Luxury Escapes - beware!

The problem is LE is not replying to emails, I have sent multiple emails since ten days ago and all of those emails have been ignored.
Try putting a post here and then they can't refute it later

 
The problem is LE is not replying to emails, I have sent multiple emails since ten days ago and all of those emails have been ignored.

I would send that evidence to your bank. Ignoring requests for refunds is never a good look.
 
tldr: Luxury Escape refused to provide a refund even though the hotel is closed and the hotel is happy to issue a refund.

I am posting this as a PSA and to highlight their behaviour, it was really awful and I can't emphasise enough to steer clear of them.

I have a luxury escapes package in April, and I received an email from the hotel on Friday saying they will be closed from April to June and I can either change the dates with no charge or they are happy to refund via luxury escapes.

I then called Luxury Escapes today, and without even looking up my record (he didn't ask anything from me beyond that I told him I have a package next month and the hotel say they are closed during that time), insist regardless of what the hotel says, all bookings are non-refundable under any circumstances and the most I can get is a deferral of travel to that exact hotel at a later time, even though the hotel cancelled on me because they are closed during April.

Based on this I assume they have a blanket policy to never allow a refund in the current situation even if the hotel itself is closed, I am sure I will end up spending hours trying to claim back the money from my travel insurance.
I have never used LE however I did have a booking at Lord Howe island which was recently cancelled due to the travel restrictions put in place. So I didn't cancel. My accommodation supplier will not refund or rebook whereas some other accommodation suppliers are allowing people to rebook by the end of the year with a cancellation fee. Lord Howe has limited accommodation places however they all have their own policies. Insurance wont cover it as they don't cover pandemics even though I booked in November. I understand it is a difficult time for the island as well but it is unfair to take all our money.
 
The problem is LE is not replying to emails, I have sent multiple emails since ten days ago and all of those emails have been ignored.
I rang 3 times using the ring back selection.On the third occasion I got a ring back.
A***** here from Luxury Escapes.
Drron here I have a booking in 10 days time'

A*- hello is anyone there? This was repeated 5 times and the phone went dead.tried twice more and no ring back.
 
I rang 3 times using the ring back selection.On the third occasion I got a ring back.
A***** here from Luxury Escapes.
Drron here I have a booking in 10 days time'

A*- hello is anyone there? This was repeated 5 times and the phone went dead.tried twice more and no ring back.

I have a similar experience, and when I eventually got hold of them, the call was very brief as they just say they will not refund under any circumstances without offering any remedy, citing the contract they have with the hotels (seriously? I am sure the contract doesn't say LE will pay money to the hotel if the hotel is closed!)
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I would send that evidence to your bank. Ignoring requests for refunds is never a good look.

Will do, I am waiting for Amex to setup the disputes so I can upload documents, right now it is still stuck at "Setup in progress".
 
I've done a search but can't find anything - is there a similar thread to this for Flight Centre? They are taking the $300 cancellation fee even if the airline cancels and offers a full refund.
 
We have a LE booking for July to Greece. After reading this thread - I'm going to claim on our travel insurance (which luckily included pandemic coverage - and was purchased in June 2019).
 
We have a LE booking for July to Greece. After reading this thread - I'm going to claim on our travel insurance (which luckily included pandemic coverage - and was purchased in June 2019).
May I ask which insurance company that was?
 
It was RACV - Total Travel Care. I read a CHOICE magazine article that recommended them. Of course, pandemics are now in their new policies.
 
This is next on my list to deal with, for a booking my folks had. First week in June, so falls just outside the 'all flights to/from Aus' cancelled period, for now. This was due to be a stay at the tail end of their trip coming to visit us in the UK (which is obviously now not happening).

What e-mail addresses have you all been using?

@Pushka has mentioned [email protected] which I'm going to try, as that's where they had a booking.
 
i think many on line travel agents are doing themselves a huge disservice here... many are refusing to pass on full refunds offered by airlines and or other suppliers such as hotels. What does this mean for me? I'll never use those travel suppliers once this is over :(
 
I have a LE booking in June. How long should I leave it before trying to get a refund/date change?
 
I have a LE booking in June. How long should I leave it before trying to get a refund/date change?

