Bruce Pike
1/5
Turn off the lights… or else!
What we experienced is somewhat unbelievable but in reading the experiences of others, I now realise our experience was not an isolated incidence.
For me, “1” represents a collection of bad experiences followed by poor or unacceptable action on behalf of the service provider. Also, that I would personally never return.
Transiting through Gatwick Airport, we sought a room in a nearby town. The main criteria was that they had a shuttle service. Gatwick Castle B&B indicated a shuttle service was available for a fee. So, we made the booking.
After arriving at Gatwick station, I phoned the property to arrange the shuttle but was told by the gentleman that answered that there WAS NO SHUTTLE! However, he indicated that he could call a taxi for us and that it would cost around £18.50. As I was standing in front of the taxi stand, I just took my own cab.
Upon arriving and checking in, we did not receive a room in the main house but were led to a door off the alley on the side of the house. Upon opening the door, I realised I had made a mistake in booking this property.
The room and bathroom were very small and after bringing in our cases, it was a difficult to move around. While the room was well cleaned, it had a smell of what I can only guess was old, dirty or wet carpet.
The double bed had indents (see photos) that indicated they were LONG overdue to be replaced.
Their was a door in the room that lead to the rest of the house but it was locked and only accessible from the other side.
We rested before heading out to supper but were a little unsettled by the door knob rattling. Not knowing if it was the wind or someone trying the knob, we decided to set up a system to detect whether someone entered our room.
Before leaving we also turned on the television to make it appear we were inside and turned on the light outside the door to facilitate the return to our room off the dark alley.
Upon returning, we realised that someone HAD entered the room. My spouse confronted the attendant who later identified himself as the owner. After being gone a long time, I followed and picked up the discussion. This discussion lead to a shouting match between me and the owner on the front steps of our property.
His main concern was that we left the fluorescent light on outside our room. Yes, you read this correct, we left a security light on. While we were out, he had knocked on our door to tell us to turn off the light. I was told in no uncertain terms that I had a “responsibility” to turn off the light. He pointed out that there was a motion sensor security light but we didn’t know this.
After an hour of trying to reason, we realised it was futile and went to bed. Once in bed, someone started banging our door. We refused to answer but the person was a woman and we can only assume it was the owner’s wife who had come to continue the abuse.
We then began receiving messages from the owner citing the hotel description and services, one of which, by the way, WAS a paid shuttle service!
When we checked out, he confronted me again pushing a phone in my face with his texts from the previous night. I asked him to read the paragraph about the shuttle and he refused to acknowledge it.
My spouse asked him to call a taxi but he demanded that I be the one to ask him, which I refused.
She eventually convinced him to call a cab but while we waited outside his establishment, he came again bringing one of his employees and shouting at my wife to “tell him”. Not sure what he wanted us to say…maybe that we left the light on? Anyway the cab arrived just in time and we escaped this terrible experience, never to return.
Our belief is that they DO have a shuttle service but they provide it and charge the same as the taxis. It feels like a bit of a scam. So just take a taxi.
We also believe the owner entered our room to turn off the TV and Light and we caught him but we cant prove it.
If you still chose to stay here after this recount, be sure to secure your room and don’t forget to TURN OFF THE LIGHT!
