Unfriendly Accommodation in N Yorks -

[lesleyhannah]

I've just been really upset by a conversation with a guest house proprietor in N Yorkshire and wonder if I'm over-reacting.

I want to visit an old friend (like me a Senior) whose health is fairly fragile. Since I had unsuccessful abdominal surgery a couple of years ago I've been left with 'gut/bowel' problems which mean I need access to a loo 24 hours a day. I therefore won't stay with my friend whose little cottage only has one bathroom (she wouldn't mind, but I'm very embarrassed about the problem). Most hotels in the area don't seem to have en-suite bathrooms with single rooms, but I was delighted to find what seemed like a lovely little guest house. I emailed them, and found they had vacancies, and a single room with en-suite.

However, this afternoon I phoned with my credit card details, which they took down. The proprietor then asked what time I'd be arriving. 'sometime Monday afternoon or early evening,' I replied. I was told this wasn't good enough. He needed to know the exact time my train would be arriving.

Now my problem is that my medical condition may possibly cause me to miss the train I intended to get at 10.30am (it's a six hour journey). It's a small chance, but one I have to accept. At hearing this the man became most unfriendly, telling me that he had things to do and couldn't wait in 'all day' for me. I could tell him the time I expected to arrive and I could let him know that morning whether or not I'd caught the train I hoped to be on but was told this was not good enough - he needed two to three days' notice of my exact arrival time.

By this time I was getting quite upset. The man then said (his exact words -out of the blue, while I was still trying to work something out): 'I'm cancelling these details and terminating this conversation'. The phone was then slammed down without so much as a goodbye.

Over the years I have stayed in B&Bs in various places. Last year I stayed at a lovely friendly guest house in Weymouth (the Gloucester - I'd recommend it wholeheartedly) but I have never been treated like this before.

I've just emailed my friend to say I'm cancelling the proposed trip for the immediate future.

I'm not good at thinking on my feet - far better at writing it down later. How should I have handled this - or am I being over-sensitive?

[sandybay]

You've probably had a narrow escape LesleyHannah. Just imagine him having the stopwatch out for you coming down to breakfast etc.

His rudeness will probably leak out in other areas so you may have found your stay there less than ideal. Does the place appear on any public websites where the public can post reviews - if so it may well be worth relating your experience to warn off others.

It's such a shame that you've cancelled your trip for the time being when it could have been a lovely trip for you. Have you contacted the local tourist information ? Your feedback may be interesting to them and they may know of somewhere that would be ideal for you.

Good luck if you try and rebook and no I don't think you were over sensitive.

[Pippa]

I agree with Sandybay, thank heavens you did not stay with this dreadfully rude man. The local TI will have a list of B. and B's who will have been vetted. If you are unfortunate enough to miss the train, just phone the Guest House and let them know, it could be for any number of reasons, none of which would be anybody else's business except yours. I do hope you manage to find somewhere and put this experience behind you - he was just a nasty rude man.

[Crocus]

Goodness, I must say that was rather quite rude of this man. Well, it's his loss Lesley! Isn't there any other accommodation near to your friend you can use? xx

[lesleyhannah]

Thanks everyone! Since the phone call I've been going over it in my mind, and blaming myself - I know I'm getting a bit dithery these days, and wondered if it was my fault for sounding a bit 'dopey'.

I rang my friend to tell her I couldn't find another B&B with a single room ensuite so wouldn't be arriving as planned. She made the obvious comment, that hadn't occurred to me (not being a driver) that if I'd been driving from the south-east to north Yorkshire then it would be impossible to give anything other than an approximate arrival time! Now why didn't I think of that when I was on the phone?

Anyway, friend and I had a long chat tonight, and decided that in September (when grandchildren are all back at school) we'll meet up in Manchester. She can get a lift there and the train journey for me is less stressful. Also she knows a good B&B in Manchester where we could both stay overnight. So hopefully we'll eventually meet up then.

In a way, I'm sad because it's many years since I've seen north Yorkshire, and when I was young I just loved Scarborough so much. Never mind, Manchester has much to offer too.

Sandy, you made me laugh at the thought of that hysterical man with his stopwatch at breakfast! I've stopped worrying now - it's very good having somewhere to let off steam when there are no friends nearby. So thanks to you all.

[sandybay]

It's a pleasure Lesley, that's what we virtual friends are for.
To laugh with, moan and groan with, and to sometime shed tears with :)

[jazzactivist]

Sorry to hear about your upsetting encounter with that miserable man, lesleyhannah. I think that he was downright unreasonable. Most guesthouse owners expect that guests can't give an exact arrival time and so tell you what to do if you happen to arrive and they aren't there. I expect that he thought that you were having him on saying that you may or may not miss the train without feeling able to tell him why - which is quite understandible given the circumstances - so perhaps he thought that you wouldn't be a eliable guest. Anyway the way that he handled the phone conversation is unacceptable and unprofessional and, like others here, I think that you had a lucky escape by not staying there. Plus, you and your friend have managed to make an arrangement that sounds like it might suit you both better. Have a lovely time when you do see her.

[Pippa]

Sounds like Fawlty Towers!

[souter girl]

I have just read your post Lelseyhannah and I am horrified that anyone in the so-called "hospitality" business could be so rude! I wonder if he gets ANY business? Certainly not return business if he treats his guests in this way. People CAN be rude however and then wonder why they don't get any custom. I am sure there are lots of charming B&Bs/guest houses/small hotels whose reputation can suffer because of Basil Fawlty types like this. I hope you reported him to his local Chamber of Commerce or Tourist Association - he shouldn't be allowed to get away with treating you so badly. You are the customer who is"always right". Last year we were staying in a lovely Wolsey Lodge bed and breakfast in N. Yorkshire when my husband was taken ill and we had to cut short our holiday and I drove him to hospital in London. Our hosts couldn't have been nicer and only charged us for the 2 nights we had had, not the rest of the week. That sort of friendly service makes you want to go back.

[lily]

I would see if his accomodation is listed with the local Tourist Information and if so I would tell them about his very unfriendly and unhelpful manner.
We had an unpleasant experience with a B & B on Exmoor and I let the local Tourist office know. We arrived at the time I'd said, to be greeted with the words "your room's not ready". I said there was no hurry and asked if we could just have a cup of tea to tide us over- only to be told "the lounge isn't open". We drove off and found somewhere really nice instead.