Obviously, we're rather hoping here that it has been built, or, at least, partially, but very often tourists arrive at their hotel to discover that their hotel is undergoing some renovations, or extensions, or that there are building works very close, which may be causing noise, dust, vibrations, disruption or simply an inconvenience as far as parking or access is concerned. If you arrive at your hotel and discover the existence of all mentioned problems, what can you do about it?



The options available to you will vary depending on how you booked the hotel itself. If you booked through a travel agent or other third party you may be entitled to, at least, a partial refund or transfer to an alternative hotel nearby at no cost. Travel agents should be aware of any work that may be occurring at a hotel, although, certainly, they aren't always have all the necessary information or weren't informed either. It is always worth enquiring at the time of booking about any work that might be undergoing or planned, especially if access might be an issue with elderly people spending their holidays, or if the noise or vibrations might keep little children awake.

When you are spending your holiday, it is always essential that you take with you the name and contact numbers of the travel agent you dealt with, so that if you do find this sort of issue, you can inform them straight away. They will be able to discuss the matter with the hotel. By doing this they will be able to try to find ways of either accommodating your requirements, either by moving you within the hotel or making special provisions, or even transferring you to a different hotel at their cost. It will also mean that the agent will be aware of the issue and make sure that any future tourists are aware of the problem before they book.

If you booked the holiday direct with the hotel yourself, then the matter will, of course, be between them and you, and this will be down to you to discuss the issue, and ask why you weren't informed, and what they can do to resolve the inconvenience. In some cases they may be very understanding, and work with you to try to solve the problem. If you are unfortunate enough to find that they are not being helpful, then you may be forced to either abandon the hotel and find suitable accommodation nearby in the meantime, which is not convenient at all, of course, if you have elderly people or children with you, or simply put up with the problems for the time being and look at your insurance policy later.

Having holiday insurance cover that protects you against this sort of eventuality is critical, and is often an issue which is covered in most policies. Check this carefully before you go, make sure you keep a copy of the policy and read it fully. It is also very worthwhile making sure you take plenty of photographs and video of the building's works to show clearly what the trouble was, and how it affected you. Obviously if you return home and submit a claim, by the time the insurance companies investigate, the building work may have been completed or moved on and the evidence is lost. It then becomes your word against the hotels, so collecting plenty of evidence is crucial.