Hotels.com Confirmation Number: 53924508
Booked: Online - 25 December 2010 13:22:43 CST
Miramar Petit Palais, Djerba, Tunisia, 3 star
Booked from 28.12.10 to 7.1.11
I booked this hotel because it advertised WIFI on the hotels.com website.
When I arrived at the hotel on 28th December, they had no record of my booking. I arrived early, but they kept me hanging around for hours before they would check me in and I was really tired as I had been travelling for 8 hours across Tunisia. I told them that I would show them my booking confirmation on the internet, but they insisted their internet was not working. I pointed out they were advertising WIFI on Hotels.com and they said they weren't and anything on that site was nothing to do with them. They could not tell me when it would be fixed and it has not been fixed. I said that anything about their hotel on the website must have been uploaded by them, which they denied. They refused to let me use their internet to show them my booking on line,claiming that they didnt have internet at the site. This was a lie as I had already connected to their WIFI, but needed a card to access it, which I paid for but it didnt work. They refused to refund the money for the card as they had already said it didnt work. I went to the dining room for a coffee as it was breakfast time and they refused to serve me just a coffee and told me to pay 10 dinars (about £5) for breakfast, which I refused. I said I only wanted a coffee, but they wouldnt budge on the price.
I went off to find another hotel with WIFI and coffee to access my booking and save a copy of the confirmation. By the time I got back the receptionist said they had got confirmation of my booking now – no apology for that or for the lack of WIFI. They then told me to pay a 90 dinar surcharge for New Year dinner (about £45), when I had paid my full 10 days holiday on Hotels.com. I assumed I had paid for the meal included in that as the price for 31st December was about £45 more than the other nights. There was no notificaton on the website, Hotels.com, when I made the booking that there would be extra charges for the meal and I assumed the hotel was trying to get me to pay twice for the meal. I argued with the manager about it and I later checked my booking confirmation, which had no notification of extra charges, except for cancellation. I had already dropped one hotel I was going to book on line, when I realised there was a surcharge for the dinner. I am vegetarian and in my experience I dont get a good deal with any of these type of hotels, so there was no way I was going to pay a surcharge for a 3rd rate veggie meal. In fact, there was only one evening in 10 that I got a proper vegetarian meal. All the other evenings I had to make do with just vegetables, even though I had spoken to the chef and told him what I didnt eat. All the food was average, but plenty of choice if not a veggie. Still trying to book in, the manager then changed the room that had been allocated to me and sent me to a different room. The room was dirty, no towels, no phone, balcony was dirty, paint was peeling off the balcony and back of the bathroom door. All the wardrobe doors were covered in dust. It was obvious to me that they had not intended to let this room. I know the system – a customer complains so you get your own back by giving them an inferior room. I complained about the room and asked to see the original room I had been given – this was slightly better, so I changed rooms.
On New Year's Eve it was a set meal with waiter service. I was prevented from going into the dining room unless I paid the 90 dinars surcharge and told that this was not included in the price with Expedia bookings. We had an argument and the manager rang the Expedia rep, who said I had to pay the surcharge for the meal. I said that this was not notified on the website and if it had been I would not have booked this hotel. I had already paid a large surcharge for that night. The manager and I agreed that I pay the 90 dinars, which he would hold, until we could check with the website whether or not the extra charge was notified on the website. If it was not then he would refund my money. I would then be able to have my meal. Meanwhile my friends were sitting at the table wondering what was happening. I was so upset about it all that I didnt feel like celebrating New Year or eating a meal. I went into the dining room to talk to them and checked the menu – there was nothing I could eat as a vegetarian! There were 3 fish courses, a meat course and fruit. One of my friends said you have booked half board therefore you are entitled to a half board meal, so I said this to the manager and said I would not be paying 90 dinars for something I couldnt eat. I asked for something vegetarian. Bearing in mind that the set menu had 4 savoury courses, fruit and cake, and the normal evening menu was 4 courses, I dont think a plate of bland spaghetti with a few tiny bits of mushroom in and nothing else, constitutes any kind of meal, never mind a New Year Meal. I had to ask for some cheese to go with it. My friend was also served the same as an alternative starter. Then everyone was served 3 more courses. I was given nothing else until I finally asked for a main course. I was told, “You had spaghetti”. I said, “That was a starter”. They eventually brought me the vegetables everyone else was served and a plate of mashed potato with grated cheese in it! I was disgusted with the treatment I was given and the people I was with were shocked. (They had booked with a tour operator and everything was inclusive).
The whole situation was very demeaning, embarrassing and upsetting. The management were unco-operative and never apologised. Both the manager and the male morning receptionist were rude. I dont think the Moslem men like women who stick up for themselves. All the other staff were friendly and co-operative.
If I had not booked and paid the whole 10 days in advance on hotels.com I WOULD NOT HAVE STAYED EVEN ONE NIGHT AFTER THE TREATMENT I WAS GIVEN . MY NEW YEAR WAS COMPETELY RUINED.
Be careful as there is more than one Miramar hotel in Djerba.
DONT book the Petit Palais!
I am also complaining to Hotels.com and would not advise anyone to book their whole stay in advance. Try bookings.com instead where they only take your credit card details and only charge you for your actual stay when you check out.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
