Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

B&B want me to pay £150 fine!

453 replies

froggy1811 · 30/11/2021 20:32

So, this might be a longish read, but please bear with me! Recently my husband and I went to stay at a pub B&B. It is not often that we would ever be in a financial position to do this; however, we love the area and decided to treat ourselves. Anyway, when we arrived we didn't exactly receive the warm welcome that we were hoping for! I thought that perhaps I was imagining things; however, I received a message this morning from Booking.Com demanding that I pay £150 to the B&B for not following their policies. They have stated that this is because my husband smoked a cigarette in the room (please don't all shout at me at once! 😱) BUT, in his defence, he did this hanging out of the window at 2am and disposed of the dimp discreetly - so the only way I can imagine that they knew, is if someone from across the road of where we were staying, saw him and told the landlord!

To be honest, the attitude of the owners was absolutely dreadful from the moment we arrived! And I got the distinct impression that they didn't like us straight away! I shall list some of my points below:

1: Upon arrival we were told that if we wanted a table for dinner, we should have pre-booked. Our fault entirely, but it was the irritable way it was said to us.

2: My husband ordered several half pint ales at the same time, so that he could try them and decide which one he wished to drink for the night. Unfortunately, the idiot forgot which one was which, but as his drinks was still relatively full he asked the landlord which he thought was which based on the liquids colour. The landlords response was extremely cold and scratchy! He made it plain my husband was a fool in his eyes, and then he just stomped off without trying to assist him.

3: Over the course of the night, I had ordered 2 bottles of Prosecco (although, the second bottle didn't actually get drunk, as I couldn't manage any more!) So, it was taken up to our room.

4: We had booked a King room, but this was actually a really cramped, small double , and my husband's legs hung over the end of the bed. Shower and sink only a few inches apart so if you opened the door it hit the sink, and there was zero room to dress in there! The toilet seat was also wonky.

5: Room wasn't the cleanest, and no option to pay extra for a later check out.

6: When my husband went down for the breakfast, the landlord made reference to the amount of Prosecco I had drank the night before! This is despite the fact that we sat quietly at a table all night and was not in any way 'loud' or rowdy! So why mention this?!

7: WiFi didn't work all night long.

I know my husband shouldn't have smoked out of the window, but I have a suspicion that they just didn't like us from the moment we arrived. I had expressed this concern to my husband, who just brushed it off. We were quiet guests who made sure the room was spotlessly immaculate before we left, so I just genuinely feel like they were looking for issues!

Would you pay this? Do you think AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 01:48

@MrsTerryPratchett

but I definitely think £150 is excessive!

So he shouldn't have had the cigarette. You knew what the charge was before he did it. You can't argue it's excessive after!

If he couldn't afford to pay for the cigarette smoking, he couldn't have the cigarette.

Well firstly, I did not foresee in advance that my husband was going to have a sneaky cigarette, and secondly I had no idea what the charge would be for committing this crime! There was no small print stating this whatsoever!
OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 01:52

@buddythemum I think myself and my husband should have confronted them about their rude behaviour when we were there! Unfortunately, it took us by surprise and I am just too polite to say anything most of the time! I don't even like leaving bad reviews, but I definitely will in this case!

Thank you for being one of the few mumsnetters that hasn't attacked me, or judged my entire moral compass lol ❤️

OP posts:
TheClockTicker · 01/12/2021 01:56

@HighlandCowbag

Meh, the smell of 1 fag, smoked out of the window will clear with an open window for a few hours and a clean set of bedding.

Deny it OP, say he does smoke so probably they can smell his smokey clothes/hair.

And then leave a review saying what you said on here.

I agree (as a non-smoker who hates the smell!) I HATE unfriendly places. I always look for ones that are marked as friendly and welcoming (on TripAdvisor etc) and would rather pick somewhere a bit scruffy than somewhere plush but where the staff were Snotty. Nothing wrong with trying some ales and a friendly landlord who valued their customers would and should have just laughed and tried to help. And what's wrong with taking some wine up to your room?

Tell me where this place is please. I'm sorry your trip was ruined. :(

justustwoandmoo · 01/12/2021 01:57

😂😂 honestly the responses on this thread! You'd think the OP had murdered the local B&B owner...

Ok so they messed up. We all do it at some point.

