“Shocking company. Try to ring, phones not available, send an email, no response except for generic email. We will never ever book with this company again. Fast to take payments, terrible customer care.”
“Shocking communication. Still wating for my refund from March.
I have another holiday booked for October yet they have no problem taking the installments for that one.
Certainly no way to run a business.”
“These people are literally stealing people’s money and getting away with it. I don’t know what the best route is to get my money back. They don’t communicate. I will also try ATOL and Trading Standards. Failing that the Police”
“Appalling customer service. In the event of a pandemic they shut down all contact. You cant call, email or message. If you do finally manage to send a message it is completely ignored. We recieved an email saying they will be in touch to discuss our options but never actually got in touch. In the meantime, whilst we waited for a phone call, they increased the cancellation fee from £141 to £3500. Absolutely disgusting!!”
“Received an email inviting me to cancel my holiday due to covid and I’ll only have to pay a small admin charge.... but they then took the rest of the holiday payments from my bank account as soon as I cancelled stating it was in their small print.
This sent me overdrawn into financial difficulties.
Absolute scam, how can they get away with this appalling service and treatment to customers? Why aren’t the press interested? Something needs to be done and I’m not giving up on losing my money.
On the beach are the worst company I have ever dealt with. Vile and thieves!”
“Appalling- I've written 10 emails at least, enquiring about cancelling our holiday due to unforeseen Covid 19 restrictions. We are both Keyworkers on the front line; we simply cannot afford the time to risk quarantine after. We have had no response apart from automated. Weve saved up for this holiday over 3 years and simply cannot afford to pay for something which cant happen,and then not even be sure if and when we will be refunded. We need to know what's happening- our two young kids are affected by this too. Its disgusting sevice , On The Beach, you should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“This must be a contender for the worst travel company in the UK. Here's our story.
We booked in November for a holiday on the 25th June this year. We requested to change the holiday to August, something most companies are doing for free. They told us it'll have a new price for hotel changes, transfers and an admin fee (nothing was itemised, it was a lump sum). We agreed. Then, we're told we have to change the flight ourselves (it's hidden when you book but check your receipt and you'll see they charge a flight booking fee that isn't refundable). I paid them £32 and they told me I have to change the flight myself. Except, I couldn't change the flight so now I'm stuck without a flight. I can either take the loss and book a new flight or try to work with OTB to start the process again and rebook with them. They chose the third option, pass my messages which turned into a complaint from department to department. Obviously, the inevitable happened and my 25th June flight was cancelled, so I booked with another company. All good right? Wrong. Today they emailed me to say they're still going to take an £80 admin fee, plus I assume the £32 airline fee. So, over £100 for stress and disappointment.
With this in mind, I've reported them to Trading Standards and I'll be sending all the messages to ABTA and my local MP, plus anyone else who is interested. If you're in a similar position to me, I recommend you do the same. And if you're reading this about whether you should book with them, remember a lot of their customers are out of work right now and this is how they treat you.”
“I’m sure people on here that have given a low star review fully understand the problems the travel companies are experiencing, however OTB do not keep the customers/ client updated and I think 3 months for a refund on an easyJet’s flight is being very patient. You can’t get through to speak to anyone and I feel the whole policy/ company is extremely poor and certainly would never use them again. Sorry but after getting through today I was told they were chasing up easyJet flight refunds from my date.. 15th March!! Came off the phone feeling completely fobbed off, and yes I’ll still have to wait!! Very poor customer service... How do they get away with it? My credit card is now going to try and claim on my behalf.
Never again”
“Do not book a thing with these cowboys as they never refund your money and send generic emails when you try to find out any info. What a joke of a company”
“hotel is closed due to Corona virus so they are unable to provide the holiday we paid for but refused to cancel holiday and have cancelled hotel and are still making us pay for flight's they also cancelled our atol protection we took out when we got the holiday. I've tried calling the premium rate number several times and calls just automated talk for ages then cut the call off.
I have emailed several times to resolve this and my emails have been ignored if they don't refund my money I will be taking this to the small claims court.