Have your flights been cancelled yet? Has the accommodation provider closed? If not, better to wait. At the moment travel bans (depending on country) cover up to anywhere from mid April to late May; so may be prudent to wait. Failing that, if your Travel Insurance covers then worth having a look at that.
 
i think many on line travel agents are doing themselves a huge disservice here... many are refusing to pass on full refunds offered by airlines and or other suppliers such as hotels. What does this mean for me? I'll never use those travel suppliers once this is over :(
Yes Indeed. FC are doing this. The cruiseline refunds in full for a cancelled cruise. Because it's the cruiseline cancel then FC received it's commission. Then, they also deducted a cancellation payment from the funds that the cruiseline refunded to the passenger. From another Adelaideian on Cruise Critic.
 
Ours isn't until the end of October, hopefully things will be ok by then, yes, unlikely, I know that.

:(
 
I wonder if The Age in Melbourne, and possibly also SMH will puiblish anything about these problems with Luxury Escapes. After all LE seem to buy plenty of full page ads every week which must cost a pretty penny. My guess is no.
 
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I wonder if The Age in Melbourne, and possibly also SMH will puiblish anything about these problems with Luxury Escapes. After all LE seem to buy plenty of full page ads every week which must cost a pretty penny. My guess is no.

At the moment I think the entire travel industry is in the same boat, there are many stories where hotels, airlines and/or travel agents decide to not refund even if the hotel is closed or flights are cancelled.
 
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At the moment I think the entire travel industry is in the same boat, there are many stories where hotels, airlines and/or travel agents decide to not refund even if the hotel is closed or flights are cancelled.
But fortunately there are also many stories where travel agents and travel companies are giving refunds even when the booking was non cancellable.1 hotel even emailed us saying they would be closing so we are refunding your booking. It was non cancellable.The refund was on my Amex the next day.So we are determined that when we can we will stay there.
 
Not what many will want to hear in this thread of the many threads about flight cancellations, but companies are not legally required to provide a refund if border closures prevent them providing the service.

Morally is another debate entirely.

The ACCC deputy commissioner Delia Rickard was interviewed on ABC Radio Brisbane this morning and confirmed that if an airline (or other travel provider) can not provide the service due to Government imposed restrictions (closed borders) then normal Consumer Rights and Guarantees under consumer law do not apply.

She further confirmed that vouchers or credit for future travel is generally the best you can hope for.

Other key points include:
- if the provider goes bust you join the list of creditors, a long way down the list. Effectively your money will be gone.

- ACCC has no power over post-COVID pricing. If supply and demand means the cost of the flight is double, the consumer has no option but to pay the higher price.

- companies are required to waive change fees.

- Companies can not retrospectively change the terms of a contract, so in some circumstances you may be better off paying a small penalty to cancel under the contract, rather than having the provider cancel. YMMV

If you'd like to hear it yourself there's some talkback calls raising concerns about airline flights, followed by the Rickard interview here:ABC Radio Brisbane Skip through to at 1:07.00
 
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Not what many will want to hear in this thread of the many threads about flight cancellations, but companies are not legally required to provide a refund if border closures prevent them providing the service.

Morally is another debate entirely.

The ACCC deputy commissioner Delia Rickard was interviewed on ABC Radio Brisbane this morning and confirmed that if an airline (or other travel provider) can not provide the service due to Government imposed restrictions (closed borders) then normal Consumer Rights and Guarantees under consumer law do not apply.

She further confirmed that vouchers or credit for future travel is generally the best you can hope for.

Other key points include:
- if the provider goes bust you join the list of creditors, a long way down the list. Effectively your money will be gone.

- ACCC has no power over post-COVID pricing. If supply and demand means the cost of the flight is double, the consumer has no option but to pay the higher price.

- companies are required to waive change fees.

- Companies can not retrospectively change the terms of a contract, so in some circumstances you may be better off paying a small penalty to cancel under the contract, rather than having the provider cancel. YMMV

If you'd like to hear it yourself there's some talkback calls raising concerns about airline flights, followed by the Rickard interview here:ABC Radio Brisbane Skip through to at 1:07.00

Does this apply for hotels as well? I am supposed to stay at a hotel in Maldives this month, but the hotel is closed from April to June, citing the flight cancellations and the covid-19 situation and Luxury Escapes won't give me a refund. From what I gathered, the Maldives government didn't order the hotel to shutdown, but the hotel decided to close as I assume the occupancy rate doesn't make it worthwhile for them to continue operating.
 
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