Novotel - www.novotel.com

It happened that a booking was incorrectly made to this Novotel Bristol hotel for 3 night for a total of £320 for a single room. I was not even supposed to go to Bristol. I called the hotel the morning after asking to cancel the booking because it was a mistake and I was not even supposed to go there at any time. The hotel cancelled the booking and instead they immediately charged my card with the full amount of £320 pounds. The money left my account the day after I called even if the booking was going to start 5/6 days later. I have never seen an hotel taking money from a customer account before the check out, the money are reserved but never taken before the check out. I told them that I didn't need to go to Bristol and somebody used my card. They didn't care and they refused to refund the money. They offer the possibility to change the booking within 6 month but I will not be returned the money back if the daily rate is cheaper of the existing booking and that I will have to pay more if the daily rate was higher. Oh! what kindness they offered, they are so magnanimous that it broke my heart. I told them that I have no intention to be in that hotel but they kept refusing on the basis that the policy is for booking which cannot be cancelled. Right, so because of a policy made up by yourself then you feel entitled to keep all the money without doing anything at all! They have millions of money, massive building all over the World and cannot refund a misery of £320 pounds? They acted as if they've never seen money in their life. There are people in this world which work very hard and honestly for £320 and the people in this hotel are only taking from their customers. What was the problem in refunding £320 pounds for a booking which was wrong and I am not going there at all? They had no loss, no damage, nothing changed in their hotel and still they wanted all the money.

Upon arriving I wore a smile but I was still being ignored for a while; the conversation between staff continued as the Que behind me grew. As for the eating experience not too good I'm afraid I wanted a quick meal with a glass of red wine, the meal was poorly cooked and the wine never turned up. I complained and collected my glass of wine, it was free! Silver lining and all that?

We attended a function of over 200 people at the Novotel Southampton 2 weeks ago.

Lovely hotel; spotlesly clean; well appointed room

The formal dinner for over 200 people was TERRIBLE.

Soggy roast potatoes, yorkshire puding and vegetables; almost as though they had come fom a microwave.

Horseradish sauce ran out.

No MAitre D in evidence to circulate and enquire whether everything was alright. Waiter/Waitreses just disappeared.Dearth of cruets and butter on the tables.

VERY disappointing for a dinner which had cost £30.00 per head.

Not enough Staff available for checking lout. Huge queue

I checked out on time, tried to use the leisure facilities and they were 'closed for maintenance'. Supervisor told me 'not his problem' after making me wait an hour! Ridiculous, will not recommend.

The Novotel was the worst hotel stay I have ever had and I was an air hostess for three years!

Staff were appalling, I had to complain to the Guest Services Manager who point blank refused to deal with my complaint and did not even apologise. The staff are lacking even very basic customer service skills.

The room was shabby and in dire need of updating. I had to move the bed to find about a months worth of dirt and a used condom under it! The bathroom is not the kind you would be happy to walk around bare foot.

The walls are paper thin, I could even hear the phone ring in the next room. Kids were constantly running up and down the hallway. I called reception asking someone to have a word with them, nothing was done.

The maid came into our room three times from 0730 to 0930, despite us having a do not disturb sign up and check out not being until 1100.

I found the bar staff particularly lacking in manners.

I would honestly rather stay in a youth hostel! This hotel is foul and by no means deserves it's four stars. I would rate it a 2* overall, rooms are a very poor 3* and customer services does not even deserve 1*.

The Novotel is well located for the centre of London. Only a short distance to Harrods, Westminster and the London Eye.