A fuming holidaymaker has told how his dream trip turned into a nightmare after he was left with just £20 to spend in New York.
Michael Hulme, from Stoke-on-Trent, is so gutted at his experience, he has vowed to boycott Hays Travel through which he booked the break away.
Thoughtful Michael had lined up the trip as a surprise for partner Kerry as she has always wanted to visit the popular destination.
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But Birmingham Live reports how things quickly turned sour in the Big Apple when the couple tried to check in only to find their pre booked hotel had not been paid.
Michael told how he booked the £1,168 package to travel to Times Square with Kerry.
The 59-year-old was told by staff his hotel had not been paid for when he arrived.
After being charged $800 and $100 security deposit, he had just $28 to spend.
"The trip was a surprise for my partner and a once-in-a-lifetime break as it was somewhere she had always wanted to go," he fumed.
"I paid for the package holiday in monthly instalments and it was all paid up by March, 2021. But when we got to the hotel they said our room had not been paid for.
"I told them I would ring the travel agent up the next day and I paid a $100 security deposit for the room.
"When we got up the next day and went to do a bit of shopping my card kept getting declined and I couldn't understand why.
"When we got back to the hotel and checked the banking app it said the hotel had taken $800 from us.
"I went to the reception and they said they had taken the money to pay for the room. They said not to worry and that they would reimburse the money when the travel agent had paid.
"I got in touch with Hays Travel and they said by the looks of it, the holiday had been cancelled and re-booked. But as far as I was concerned it had been paid for. If it had been cancelled why were we still told we could still go on the holiday?
"I think it may have been cancelled and re-booked because of Covid.
"But the travel agent said they would look into it and see what was going on.
"At 4pm reception rang us. They said the travel agent had sent the payment through and I had been reimbursed - but it can take up to 28 days.
"We were only there for four days and couldn't wait 28 days, that was our spending money for attractions. I only had $28 left on my card. Thankfully I had $400 in cash that we could use for food."
Michael says he suffered panic attacks as a result of the "mess", and had to have $400 transferred from Kerry's brother.
He raged: "Someone should be held responsible for what happened to us. I'm not going to use Hays Travel again.
"It was very stressful and I don't want anyone else to go through the same thing. It just spoiled the holiday."
A spokesman for Hays Travel said: "We were extremely sorry to hear of the mix-up regarding Mr Hulme’s hotel arrangements. We arranged for him to receive a full refund, plus compensation, as quickly as possible."
