I really have to feel sorry for the people who run Tan-Y-Bryn, self-contained accommodation in Hobart, Tasmania. I booked this place for the second half of January next year because it looked so well-priced for such a great place to stay while we're at LCA as well, as the week we'll just hang around Hobart afterwards.

Unfortunately for both of us, it seems they forgot to note somewhere on some booking site that they were full for that period, and they got a booking through some high-handed booking organisation who said they were liable for AUD$1000 if they refused it. So they cancelled on me, as the easier & cheaper option. A step that wasn't taken lightly, to read the agonised e-mail they wrote me in the small hours of the next morning.

When I found out I was furious, naturally enough, but after my rage subsided I did a bit more searching and managed to find somewhere else, and it was only a couple of hundred more expensive and only a little bit smaller, and I had to pay in full, up front. So I calmed down, and sent a calm and reasonable e-mail asking them for half the difference in the cost.

Today I received a cheque from them refunding my deposit, plus the $100 I requested, with the following tale of woe:

Dear Andrew and family

Apologies for the delay in sending the enclosed cheques, I think I have been recovering from the following trauma.

Much to my horror, the booking made through ******* cancelled the day after you made an alternate booking at my request.

We have now lost that booking as well as yours, in addition to having had to disappoint you.

Adding insult to injury, we received no apology, phone call, or financial compensation, simply an automatic email cancelling the booking, so are understandably feeling somewhat disillusioned.

Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful family holiday in Australia as we are hoping to have in New Zealand next autumn, hiking the Abel Tasman Track and riding the Central Otago Rail Trail.

Sincerely...

So it's pleasing that they've kept to their agreement with me, though it must have been tempting to just return my deposit and cut their losses.

The place is about ten minutes drive from the University of Tasmania campus (we'll be renting a car while we're there so that wasn't going to be a problem) so if you're taking your family to LCA (or you want somewhere for a few couples - three double bedrooms: 2 queen, 1 twin) I think it's well worth considering - I know I did a lot of on-line searching before finding it.

I'm sure they've learned their lesson, and if you book now then this time they will be sure to update all of the necessary booking sites with the correct information regarding their booking status.