OP he shouldn't have had the fag. Go back and ask for proof. Worth a shot at getting out of it. Failing that try to come to some agreement with them.

Never in all my life seen so many people get worked up over a sneaky cigarette and a few bottles of Prosecco ffs....

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 02:01

@justustwoandmoo

😂😂 honestly the responses on this thread! You'd think the OP had murdered the local B&B owner...

Ok so they messed up. We all do it at some point.

OP he shouldn't have had the fag. Go back and ask for proof. Worth a shot at getting out of it. Failing that try to come to some agreement with them.

Never in all my life seen so many people get worked up over a sneaky cigarette and a few bottles of Prosecco ffs....

Thank you!

Most of these replies have been judgemental, nasty and downright unnecessary! Who knew Mumsnet had so many bullies? 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 02:04

@TheClockTicker Thank you!

My Uncle owns a pub and he allows customers to sample the ales! I also doubt he would be shocked at someone ordering 2 bottles of Prosecco over the course of an evening - however, I am totally going to ask him now and see whether or not he suggests the Priory! 🤣

OP posts:
buddythemum · 01/12/2021 02:08

@froggy1811 you can't confront people like that they aren't then reasonable to discuss/sort an issue. I think you are like me and nowhere has to be perfect, a meal could have several problems but a lovely waitress who does the best she/he can makes all the difference. A good barmaid should make you feel fantastic so you order more drinks, not shame you for drinking. Your an adult, and paying for a room and service so you don't need to put up with people talking to you or your partner like a child

shakethat · 01/12/2021 02:13

Who knew Mumsnet had so many bullies?
Mumsnet is full of bullies.

Who cares how much the OP drank fgs. These are the same people who probably have a bottle of wine most nights.

I hate the smell of smoke so he shouldn't of done it. They have no proof so don't pay.

MrsTerryPratchett · 01/12/2021 02:13

OP he shouldn't have had the fag. Go back and ask for proof. Worth a shot at getting out of it. Failing that try to come to some agreement with them.

I hate this attitude, getting away with things even though you know you fucked up. Perfectly fine to ask for an itemisation of their costs and haggle. Shitty to say, "prove it".

MintJulia · 01/12/2021 02:15

Perhaps another way to look at it....

The pub owner has to deal with other guests attitude to smelly smoky rooms - see MN reactions on above 11 pages - which is why he knows the room will have to be deep cleaned.

On the lack of late checkout - they are a pub with rooms, not Trusthouse Forte. They probably have one cleaner who does 10-12. Offering late check out would mean that room wouldn't get cleaned.

No excuse for their rudeness but I'm on the fence on the rest.

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 02:17

This is so true @buddythemum

Also, I was just thinking about all those on this thread who have accused DH and I of being pissed/legless! If this had been the case, surely the landlord would have refused to serve us any more drinks?! I know that people working in pubs are able to refuse service in cases where the customer is intoxicated; so you would think that the landlord, knowing that we were his B&B guests would have stopped serving us alcohol if we'd have been as drunk as some of these replies are suggesting! But no! He happily continued to take our money - which is further proof that we were perfectly well behaved!

OP posts:
TheClockTicker · 01/12/2021 02:23

[quote froggy1811]@TheClockTicker Thank you!

My Uncle owns a pub and he allows customers to sample the ales! I also doubt he would be shocked at someone ordering 2 bottles of Prosecco over the course of an evening - however, I am totally going to ask him now and see whether or not he suggests the Priory! 🤣[/quote]
I'd have probably done the same. A bottle of prosecco is 4 small glasses? Ish?

If I fancied a fifth and didn't have one, I'd have been annoyed. You're on holiday (a much deserved one by the sounds of it!) Why not order another bottle even if you may not want one and put money in their pocket rather than risk fancying another glass and not having it?
5 glasses of prosecco wouldn't leave me legless, far from it, over a long evening.

I really want to know where this place is.

buddythemum · 01/12/2021 02:29

@froggy1811 so what if you were pissed, your on holiday, having a good time away from home with partner, you should be pissed if you want to be. Doesn't mean you should be spoken to with less respect having had a few drinks or not!

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 02:29

@TheClockTicker Exactly! And that's exactly why we ordered the second bottle, even though I didn't end up drinking it!

I'm a bit concerned about posting the exact place because people are mentioning journalist's on here? I will tell you though, that it is in the Peak District!

