Myrtle Cottage, Myrtle Street, Appledore, Devon,

We never actually got to stay as Gannets Annexe or Myrtle Cottage in Appledore due to a double booking for the second week made by Danielle Hartwright\\\'s company Appledore Cottages, sometimes Appledore Cottage Holidays. Now I realise that accidents happen & its times like this that everyone needs to work together to rectify the problem. We were prepared to do this however Mrs Hartwright was (& still is) very difficult to contact she doesnt often answer her phone her office answer machine is almost always full she answers emails when she chooses & even then not helpfully. She promises to ring back then doesnt or rings a different (unmaned) contact number.

We were offered unsuitable accommodation there are 11 of us planning to stay together we were offered 4 small properties. We were offered a week when booked then go home to return later in the season & we were offered later weeks, Holidays from work were booked when we booked with Appledore Cottages changing dates was not possible. We suggested finding alternative suitable accommodation Danielle Hartwright said she had looked but there wasn\\\'t any available So we checked & we found alternative accommodation for the second week in Appledore sleeping 9 however this meant we needed a small flat or similar for the remaining 2 Danielle Hartwright refused to supply this despite it being offered earlier as an option. We were also told that we would have to pay the extra (a small amount) for the alternative accommodation. So the offer was 9 stay at the accommodation \\\"you found\\\" the other 2 go home no refund for their holiday & you pay £300 extra. This we almost accepted we were desperate. However deciding which 2 went home was impossible & unacceptable. so we gave 3 options, (A) Holiday as agreed 2 weeks, (B)Holiday as agreed 1 week plus alternative accomodation for second week with refund for people with out second weeks holiday or (C) a full refund (accepted as al last resort & under protest). Danielle Hartwright opted for full refund 2 weeks before we were due to stay in Appledore as arranged agreed & paid for, VERY UNREASONABLE. This meant we had 2 weeks to find accommodation for 11 together & due to a localised \\\"office flood\\\" a cheque was the only way Danielle Hartwright would refund our money this meant no money to book the new holiday until the cheque cleared all other refund options were refused by Danielle Hartwright. Sadly this was not the end.. Danielle Hartwright then became reluctant to refund our payment she offered 1st one thing then another how ever by this stage our holiday was ruined we no longer had faith in Appledore Cottage Holidays or Danielle Hartwright we could not rely on her offers becoming realities, suddenly Danielle Hartwright could supply accomodation for the extra 2, suddenly she could & would book other \\\"suitable\\\" accomodation. Then she said \\\"I will only refund (our money) on the understanding that you cannot take any legal action against me. This we did not accept. A cheque arrived £40 short & as yet despite promises to correct this (on the 1 occasion Danielle Hartwright did answer the phone) we still have not received the £40.

We booked & paid a deposit for this holiday in November 2011 we paid the ballance in the begining of 2012 we were were told about the double booking less than a month before we were due to go on holiday & 3 days before we were due to take our holiday the refund cheque hasnt yet cleared (I\\\'m sure that it will) & we are still owed £40 from our payment. Legal advice will be sort.