Carlton Leisure Reviews

2.2 Rating 186 Reviews
29 %
of reviewers recommend Carlton Leisure
2.2
Based on 186 reviews
Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods
Postal Service, Courier
Customer Service
Communication Channels
Email, Telephone, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In
Over A Week
Customer Service
2.4 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process
Difficult
Read Carlton Leisure Reviews

About Carlton Leisure:

Carlton Leisure has been one of the leading travel agents in the UK for over 15 years, offering cheap flights and hotel stays around the world.

They already run successful Press, TV and Radio advertising campaigns and have now extended their reach even further by launching a successful affiliate program with Affiliate Window.

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Email:

info@carltonleisure.com

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Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
Carlton Leisure 5 star review on 24th February 2022
Gareth Fitton
7
Anonymous
Anonymous  // 01/01/2019
Due to BA cancelling the flights this company had the cheek first of all to charge an admin fee of £75 for the cancellation and will not refund your money until BA refund them. This is outrages as the contract I made was with Carlton Leisure and not BA. Do not use or trust this company!
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Awful company. The worst experience of my life. The police should be brought in to prosecute these thieves. I booked my flights in 2019 to Thailand but had to cancel due to COVID. Even though I cancelled five days before due to fly which was well within their t&cs they still won’t give me my money back. I have lost £1500 to these crooks. Please please don’t book with them. They are liars and cheats. Do your research. The owner is sitting on £8.5M in the bank and yet there are hundreds of customers chasing for their money back. Check out “Carlton Leisure Complaints” on FaceBook. Check out Trust Pilot. These people are criminals. Disgusting.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Flights booked to fly to Canada in July 2020. Covid-19 meant the flights were cancelled. Been trying to get a refund since July. They initially responded saying I could have a refund minus a £75 admin fee which is actually against the law I believe but I agreed just so I could have my money back which is over £1,000. No response and it is now November. No replies to numerous emails. Have now taken this up with my credit card company under section 75 guidelines
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Very poor customer service will not refund my money from the Pandemic it’s now Nearly 6 months
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
My partner and I had 3 flights with them booked for March: Manchester to Bali and Perth to Manchester with BA and Bali to Perth with Malindo Airways. We've dealt with Kim throughout. Originally we thought we'd be going to the rearranged wedding in November and were quoted £572 + £100 admin fee to change the flights and were told they were non refundable so it was this or nothing. They then changed the admin fee to £25 out of "goodwill". Then the refund drama started with various phone calls being told different things each time and them ignoring me pointing out they'd changed the t's & c's since we'd booked. Kim then offered us the full refund for a £75pp admin fee but we had 4 hours to decide to agree with their specific cancellation wording after which the tickets would be non-refundable. Halifax were very unhelpful and said that a chargeback wouldn't be successful because of the t's & c's even while they acknowledged that wasn't fair if they'd been changed since booking. While arguing that, Kim then told us that actually only the BA flights could be refunded as Malindo Airways weren't offering refunds. After more phone calls we were told we could have an admin fee of £50pp and Malindo Airways were offering refunds. Kevin emailed and we just wanted to draw a line under everything so agreed to the refund. We were told the refund would take up to 6 or 12 weeks depending on GDS or BSP. This was on 8th April. 6 weeks later we checked in and no word on our refund but they did agree that they'd charge £75 admin fee for the booking as this is what they'd now stated on their website. 3 months after agreeing to the refund they emailed to tell us that they'd received the refund from BA only. They refused to refund us the full amount and after more phone calls promised they'd give us Malindo Airways' contact details so we could chase the refund ourself and that the refund would be processed. It took 10 more emails over the course of a week to get a reply confirming they would process the BA refund and we never received the airlines contact details. We eventually received the refund from the BA flights. After asking for a breakdown of the flight costs so we could check this was correct we were never provided with an original itemised invoice and told this didn't exist despite being told on yet another phone call that we'd be emailed it. After another 15 emails over the course of a week Kim provided the cost breakdown via email. After another month of no communication I chased the refund again and was told they had now received the refund. In this time I'd managed to get in touch with the airline myself and after being bounced around a bit finally received an email stating that they'd processed the refund to Carlton Leisure 6 weeks before on 24th July! When I asked Kim why they'd held my money for 6 weeks without telling me I got the usual repetition of non answers. The refund arrived back into my account today, with £100 taken off rather than the £75 admin fee that we'd begrudgingly agreed to! This has infuriated me, had it been the £75 we probably would have just let it go to be finally rid of this awful company but I'm now determined to get every last penny back from them, whatever it takes.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Since then, they have ignored all contact with me as i try to organise a refund for my flights (I am not bothering to pursue a claim for other expenses) but they continue to ignore me. Very disappointed, and even suspect that the company may be in difficultly.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