OP posts:
Marianne1234 · 01/12/2021 02:29

…slightly embarrassed that I am not seeing the issue with the booze here at all…Blush

nevergoesaway · 01/12/2021 02:38

@Carpetsareforflying

Wow. fine? Id have sent you packing. Talk about nightmare guests
What did they do that was so awful it justified throwing them out?
kitkatsky · 01/12/2021 02:43

Tbh OP, the great majority of your post is irrelevant. Whether you drank too much, weren't welcome etc is nothing to do with the fine. The fine is because the room smelt smoky and therefore couldn't be let for at least one night, maybe two, and needed lots of extra cleaning. When I managed a B&B we'd often need to close the room for 2 days after a smoking incident. The rest of your post is white noise to minimise this bit to be honest

salsmum · 01/12/2021 02:43

Smoker here, I have stayed in hotel rooms and would never dream of smoking in one. Most places now have smoking areas outside so DH could have had one before bed... suppose his fag had set the smoke alarms off and EVERYONE has to be dragged out of their rooms/bed to stand outside and be accounted for as smoke alarms signal a fire? I think you'd have been less popular all round.

TheClockTicker · 01/12/2021 02:46

[quote froggy1811]@TheClockTicker Exactly! And that's exactly why we ordered the second bottle, even though I didn't end up drinking it!

I'm a bit concerned about posting the exact place because people are mentioning journalist's on here? I will tell you though, that it is in the Peak District![/quote]
Thank you-I am SO careful with selecting B&Bs and Inns because I've experienced hostility from hosts a few times, It's embarrassing and unnecessary.

It may seem excessive but I research for weeks even for a minibreak. I don't believe the customer is always right, or that hosts should put up with awful behaviour but I think It's awful to treat people like they're an inconvenience, and if you cant be accommodating and welcoming you're in the wrong industry.

PM me which one if you're comfortable with it please-Peak District is on our list of 'must visits'. (I'm most definitely not a journo)!

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 02:54

@kitkatsky

Tbh OP, the great majority of your post is irrelevant. Whether you drank too much, weren't welcome etc is nothing to do with the fine. The fine is because the room smelt smoky and therefore couldn't be let for at least one night, maybe two, and needed lots of extra cleaning. When I managed a B&B we'd often need to close the room for 2 days after a smoking incident. The rest of your post is white noise to minimise this bit to be honest
It wasn't me who made a big deal of the quantities that my DH and I drank! If you read the thread you will see It was other Mumsnetters who kept refering to it!
OP posts:
buddythemum · 01/12/2021 02:55

@kitkatsky last month I booked a dog friendly caravan that I took my family and dog too. It smelt completely fresh when I got there I don't understand how it was so good. The week I stayed it rained, my dog went out brought the wet dog smell in, Laid on carpet, sofa, jumped on bed. It's not an easy smell to get rid of. Then I went to another caravan with a 2 year old who weed on the mattress several times through potty training. As much as I don't like smoking, hanging out the window with a fag is nothing compared to the damage that could be done elsewhere

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 02:56

@Marianne1234

…slightly embarrassed that I am not seeing the issue with the booze here at all…Blush
Apparently you're not supposed to buy more than one bottle of Prosecco in a pub during the same night. This makes you a truly awful person! 😂
OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 03:20

@Pascal80

You sound absolutely AWFUL. Of-course you should pay the fine.
You sound pretty AWFUL yourself! Not to mention JUDGEMENTAL.
OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 03:25

@Carpetsareforflying

Wow. fine? Id have sent you packing. Talk about nightmare guests
We stayed for one night and the landlord had no way of predicting that DH would have a sneaky cigarette. So which issue in particular would have compelled you to "send us packing", and at which point?

If you're going to say because we ordered two bottles of Prosecco and several half pints, then like a lot of the other judgemental Mumsnetters, you need to get a grip! People order alcohol and drink in pubs!

OP posts:
KosherDill · 01/12/2021 04:00

@HighlandCowbag

Meh, the smell of 1 fag, smoked out of the window will clear with an open window for a few hours and a clean set of bedding.

Deny it OP, say he does smoke so probably they can smell his smokey clothes/hair.

And then leave a review saying what you said on here.

Yeah, I can't see one smoke creating much of an issue.