After a 250-mile trip, Stuart Sommerville, 62, said he ‘couldn’t believe’ what he was hearing when he was told his pre-booked room at the Travelodge in Llandudno, Wales was no longer available
A man has told how he drove 250 miles to stay at a Travelodge after booking well in advance – only to be told he wouldn’t be given a room for the night.
Stuart Sommerville, a 62-year-old from Scotland, was left scrambling for somewhere to stay after the long journey down to Llandudno in Wales ended with him being “dumped on the street” by the hotel chain.
The journalist had travelled to the seaside resort to attend the town’s 80th anniversary VJ Day parade on August 16 – a significant event for him, as relatives from Llandudno had served in the conflict.
Mr Sommerville had previously visited the town in May for VE Day 80, during which he found a 1945 photo of his mother celebrating the end of the war in Europe on the promenade. However, his return trip turned into a nightmare when he was refused a room at Llandudno’s Travelodge, and left stranded outside the hotel.
After searching for alternative accommodation late into the night, he eventually admitted defeat and embarked on the long drive back to Scotland.
Now, Stuart is seeking £80 compensation for the wasted fuel after the gruelling 12-hour round-trip that left him with a “bitter taste in my mouth”.
He told North Wales Live: “I was hacked off. I couldn’t believe Travelodge had just dumped me on the street.”
Travelodge has since apologised to Mr Sommerville for the inconvenience and offered him a full refund and alternative accommodation.
He said he had stayed at the same hotel without any issues for his VE trip in May, and had planned to arrive by 6pm on the Friday as he had done before.
After running into delays on the M6, he found himself running 45 minutes behind schedule when he reached Colwyn Bay at approximately 6.15pm.
His mobile began ringing during the journey, but he ignored the calls whilst driving. He eventually pulled up at the hotel around 7pm. “It was only when I’d parked up in Gloddaeth Street that I saw two missed calls from Travelodge”, he explained.
Upon arrival, he was told that his room was no longer available – and after demanding to speak with the manager, he was told the accommodation had been double-booked.
Stuart revealed: “The manager told me the issue was caused by an independent booking system over which she had no control. I struggle to believe this is true. I suspect they thought I wasn’t coming and just flogged the room to a walk-in.”
Following company policy, he was offered alternative accommodation at Colwyn Bay Travelodge, but turned down the offer as it would have been too difficult for him to find parking in Llandudno on VJ Day.
“Parking in the centre of Llandudno is difficult enough,” he explained.
“On VJ Day it was going to be even more difficult – it’s why I travelled down the previous day to make sure I had a place to park. Having to drive in from Colwyn Bay, and find a parking space, would have been far from ideal.”
He was then presented with a voucher, but rejected it as he had no intention of staying at a Travelodge again.
Eventually, he accepted a refund, hoping he might secure alternative lodgings for the night.
Back in Biggar, his wife Caroline tried to help by booking a room at the Premier Inn but unfortunately, the room was taken by someone else before she could secure it.
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Stuart admitted. “Llandudno has a lot of accommodation but in mid-August the place is buzzing. I drove along the seafront looking for vacancies but every sign indicated the hotels were full. By this time it was getting late and I decided to cut my losses.”
Caroline took to social media to express her “absolute disgust” at her husband’s situation, which prompted several Llandudno hotel owners to offer their assistance. But by the time any offers came up he had set off back to Scotland, and he arrived back home at 2am, having been forced to take a detour through Wigan due to an M6 closure.
Despite spending the early years of his life in Llandudno and holding fond memories of the resort, the incident has left a sour taste. He said: “It was one of the most bizarre days I’ve ever experienced. I just wanted to pay my respects at Llandudno’s VJ commemorations but I never got to see them.
“In 12 hours I travelled 512 miles for nothing. It may be a while before I go back there and, when I do, I certainly won’t be staying at the Travelodge.”
Travelodge hotels operate 24-hour reception desks to cater for late arrivals, while its booking conditions state that guests might occasionally be relocated to alternative accommodation.
The firm described the double-booking as a “rare occurrence” typically caused by unforeseen circumstances, such as rooms being withdrawn from service as a result of unexpected maintenance work.
A Travelodge spokesperson said: “We have apologised to Mr Sommerville for the inconvenience caused by the unexpected relocation of his booking and offered him a full refund, which he accepted.
“These situations are very rare, but when they do occur, we aim to contact the customer in advance and minimise any disruption by quickly arranging alternative accommodation at a nearby hotel.”
The company confirmed it remains in contact with Mr Somerville regarding his request for fuel compensation.