"We stayed at Holiday Inn Manchester Airport after a late night return from holiday. This was one of the worst customer service experiences my family has ever encountered.
We are a family of four, including two teenage children, and after arriving late at night following a long flight, we expected to be able to check into the accommodation that had been booked and paid for. Instead, we were subjected to a series of failures and an appalling level of customer service.
Upon arrival, we were initially told that we were not showing as having a booking, despite having a valid reservation. This immediately caused unnecessary stress and confusion after a tiring journey.
We were then allocated a room containing only one bed, which was clearly unsuitable for a family of four. After challenging this, we were moved to another room containing a double bed and a very small sofa bed. It was obvious from the room layout, facilities and sleeping arrangements that the room was intended for three occupants, not four.
To make matters worse:
• The room only had sufficient towels and amenities for three people.
• There were not enough proper sleeping spaces for four occupants.
• As a result, one member of our family was forced to sleep on the floor.
• Despite raising our concerns repeatedly, staff refused to provide an appropriate solution.
We suggested that the hotel provide an additional room so that our family could be accommodated safely and comfortably. This was dismissed without meaningful consideration.
The behaviour of the check-in staff was completely unacceptable. They were rude, dismissive, obnoxious, and entirely unhelpful throughout the situation, especially a curly haired man, At no point did they show any empathy or attempt to resolve the issue professionally.
Particularly concerning were the comments made by staff, including:
• We were told that we should simply go home and the hotel would refund the room.
• This suggestion was utterly ridiculous given that we live approximately five hours away.
• One member of staff bluntly stated, "This is how it is – take it or leave it."
Such comments demonstrate a complete lack of customer care and professionalism.
We arrived at the hotel after 11:00pm following a long flight, exhausted and expecting to be able to rest. Instead, we were left arguing for a basic level of accommodation that matched our booking.
We also strongly suspect that our original family room had been allocated elsewhere due to disruption caused by flight cancellations that evening. While I appreciate that hotels can face operational pressures, this does not excuse failing to honour a confirmed booking and then expecting guests to accept inadequate accommodation.
The fact that one of our party was forced to sleep on the floor raises serious concerns regarding guest welfare and the suitability of the accommodation provided. Furthermore, expecting two teenage siblings to share a bed is entirely inappropriate and unreasonable for most families. The hotel should have recognised that the sleeping arrangements offered were not suitable for the occupants concerned.
On top of this, when I complained once home, the hotel staff lied to the senior case manager handling my complaint!! Unbelievable considering there were 4 of us who can back up that they are lying.
They said “ we helped you move rooms” they didn’t! They said “I didn’t inform them of my kids ages” I did( and I have proof on booking form) they said “we upgraded you to a premium room” I looked on their website and all the premium features were missing with not enough towels, cups, refreshments, pillows and so on!
This is a shame as it’s ideally located but the staff on the night shift really let the brand down.
I’m still waiting for a call from the hotel manager but I’m not holding out hope.. if all you said was true then there should be no issue calling and discussing this with me ??"
