Sexual assault during hotel stay

[Tripadvisornotloading]

Myself and 3 friends booked a spa night at a popular hotel on the Wirral.
A drugged up strange man broke into one of the rooms during the night and got into a bed with one of the young ladies and sexually assaulted her, we were subsequently all traumatised and extremely upset. We were up with police most of the night giving statements, the doors on the rooms were different and one automatically locked, so we’ve assumed the other did - it didn’t as it wasn’t a fire door. We spent most of the time in the bigger room (with the fire door) getting ready etc as a group so had gotten used to the door slamming locked.
Anyway, during the night and next morning the reception assured us both rooms would be free of charge. We had already paid for lunch, dinner and drinks as and when purchasing. We spent a considerable amount in the short amount of time we were there.
Then as the lead guest on the booking I contacted the hotel the following Monday to ask guest relations to call me - I just wanted to clarify - as directed by reception staff - whether there was a key card used to enter the room or if the door was faulty, I didn’t put any information within the email; just that I would like management to give me a call.
I got a rude email back, not asking about the welfare of the assaulted party or other traumatised guests but demanding payment for the rooms - the ones we had been told were free of charge.
I then get further threats of taking me to a debt collection agency and pay the bill in full for both rooms.
Now 7 months down the line I get an email from
TripAdvisor asking for a review, I post a review stating what happened and how the management l/guest relations have responded and treated us and the management have said it’s completely inaccurate and they’ve only asked for payment for food and drinks! I’m absolutely raging! I’ve tried to edit my review to include the screenshots of emails stating the exact amount in question is for the 2 rooms but it won’t let me edit my review, I’ve then tried to post another review to back up the initial review and it’s only bringing my camera roll up to post from earlier today, I’ve deleted and redownloaded the app etc to no avail - I can’t get them posted to back up my version of events

That's awful. We were on a hen in the travel lodge in Liverpool years ago and a group of men were able to use their key card to open our room in the early hours of the morning while we were asleep. Once they realised their mistake (I think they were in same room but different floor) they left but it shook us up. We complained to reception the next morning. It's scary how this can happen and I'm so sorry for your friend.

Are you for real? The person has asked a genuine question and the question was is your friend ok with you posting about her being sexually assaulted online, I don't know about other people but if I was sexually assaulted I don't think I would want it splashed over the internet she's been through enough trauma as it is!

I wouldn't want this incident written about on a public forum either. Imagine if this happened to you and you read about it on here.

I am not really sure what the hotel did wrong? Surely it is incumbent on the guest to make sure their room is locked - I don't think the different locks argument holds water as long as there was a functioning lock of some kind.i can see that the hotel management/lawyers would think that 'comping' the room may suggest am admission, there was some fault on their part, and open them up to a lawsuit.
I don't think you have a leg to stand on, especially if you have no hard evidence of the receptionist saying this.

I think you should remove the TA review. If your friend's case goes to court, the defence team will be looking for anything to discredit her to help their client. You complaining publicly about being charged for the rooms could play into a narrative that she's embellished her account to get freebies. I'm not saying that's what definitely would happen, but I wouldn't risk it and would take down the review and focus on your private complaint.

I think the manager’s response is horrible and can see why it rubs salt into the already horrible wounds for you and your friends. If it’s any consolation, I always try to read a few management responses to bad reviews as they say a lot about how problems are dealt with. I would be totally put off from going to the place after reading his responses to you and others.

I agree with previous posters who have suggested you report the manager’s response to TripAdvisor for breaking their rules… one of which is they are not allowed to suggest the review is fraudulent. Max is 250 characters so make sure you use words wisely to show the response breaks TA rules. You could write something along the lines of,

‘management response suggests I have written a fraudulent review and I am lying. In fact, I have evidence to prove I had already paid for all services we used up to the point of the sexual assault by an intruder while my friend slept.’

I hope the attacker is found guilty and hotel management held accountable for the lack of security and their appalling response to you all.

I’m so sorry for your friend’s horrific experience, I hope she is recovering.

I know nothing about posting and editing reviews but would urge everyone to travel with a simple, rubber door wedge. Push it firmly under the door so it cannot be pushed open but is easily pulled out of the way if you need to evacuate a room.

Hope the scum bag is convicted and his wife has started divorce proceedings.

