Another positively concluded case

To Mr Noel Farrugia, director, Britannia Services:

I would like to draw to your attention to the fact that the accommodation for our holiday in Taormina at the Ariston Hotel was not as confirmed by you. We were accommodated at Ariston 2 where we had our rooms and at Ariston we had the other services, including breakfast, dinner pool are, etc.

Please note that, had you informed me in the first place about this mishap, I would have either changed the accommodation arrangements or cancelled the booking since I had my parents, both aged over 70, and my baby with me.

In fact it doesn't make sense to sleep at Ariston 2 and to have the 'other' services at the Ariston because we had to go up two steep hills to have the 'other services'. This only served to spoil our holiday. Please acknowledge this complaint by refunding us the accommodation expense. (Romina Cutajar)

Britannia proved to be very co-operative as can be seen in the following letters:

We refer you to your letter of complaint and note that our branch manager, Catherine Debono, had contacted you on July 26 to discuss the contents of your letter.

We are sorry to note that you were not happy with the room provided and we have in fact taken up the matter with the local agents for the hotel you were booked in.

What is annoying is that, had you called us immediately, we would have taken up the matter with the agents and sorted out the problem immediately to your satisfaction. You informed our Ms Debono that you could not contact us because you did not have credit in your mobile and did not think you could phone us from the hotel.

Nonetheless we have taken the matter up with the local agents for the hotel and will revert as soon as possible. (Noel Farrugia)

Here follows the letter which in effect constituted a positive conclusion:

Further to our letter of December 12, we are pleased to inform you that we now have the reply from Trinatours Ltd. This is being attached to this letter for your perusal.

After taking the matter up with their Italian counterparts, they have decided to grant you a refund of one night's accommodation as compensation and as a sign of goodwill.

We are therefore enclosing a cheque for Lm116 in full and final settlement.

We hope this is to your entire satisfaction and do hope we can be of service to you once again in the future.

We take the opportunity to wish you and your family a happy Christmas and a happy New Year. (Noel Farrugia, December 14)

I thank Mr Farrugia for his co-operation and his timing.