Family leave hotel minutes after check-in because it 'looked like a bombsite'

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They were booked to stay at the Blackpool Promenade Hotel (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
They were booked to stay at the Blackpool Promenade Hotel (Image: Kennedy News and Media)

A couple walked out of a hotel room in disgust minutes after arriving and finding it like a 'bomb site'.

Pamela McInally and Mark Fletcher claim they were confronted with mounds of rubbish, dirty carpets, used urinals and an abandoned mattress when they entered the Blackpool Promenade Hotel in Blackpool, Lancashire, on Sunday, April 9.

The horrified couple claim there were holes in the walls and it was such a mess that their daughter started crying.

Disgusted housekeeper Pamela and engineer Mark, both 33, says they refused to let their four children inside the £68 hotel room.

Instead they say they marched back to reception and handed the keys back.

Sisters horrified to find human excrement smeared on wall outside hotel room qhiqhuiqudiquinvSisters horrified to find human excrement smeared on wall outside hotel room

They claim they were then forced to fork out a £200 deposit and £100 for new accommodation for the night.

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Family leave hotel minutes after check-in because it 'looked like a bombsite'The family claim they left the hotel shortly after arriving (Kennedy News and Media)
Family leave hotel minutes after check-in because it 'looked like a bombsite'They claim they find a pile of rubbish in the hallway (Kennedy News and Media)

Pamela and Mark said they were told to request a refund from Booking.com but were refused it because the hotel claimed they had checked in and spent the night there.

Booking.com said they 'take any complaint seriously' and are currently looking into the details raised.

Blackpool Promenade Hotel, also known as Garvey's Promenade Hotel, insists that the couple stayed the night -despite the couple having an email confirmation proving they had to make a booking at an alternative hotel.

The hotel also says that Mark and Pamela's images aren't a true representation of the hotel, and that the rooms they photographed which seemed to be filled with rubbish are 'out of order' and had been left open for builders to access.

The hotel also claims the family didn't make a complaint, however the couple made an audio recording of themselves on the phone to reception saying they couldn't stay there and complaining about the state of the hotel.

Pamela, from Paisley, Scotland, said: "It was disgusting. I was never expecting to see what I did. It was dirty, the floors were disgusting, the reception was non-existent.

Family leave hotel minutes after check-in because it 'looked like a bombsite'Mark said the hallway looked like a 'bombsite' (Kennedy News and Media)

"There was a mattress in the hallway. I wouldn't let a homeless person stay there. I was in shock, it wasn't right. I'm just glad that we were able to find somewhere to stay."

Mark said: "It was horrific. As soon as we walked into reception there were alarm bells. The room directly opposite had the door wide open, it was full of rubbish."

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He added: "We thought 'Oh my god'. We just wanted to see the room and see if it was doable, we weren't expecting The Ritz. It looked like a bomb site, it was bad.

"We went back down to reception and said we weren't taking out kids in there, not a chance. My seven-year-old was crying and said she couldn't stay there."

The family had originally planned to spend three days in Blackpool and had another hotel arranged from Monday, but decided to add an extra night to make the most of the Easter holidays.

Mark said: "It was cheap enough. We had been out all day, we were only going to be in there for a bed and a shower. The hotel looks nothing like it does on the website."

Family leave hotel minutes after check-in because it 'looked like a bombsite'The doorway at the Blackpool Promenade Hotel (Kennedy News and Media)
Family leave hotel minutes after check-in because it 'looked like a bombsite' (Kennedy News and Media)

A spokesman from Blackpool Promenade Hotel said: "We are aware of the current review circulating around various media outlets regarding a guest's stay at our property this weekend.

"We must start by saying we operate a budget hotel and our hotels facilities do reflect its prices.

"However the pictures shared online are not a true representation of our hotel. The pictures shared are from rooms which are out of order and they were only left open as the builders were in and out working between the rooms.

"These rooms we do not let out as they are under renovation due to a major leak which happened recently - this has been repaired and doesn’t affect any other rooms than the one pictured, which is not open to anyone except builders.

"We have only just started the business and understand there is a lot of work needed to get the hotel to the high standard we would like.

"However, at the moment the rooms are done to a budget standard, this doesn’t mean we let rooms out like the images shown above.

"Even though we are a budget hotel, we still keep all our rooms to a high standard of cleanliness and still provide a good quality service for our guest which provides good value for money.

"The images aren’t a true representation of our hotel and we would not allow the rooms in the pictures to be let out to any guest.

"The guest stayed at the property and didn’t leave as stated in the review. At no time did the guest make a complaint to front desk or contact the hotel phone to do so.

"If we receive complaints, we follow them up appropriately and always aim to promote a good standard throughout the hotel.

"We are sorry in this circumstance that this had to escalate to such an extent however we completely disagree that these images and the review are a true reflection of our hotel."

A spokesperson from Booking.com said: "We take any complaint seriously and are currently looking into the details raised."

Hannah Phillips

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