I had mistakenly cancelled my booking with the above hotel on booking.com.
I called the hotel immediately to discuss this matter and sent them an email asking them to reinstate my room for that night.
I talked to the owner Richard Martin over the phone, who actually called himself Alan, which I believe is the photographer, not the owner. But obviously he did not want to take ownership of which he was about to tell me. Which was that, the room had now been booked out to someone else and that I would not be getting the room or any sort of refund. Please bare in mind that this was all within approximately 20 mins of me accidently cancelling the room. With this I challenged the decision and this ended up with Richard Martin (the hotel owner) hanging up the phone on me!
So I went to visit Richard Martin at the hotel as he would not talk to me over the phone. I wanted to discuss why he felt the need to hang up on me and why he had further booked the room so fast and why he couldn't give me a refund.
He was a very very unpleasant, unwelcoming abusive man needless to say. Basically this man has no heart, conscious and does not believe in customer service! He said in business his brutal, and that it was my fault and that I had to live with it, and I wont be seeing my money at all. That's his to keep.
He told me that he will not refund me or give me a room for that night and that the room has now gone to a higher bidder. I tried to reason with Richard Martin with absolutely no success what so ever, and he asked me to leave the site. Which I did.
The day after I went to the website I booked the hotel through, and to my surprise there was still a room available on the same night I had booked.
Richard Martin had lied to me, saying all rooms were booked out when I was trying to remedy this situation the day before. It's clear to me now that he said this so he could steal my money and use the terms and conditions as a get out clause.
I am furthermore disgusted.
Clearly there is a room still available. Not that I would ever stay there now after this disgraceful situation.
Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977
The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999
Richard Martin seriously lacks knowledge in consumer rights, and basic manners.
Mistakes happen, in my case unfortunately, but any normal human being would not take this and use it against you like Richard Martin has done to me.
Needless to say I have forwarded this matter to Rogue Traders, Watch Dog & Trading Standards. I think anyone that has had an issue needs to do the same. read more