In Nov 2019, I booked flights to Paraguay (22 Aug-1 Sept), and received an email on 24th July explaining I am entitled to a full refund. The email was clear and concise in requesting me to reply within 48 hours of my decision. They explained the refund would be minus £75 admin fee. I responded to go ahead, as I had read the small print of the contract given when buying the "non-refundable" tickets that stated there would be that admin fee. There was also mention two routes, with two differing time frames, that may be taken to get the refund. I asked for clarification and was told mine would fall in the twelve week category. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find the refund on my card on Saturday 22 August....only a month since being notified....and coincidentally on the date I was supposed to travel. I understand the issue that some have regarding the admin fee, but it is in the small print of your contract when buying tickets. Personally, it's my contribution to keeping ones in employment during these challenging times. I would book with Carlton Leisure again.
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Posted 3 years ago
Avoid and book with anyone else! I am hugely disappointed and would strongly advise against using Carlton Leisure for any bookings. We had flights back from Brazil cancelled while there and were left stranded, trying to find a way home. Over four months later and no refund for flights we paid for and didn't have tge opportunity to take - I strongly believe they will keep the refunded money and never pay it back to us since the airline confirmed the refund had been issued. There are many good agencies out there - this one should be the very last on anyone's list.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
I wish I had never booked with Carlton. Don't be fooled by their request for an admin fee when Carlton cannot provide what you booked. Carlton tried to charge me £75 admin fee for a refund of flight costs (when coronavirus hit and flights were cancelled) and they said it would take months to pay me. I refused to pay the £75 and instead requested a 100% refund from my credit card company under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. I received the 100% refund from my credit card company, with no admin fee at all, really quickly (in about 3 weeks). So claim the refund from your credit card company where applicable. It is free and much quicker and easier.
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Posted 3 years ago
Absolute ridiculous company I have ever seen. During Covid, our flights got cancelled and they said you can't have a refund as you are having a non-refundable ticket My point was my tickets were cancelled by the airline so there isn't our fault. Then after 2 weeks of argument and struggle they agreed to give me a voucher to use with a validity of 6 months with the same airline which I refused to take. Due to some medical condition and upcoming operation I am unable to travel. They refused to help. I spoke to BA directly and luckily they said they will do 100% refund to Carlton Leisure. Unfortunately then Carlton Leisure deducted £75 per ticket. FINALLY I received my refund after 2 months after their deductions. Absolutely disgrace customers service. They never want to speak with refund customer. They always ask for the name and reason of the call and then say we will give you a call back but no one does. I spent literally hours to get hold of them about everyday for 1 month in order to resolve my refund. Extremely bad experience. Please stay away from this company.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Carlton leisure have been extremely poor during the recent coronavirus crisis and flight cancellations, charging administration fees of £75 simply to return my money from a cancelled flight. Customer service are rude and unhelpful, i recommend people with a similar experience report them to UK trading standards who informed me their policies were unfair practice.
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
Absolutely appalling and rip off company! I bought a family of 4 tickets from London to Florida last December. All flights were cancelled this April. The refund eventually arrived after 16 weeks of chasing, alas, they deducted £300 for ADMINISTRATION FEE. What's a rip off company to make a profit out of the customers' pocket. I looked at the reviews in google and trustpilot, when Carlton received one bad review, they then got 3 to 5 good reviews on the same day or the next day. It is clearly a cover up of bad reviews!!! What is a joke!!! A dishonest company!!!
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Posted 3 years ago
Criminal travel agents. Should be put in prison the lot of them. After my airline cancelled my flights, they told me that they can only reschedule and not give a refund. So I went along and accepted the new flight. But airline cancelled again and then again. Three times in total. My original flight was on 8th of June and I'm still stuck in the country I flew out to and my current reschedule flight in August is cancelled. This time they offer to try and refund me and said I would be lucky to get £50 back. It's costing over £1000 to book new flights with another company. What a joke of a company. They want to charge me £75 per person admin charge for the booking and make me sign a form stating I cancelled even though I didn't, it was the airline. This is so they can claim against any future claims you put in through the bank or credit card company using their ever changing terms and conditions. I'll be very surprised if this company lasts the year. STAY AWAY it's the only advice I have.
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Posted 3 years ago
Not ATOL protected, they provide terrible customer experience and embezzle money under 'admin fees'. See hundreds of complaints: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i12334-k6577179-o160-Carlton_Leisure-Holiday_Travel.html
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Posted 3 years ago
British Airways cancelled my flight and provided a full refund back to Carlton Leisure. However Carlton Leisure say it costs £75 to give it back to me (even though this fee is not identified in their terms for this action), and instead they refer to sections in their terms which refer to an admin fee for if I have requested a refund. Very disappointed. Awful customer service. And they try to blame the innocent airlines who are actually very helpful. I am still waiting on Carlton Leisure to refund over £700.
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Posted 3 years ago
due to corona my flights were cancelled . Carlton Leisure offered vouchers that had to be booked within 8 months and used by dec 2021, even though the airline offered a 2 year voucher . After much negotiation they reduced their admin fee from £75 to £34. I was charged over £200 for 6 flights. they refunded the remaining money within a few days. But this is quite cruel that they charged so much and also these are unprecedented times. BUT MY FEET WILL DO THE TALKING .
