Travelodge hell

"Travelodge - Everything you need, nothing you don't"

How apt. That doesn't seem to include customer service.

So I'd booked a room with them for two nights this week, as at the time that was all I needed. Turns out I now only need one night. No problem, as I've got a flexible rate I can change it up until 12 on the day. You try it...

Turns out, the way it does this is by making you a new booking, then cancelling the existing one. This works great unless the hotel is full, which it was. So the only way I could do it was to cancel my room and make another booking, with no guarantee I'd get a room. This was only explained after 25 minutes of hold music as the automated system couldn't do it either. Great customer service - you cannot break the phone system to talk to someone either. The phone system has to realise it can't help you either.

So I cancelled it, went to the Hilton up the road. Two minutes, talked to a really person, and I'll bet I get a room upgrade as I've got Silver VIP membership on their reward cards. And it's only £20 more expensive a night, which includes breakfast, so in all it's only about £10 more expensive as at the Travelodge it's extra.

In the days now where everybody wants cheap and easy, there are times when it goes too far. I'm sure Travelodge save a fortune in labour costs this way, but it doesn't exactly endear you to the brand does it? And when brand is all powerful, is that really something they can ignore?