsuit pointed retired by Which? , Travelodge was promoting rooms successful London 'from £55' and different locations 'from £39.' It besides featured the word 'Book Your Room Now! Book Early So You Don't Miss Out! Rooms from £55. Book Online Today. Book for Tonight'.

Which? researchers person been engaged verifying the claims made successful Travelodge adverts by collecting thousands of prices for 138 participating hotels implicit a six-month period. They wanted to spot however galore rooms were really disposable astatine the advertised price.

They recovered that 15 hotels had little than 10% of nights disposable astatine the advertised price. There was nary denotation connected the adverts astir this constricted availability. In July, Travelodge was advertizing stays successful King’s Cross successful London ‘from £55’. However, erstwhile Which? checked availability for the six months from that date, it lone recovered 3 nights disposable for £55 (1.7%). All 3 nights were Sundays successful January - a clip erstwhile hotels are apt struggling to capable rooms.

Anyone seeing that advert successful existent clip and expecting to publication that complaint for that month, oregon adjacent a fewer months’ time, would beryllium bitterly disappointed. A somewhat higher fig of £55 nights were disposable astatine the Travelodge London King’s Cross Royal Scot down the road, but inactive lone 8 per cent of those Which? checked. The bulk of nights (64%) outgo upwards of £100, and 1 illustration Which? recovered was £220.

In immoderate locations, determination was a tenable accidental of getting the woody - 2 thirds (66%) of nights Which? checked were £39 oregon below, arsenic advertised, astatine Travelodge Burton, for example. Under the guidance of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) connected question marketing, retailers are required to intelligibly authorities if banal is constricted and guarantee merchandise availability is "spread evenly crossed the advertised question period".

In July and August this year, Accor promoted a 15% disconnected subordinate exclusive connection for its French hotels connected Facebook. One of the hotels included successful the promotion - a Mercure spot adjacent the Eiffel Tower - appeared to beryllium a bargain with nightly rates advertised ‘from £129’, based connected a two-night stay.

However, erstwhile the prices were checked connected the past time of the sale, determination were nary nights disposable astatine this terms implicit the full 64-day question period. The cheapest country Which? recovered was priced astatine £142, but the bulk of nights (62%) outgo good implicit £180, peaking astatine £252.

According to the CAP codification rules, the adverts should person been withdrawn if the promotional complaint rooms were sold out.

Naomi Leach, lawman exertion of Which? Travel, said: "All excessively often we spot holidaymakers misled by too-good-to-be-true sales, wherever hotels reel consumers successful with the committedness of a large deal, lone for it to beryllium astir intolerable to marque a booking astatine the bargain rate.

"It is wholly unacceptable that vacation companies consciousness they tin propulsion the boundaries, and it’s wide that stronger enforcement of user instrumentality is needed to guarantee businesses cognize that misleading pricing volition not beryllium tolerated."

Travelodge defended its position, with a spokesperson stating: "Travelodge afloat complies with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) guidelines and is assured successful its data, advertisements and offers. We person reviewed this advertisement successful item and the fig of rooms disposable astatine the debased terms of £55 is good implicit the ASA minimum requirement.

"While country availability astatine idiosyncratic hotels is affected by lawsuit booking patterns and section circumstances, our terms messaging afloat complies with ASA requirements and we stay transparent with our customers astir costs, supported by our Best Price Finder* instrumentality connected our website.

"As the UK’s archetypal fund edifice brand, Travelodge provides large worth done competitory country prices, promotions and discounts. Our pricing and advertisements are regularly updated to guarantee transparency and accuracy."

The institution besides highlighted its 'Best Price Finder' instrumentality connected www.travelodge.co.uk arsenic a mode for customers to find the champion prices for their desired locations and budgets.

Accor has been contacted for comment.