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Posted 3 years ago
Booked ticket with them my flight got cancel because of COVID-19 I spoke with Ronny to ask my refund I been advised that we will take £60 admin fee. I asked him why I have to pay fee I been advised because of cancelling your ticket I told him several time that don’t you have sense that flight got cancelled I’m not getting any service from you than why I have to pay. Somehow I told him to cancel it and I been advised by him over the phone it will take 5 to 7 working days to refund your money back after waiting 7 working days I send an email he came up with something new that we will refund you in 6 to 12 weeks but unfortunately he is not a man of his words because it been over 12 weeks still no refund. He came up with new excuse that I’m Sending you a form to get agree, sign it that we will charge you £60 admin fee. Kind of forcefully asking me to sign. I have never seen in my whole life that if company is refunding money into your credit card they are asking you to sing any letter lol. I would recommend you to don’t believe into these good reviews it looks like they are fake reviews by them. When I read reviews I made booking with them but end up with all this nonsense. Please stay away from them they are disgraceful. I even don’t believe the guy I’m dealing with if he is telling me his right name lol.. I had same booking for my friend with Gotogate they refund my money in 1 week without any charges because they said we have received full refund from airline
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
This is a horrible, dishonest and irresponsible company. I am regretted to buy my ticket from Carlton Leisure. I bought my ticket to fly to New York from London amid of Covid-19. My flight got cancel by AA. I requested Carlton travel to fully refund my unused ticket. They replied to me that according to their company policies and the ticket terms of my ticket, I was not entitled of fully refund; Carlton would give me 70£ out of 500£ of my original ticket price. I asked them to show me the ticket terms & company policies. But the staffs not very co-operate to explain the company polices or ticket terms. So I directly call to US to talk to AA representative, AA staffs told me AA would fully refund if the plane got cancelled due to Covid-19. I showed the email corresponded with AA to Carlton travel & asked them to response, but they simply said company policies/ticket terms not allow to fully refund to me. I fed up with their excuses; So I directly talk to my credit card company to stop the payment from credit card company. The credit card company accepted my situation & successfully get my ticket fee back. If other travelers have the same problem, travel agent refused to refund, you might try to talk to credit card company. But the credit card company do ask for proofs such as email corresponded with traveling company & Airline company in order to process the refund from the credit card company. Good luck!
Helpful Report
Posted 3 years ago
I am one of the victims regarding the refund from ccarltonleisure.com. Due to the travel ban from US, they try to refuse to give me a refund on my ticket. After months of emails backward and forward, I find out a solution to help all others at the same situation as me. first draft an email as follows: Thank you for your email dated 21April when you state that by cancelling my ticket which was non refundable under clause 13 of the contract I am not entitled to a refund. The reality was that at 3.59GMT ( 23.59 EMT ) on 17 March 2020, the President of the United States of America extended a travel ban from the Schengen area of Europe including the U.K. into the USA. I cancelled my flight around 13.00 on 17 March, some 13 hours after the ban came into effect. As such at that time the contract was frustrated under English law. Meaning that an event had occurred after the contract was entered into which rendered it physically impossible to foulfill the contract. In other words the airline could not transport me to American soil without breaching the presidential decree. Without getting into detailed legal argument, there are many cases supporting this doctrine of law including Denny,Mott and Dickenson-v-James B Fraser & Co Ltd (1944) AC 265 which was an example of a contract being rendered frustrated as it was rendered illegal by legislation, which is in effect the situation here. My case is that from 3.59 GMT on 17 March 2020 the contract was frustrated and the parties should be put back in the position they were prior to the contract. That means I’m entitled to my refund in full as the contractual conditions cease to apply from the point that the USA banned my travel. I suggest you consult your legal advisors and reconsider your stance in this matter. If I don’t get a refund in the next 14 days I will be pursuing my rights. Hopefully it won’t have to reach this point but if it does I reserve the right to refer the court to this email when considering costs. Yours etc they will just send you the standard reply, dont worry about it, as you already stated your right in the first email. Call your credit card company and report that you find a scam payment on your card. Tell the card company that they were not able to deliver the service they promised and break the contract. then print out all the evidence emails to the card company and waiting for refund.
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Posted 3 years ago
This is a very bad company, they will try every way to keep your money when things go wrong. This is my first-hand personal experience, due to the current COVID 19 situation, according to the government guideline we should not travel, i tried to phone up every day to ask for the right way to cancel my ticket before my flight. They will never tell you the way you will able to claim your money back and they will try to make you cancel the ticket as your own will even there was a travel ban in place. They will try to say that this is your own fault and keep your money or just give you your tax back. Long story short, i will never buy ticket from this company again. if you really need to buy from them, pls use you Master Card, if things go side way, contact your credit card company and claim your money back that way.
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Posted 3 years ago
Carlton Leisure is rated 2.2 based on 186 reviews