Surely the police would advise if the hotel was negligent as regards the safety of guests. But even if a door was unlocked it's still shocking as a serious crime was committed. But the hotel itself can't be held responsible for this if the room had a lockable door. IMHO.

Take screenshots of everything again just before you go to post them on trip advisor, then they will appear in your most recent.

I’m sorry this happened to you all and especially your friend. It’s my worst nightmare as I travel alone a lot for work :(

I would also look into suing them if I were your friend…

That hotel has an active Twitter/X feed. It would be my preferred method for getting public attention and a response out of a business. Obviously the caveat is your friend’s privacy and what she’s happy with and whether there is a current court case.

OP says the man has been charged, so proceedings are now active. It means anything written publicly about the case could prejudice it and reporting restrictions apply.

If the OP has the resilience and head space to do so, she should focus on both. I highly doubt she is telling her traumatised friend to hush up while she concentrates on writing a trip adviser review, so there is no reason at all why she shouldn't be fighting to ensure this matter is shared with other women who may be thinking of booking this hotel. Far too many assaults are swept under the carpet, if the OP and her friends have the courage to bring this into the public domain I applaud them for it.

As soon as I seen Wirral I knew you it would be TH H&S
I am so sorry for the girl especially but all of you.

Had an issue once ourselves staying there but with a 4 week old baby and the door opened only our family and friends as at a wedding but people walked into our room and we couldn't stay the night I used the room to bf through the day and planned on staying but had to leave as there was no rooms available. Apparently nit one person in a wedding of over 200 people (not every person tried obviously but I'm just saying there was alot who did) mostly my family... not one of my husband, uncles, Aunts, dad, mum,cousins and none of the grooms side could lock a door it was just us 🤷🏼‍♀️ hotel were horrific with customer service. I don't actually know what you can do but I just had to let you know that I get in and how they are bullies and liars.

The hotel sound horrible. In their reply to your review they've shown no concern for your friend or their incorrect doors. The fact they haven't denied either shows you are telling the truth.

Thornton Hall is awful. We went to view it as a wedding venue and the person (male) who showed us around was so odd. He at one point made a thinly veiled threat to suffocate our toddler 😨 This was over 10 years ago but I still won't go - every member of staff there gave me bad vibes!

Oh god which hotel was this? I will avoid.

Wow.

Her friend has been sexually assaulted so I'm sure the last thing on her mind is trying to score some freebies.

Their curt response and attitude is disgusting so that's how their at fault.

If this had happened at my hotel I would not be charging them for a single thing and I certainly wouldn't respond to the TripAdvisor in such a disgusting manner.

No way really! Yep definitely will never ever ever go there.

I don't think trip advisor is the place for the argument. Your writing style is very odd.

@longdistanceclaraclara

Do posters like you literally lie in wait to put something rude/ridiculous as the first comment on a thread? I

Keep seeing this on MN.

Is it an underground competition ? You are very odd.

So sorry OP. This sounds awful. And the Hotel's reaction is appalling.

I agree.
I completely believe everything you say here but if there is any chance the mans defence could try and use the TA stuff it might be better to delete it all just in case.

OP please delete the review. As pps have said it could potentially be used by the defence. You really mustn't risk prejudicing the outcome of the case, which is now active as he has been charged.

So you know OP, I've flagged the managers response on TA as inappropriate and explained why. Worth a shot to make them see how unprofessional he is.

I really hope you and your friend OK 💐

Urgh, I hate a manager who responds to a review with 'no, but...'. It speaks volumes of Geoff and the hotel.

Don't mention the other bad experiences you have had with this hotel if you do get into a conversation with the big bosses. That makes you sound less credible. But tbh, I think your review is good as it stands.

If you are wanting to resolve something else (payment issues etc) with the hotel, then yes, take it up with the owner who will hopefully deal with Geoff. But with regards to your TA review, I think you have done fine.

You have done future guests a service by highlighting a serious safety issue.

I doubt anyone could read your review, see 'sexual assualt' and 'court' and then read the response and think, 'ah, poor misunderstood hotel'.

My first reaction is avoid avoid (and what an arse the manager is).

Edited to say the reply does not deny the assault. It says you are incorrect about payment for services. So there seems to be no prejudice against a case here. The payment is not on trial.