Cornwall hotel owner left 'sick and tired' as no-shows post bad TripAdvisor review after charge

05-07-20 St Enodoc Hotel-St Enodoc Hotel
The restaurant says it sends three different reminders with its policy on cancellations or no shows to customers when they book. Credit: St Enodoc Hotel

A hotel restaurant owner says she has been left 'sick and tired' after customers who failed to show up posted bad reviews online after being charged a cancellation fee.

Director at The St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, Lucy Strachan, told ITV News she has had several customers leave one-star reviews on TripAdvisor after being charged for cancelling.

This is despite them agreeing to the hotel's terms and conditions, which state a cancellation fee would be charged if bookings were cancelled at short notice without good reason.

Lucy said: "When people sign up to the terms and conditions, we expect them to stick to them. We send them a few reminders reiterating our policy, and they still cancel online without telling us why at very short notice.

Lucy says some customers threaten her with bad reviews after being charged a cancellation fee. But she added she wouldn't be bullied. Credit: St Enodoc Hotel

"I'm a very understanding person, and of course things happen, but for them not to follow the procedure and then complain on TripAdvisor is super frustrating.

"We're an independent family-run business with no passing trade, and we've lost hundreds of thousands of pounds over the pandemic, and this doesn't help."

Although the hotel charges a £25 cancellation fee, Lucy says it is still making a loss as it cost the business on average around £53 per person for their food and drink.

"I'm turning away around 20 people a day because of how full Cornwall is," Lucy added.

"I'm so sick and tired of turning away people all day long that I don't need people who are not going to turn up. If you can't come, don't book."

Guy Owen, who is a chef at the hotel, echoed Lucy's sentiments. He said: "The team are working tirelessly at the moment to look after each and every guest who comes in.

"To read a review, giving us one star, when they hadn't even stepped foot inside the building to actually consume our product and experience our offering, just rubs it in a little."