Holidaymaker, Bethany Hunt has slammed a hotel in Blackpool after making the 13-hour coach ride there with her children only to find it had been ‘abandoned’ despite her payment
A woman has urged others not to make the same mistake she did after purchasing a stay in a popular tourist town – only to arrive and find the hotel she booked is “no longer open”. Bethany Hunt vented her frustration on TikTok where she disclosed how her holiday to Blackpool seemingly fell through.
“Swear I’m cursed,” she fumed in a video, before going on to allege: “Do not book the Arncliffe Hotel in Blackpool, it has been abandoned but they will still take your money and tell you to come. It’s on Booking.com still and this has apparently been going on for weeks.” Bethany added that she had previously read reviews from others who revealed they’d arrived at the hotel but couldn’t access the building or make contact with staff.
WARNING – explicit language in TikTok video linked, viewer discretion advised
Fearing her trip was about to go the same way, she continued: “I emailed them and told them I’m having a really terrible week where everything is going wrong, and that I had to go on a 13-hour coach ride to get to Blackpool and that I needed assurances everything was okay with my booking.”
Unlike those who left reviews, however, Bethany confirmed she received a kind response confirming the hotel was still anticipating her visit.
“Then roll on check-in time and us – along with lots of other families with young children – were stood in the p*****g hard rain and the hotel is completely abandoned,” she claimed.
Bethany went on to allege that some locals passing by told her “they [hotel owners] had done a runner with everyone’s money” despite her email to the contrary.
“Apparently this has been going on for at least three weeks,” she slammed. “And Booking.com are still letting everyone book it. We’ve had to traipse through Blackpool – it has taken me an hour, but I have found another hotel and I have had to Klarna [payment plan] while I get my money back.”
Bethany closed: “We stayed at the Arncliffe for a few years on the trot and it was always brilliant, but it got taken over by new management and they have f****d off, they won’t answer the phone… the hotel looks abandoned and yes they will still take your money and you will be stranded in Blackpool with your children.”
The Arncliffe Hotel, also known as The Arncliffe Lodge, is ranked 404th of 432 hotels in Blackpool on TripAdvisor. It has a rating of 2.9 out 5 following 278 reviews.
The most recent review reads: “Disastrous. Please please do not book this hotel it is shut down. We booked through OWO Rooms and offered no alternative or refund on the day.”
The following review states: “Waste of space. Do not book this place. There is no-one there. Looks shut down but are still taking bookings. Request for refund denied… avoid.”
Whilst the third most recent slams: “Shambolic. Arrived today with 2 adults and 2 young children. On arrival to the hotel there was no answer at the door. The hotel was in complete darkness. We called the number multiple occasions to find out what was going on and to no surprise. No answer. There was a door open downstairs in the left hand side.
“However due to the derelict hotel to the right we were apprehensive about going down. Shouted. No one answered. Ended up booking into a different hotel up the street as an emergency due to having two children with us. No warning from the hotel it has been cancelled. Avoid at all costs.”
Meanwhile, the most recent review from a holidaymaker who did manage to stay was equally as unimpressed. “This has to be the dirtiest place I have ever stayed at, even the basic cleaning, doesn’t exist in this place, the shower was dirty, full of grime and mould, wooden toilet seat, curtains, that had stains on, dread to think what they were, windows unsafe, plug sockets unsafe, this is a risk to people staying there, none of the photos on there site, are correct,” they ranted.
A spokesperson from Booking.com said: “We are sorry to hear about the customer experience brought to our attention. While fake listings are exceptionally rare on our platform, given the millions of bookings we facilitate, our intention is to always investigate suspicious listings swiftly and can confirm that this property has now been suspended on our platform while an investigation is carried out. We can also confirm the customer has been fully refunded.”
Arncliffe Hotel were approached for comment.