AVOID AVOID AVOID
This company needs to shut down
UPDATE 31/05/2020
My bank has since refunded me and now they are disputing it to try and keep my money when they haven't provided me with any service vile company DO NOT USE THEM”
“Awful company. I have used this company before and believed them to be trustworthy. Now comes Covid and they are treating customers so badly. We only booked accommodation, I do understand a package holiday is better protected, but as our hotel is CLOSED and we all know they won’t have paid yet, we are due a refund! They are not interested and tell us to use our insurance. Why should we, when they are the ones who cannot fulfill the booking that was paid to them! Remember the companies that let us down!”
“Can only comment on my experience obviously. Went last year with a group, my friend did booking. Enjoyed the hol so booked myself, first time ever booking on line, all went smoothly and great hol. Our hol this year was cancelled due to covid. We were sent several emails prior asking if we wanted to cancel or wait. We choose to wait. Was bit worried as unable to contact OTB, however they sent emails asking for patience and I finally received full refund day after travel date. We had paid balance on full at point of booking. My advice would be read everything before you click, its cheaper to book flight extras direct with flight company as
OTB add admin cost. Be careful to check price before clicking and check small print, be aware they do add a small admin fee. I still found them cheaper than a travel agent on high Street. As example of flight extras we paid priority and guaranteed seating for £60 total for two but through Ryanair direct. I'm light packer so happy with 10kg cabin bag”
“TAKE THAT STAR AWAY!!!
AVOID AVOID!!!!!!!!
Have been trying to contact them through e-mail, phone & messaging for nearly 2 months & have not received one reply! They cancelled my sons holiday & e-mailed him stating that on his request the holiday was confirmed cancelled, charging £320 for the privilege!! They are thieves!!! Read the Trustpilot reviews!!!
STAY CLEAR!!! This company needs to be investigated! Customer service is non existent!!”
“Have used this company for several years without a problem.couldnt make March 2020 holiday due to Norovirus.this happened before all the covid 19 lockdown.despite repeated request for relevant paperwork,which can be done via email,so I can complete my travel insurance claim,and their promise that I would receive it within 56 days,yes 56 days,I still haven’t received it and we are out over £2300 pounds.they just don’t care and I will,NEVER use or recommend them again.absolutely disgusted.”
“I booked a holiday for Easter Sunday to go to turkey I did not cancelled it and they write me an email to say I cancelled 🤐🤐🙄🙄🤬
I have been trying to get in contact with someone and there phone lines are on a automatic system!!
Long story shot I paid £1090 got my family Snd was told by email I’m only getting £3 refund!!! I am fuming with these people!!! I work hard I need my money back!!! Someone advise this!!!!
I will never book with them again!!’ 🙄🙄😶😶”
“We booked to go to Cyprus at the end of March making one payment of £313.18 at the end of Feb - we were due to pay final instalment on the 17th March, we received an email from them on the 13th saying that the holiday was cancelled due to Covid19 - we asked if we would get a full refund and they said yes. After several more messages we got a refund of £2 - I thought this was a mistake so contacted them and asked why- they replied stating that we had not paid the full amount we would not get back what we paid out initially- but they cancelled due to virus that kills people- no one could have predicted this happening why should we be penalized for this - its disgusting what is happening, it's our money not theirs - I've been in touch with ABTA.”
“My daughter cancelled her holiday due to covid19 they have only given her a partial refund. And still took another £200 from her bank. Even after she cancelled it. She saved hard to have this holiday. Some thing has to be done about this rip off company. THE WORST COMPANY EVER
👉👉👉👉AVOID👈👈👈👈”
“Don't use trying to cancel holiday or change date not even paid off holiday only paid first installment of 120 and they are trying to tell me if i cancel I have to pay 600+ for flights and now being told to ring Ryanair to change flights why would we change flights when we don't even have a date this company are rubbish and I can't cancel so I will be ringing bank to put a payment stop on this company I refuse to pay for something I am not receiving and I am giving them 6 months notice to cancel absolute joke”
“Unbelievable rip off merchants they are profiting from people’s cancelled holidays and the covid-19 pandemic by taking admin fees of £100 off people to get you your own refund back to covid outbreak, and then only giving you a credit note when all other companies such as jet 2 and TUI are giving full refunds steer clear of these rip off con merchants will never use these again.”
