Ashley Victoria Hotel

We'd booked one night through booking.com, then contacted Caroline directly to add another. I thought booking both nights with the hotel would save them the large booking.com commission, but that came back to bite me. I sent the payment by bank transfer as instructed, including the £20 parking fee in advance, even though booking.com said parking was payable in cash at reception. The day before, I checked check in times with Caroline because we were driving after work. She said she could arrange self check in if we arrived after 8. On arrival day, after I chased for the details, she sent the communal lockbox information and said the manager would leave keys at reception. We were lucky to arrive before 8pm, because the keys hadn't been left. Hassan, the owner and manager at reception, told me to call Caroline and have her transfer £2000, or we couldn't enter. I showed him we'd paid for the stay and parking already, but he kept telling me to call her. She didn't answer, so he demanded I text her, “Hassan said you need to transfer £2000 or we can’t access our room.” I was shocked and told him whatever business problems they had, I was a paying guest and this wasn't acceptable. We'd driven three hours with two kids, and I was extremely anxious. Hassan FaceTimed another woman, Sue, who said she couldn't reach Caroline either and that it was up to him whether he let us in. He still gave no answer. I asked who “H C Properties North,” the account I'd paid, belonged to, and he said it was the hotel. After I threatened to contact my bank about possible fraud or a scam, he let us stay and showed us to our room. I really didn't want to, but it was late and the kids wanted to settle in. When we asked where the parking we'd paid for was, he pointed to a narrow alley with one car at the end of a dead end. He said we'd have to leave our keys at reception so he could move our car when the other one needed to get out. My partner refused to hand over the keys after all the trouble getting inside, especially for someone to move our car through such a tight gap. I asked for the parking fee back because it had been mis-sold and we'd find somewhere safe ourselves. Then he said there was actually a space in the car park. It was only about three or four spaces, so if you've booked parking in advance, know it may not be in the car park. The room was spacious but unclean. My son's duvet had juice and makeup on it. I took a photo to Hassan at reception, and he first suggested it might be a stain that had been washed. I do laundry for Airbnbs, and it was fresh, not a washed stain. He showed me the laundry cupboard, where they had no double duvet covers. Maybe that's why it had been turned over and made up, in the hope we wouldn't notice there weren't any clean ones. I said a king cover would do, and he handed one over, so I had to strip and change the bed myself. The bathroom bin was stuck together with so much cack on it, mirrors had makeup and smears, the skirting boards had drinks and dirt on them, and my son's duvet had moth holes. The radiators worked well and kept the room warm, and Pleasure Beach was about a 15 minute walk away. We were only there a short time and made do, but I'd never return.

We'd booked three double rooms for one night for a 60th birthday, and the full amount was taken from our account several days before arrival. After a three hour drive, we found the door locked. Someone speaking through a Ring doorbell told us the hotel was closed and taking no bookings. I explained we'd booked several weeks earlier, but was just told to contact booking.com because the booking should have been cancelled. We were left with no place to stay, out of pocket, and no help. The owner should have called to explain. The service was absolutely shocking. I'd stay away from booking here.

We'd travelled a long way to Blackpool for a stop on our minimoon after recently getting married, dragging our cases along the Blackpool front. When we arrived around 3pm to check in, we were told the hotel was closed to all guests because of disagreements between the partners. We were immediately turned away at the door. The receptionist apologised and gave us Hassan and Caroline's numbers so we could sort it out. We had to contact hotels.com ourselves to cancel and get a refund because we were told they couldn't do it from their end. Then the receptionist locked up and left us outside in the freezing cold for about 40 minutes while we tried to find somewhere else to stay. Nobody had called before check in to say it wouldn't be opening. I've never had anything like this happen. The receptionist was apologetic but the owners left her to face the guests, and neither owner contacted us to apologise. I'm appalled and wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone. Luckily it was only a stop on our minimoon, not a family holiday with elderly people or kids.

I booked the room for one night, and it was clean with the basic things we needed. The ladies were friendly and welcoming, and I'd come back if they'll have us 😊. At 1am, my partner had gone walkabout and I had no key, but they helped me get back into the room. They also checked on me the next morning when I went to check out. I was in a predicament, and they put me at ease from start to finish. Thank you, Jelly (booked under Craig).