OK below is the letter i wrote to the HIghland and Islands Tourist Board to complein about that hotel we were going to stay in in Aviemore...if you're going to Aviemore,ever..do yourself a favour,don't stay here.....

Dear Sir/Madam,

unfortunately I am writing to complain about the recent accommodation and service received at the Freedom Inn Hotel in Aviemore. A friend and I visited Aviemore from the 8th to the 10th of April this year for a short break.We booked accommodation in the local youth hostel for the first night of our stay but decided to book hotel accommodation for the second night. We found the Freedom Inn on the website LateRooms.com where we were led to believe that we would receive high standard accommodation (as reflected by the normal rate of �92 per night, quoted both on this website and the hotel website itself) at a bargain price.My friend called the Peel Hotel reservation line as was suggested and booked our room at the quoted price of �39 for the night, receiving a booking reference number as she did so. This price was for the room, not per-person.

Arriving in Aviemore on Monday we had a pleasant stay in the youth hostel but were looking forward to an even more relaxing and comfortable stay in the hotel. At around 10.30 a.m on the 9th we visited the hotel to ask when check in time was and to leave some luggage while we went cycling for the day. To our surprise the receptionist had no record of our booking. We informed her that we had booked through laterooms.com and the hotel reservation line,showing her our reference number,which she took no notice of. After some further discussion,during which the rate which we 'thought' ( in her words) we would be paying was discussed we left some luggage and were told that a room would be made ready for our return later that evening.

After a long day cycling we were looking forward to returning to the hotel for a relaxing evening before preparing to go out for dinner.Unfortunately this wasn't to be the case.On checking in at around 6 o'clock we firstly found that we had been allocated the wrong type of room and so requested at reception that we could move to another room. We received no apology for this mistake and were simply handed another key and told to move out belongings.

Finally expecting to be able to settle in for the night we were horrified when we arrived in the new room (room 236). On first sight it appeared to have been left undecorated for many years, with what can only be described as carpeting covering some of the furnishings ,which is surely un-hygienic in itself? The unwelcoming orange and off-white duvet cover on the bed looked as if it had been in use for many many years and was covered in brown and dark red stains. On pulling back the duvet we found further stains, which appeared to have been created by red lipstick, and a large rip on the underside of the cover. Not having been impressed with what we had seen so far, we were even more disgusted to find at least 2 large stains on the carpet beside the bed and what can only be described as a sticky brown mess on the wall in the corner of the room,something which had obviously been left uncleaned for so long that there were even hairs sticking to it! There was also what appeared to be a walk in cupboard beside the entrance to the room,but on opening this door we found what looked like more duvet covers strewn across the shelves and the floor-a spare linen cupboard perhaps? This would certainly explain the state of our duvet cover. Furthermore the mirror which was supplied appeared to be damaged,as was the tap in the bathroom, and there were further stains on the chairs and bathroom furnishings .

Naturally we went back to reception ,where my friend asked the male receptionist there (who later told us that his name was ****** *****- even having the arrogance to spell his first name out to us!) if he would care to come and have a look at our room as we didn't find it acceptable.He did not ask what the problem was but instead nonchalantly followed us back to the room where the faults were pointed out to him. Of the stains on the carpet and wall he said that these were ' wear and tear and to be expected' (acceptable perhaps in the case of the carpet but surely not of the wall?!) My friend who works for the Glasgow Marriot pointed out that this would be unacceptable in that establishment and surely was here too-to which she received the answer that we 'wouldn't be able to get a room for �39 at the Marriot'! We replied that surely if the hotel is advertising a so-called bargain price we should not expect to receive a lesser standard of room or of service and that they should not advertise a reduced rate if they are not willing to uphold it at normal standards. We also commented at some point that the room was in no way worth the quoted full price of �92 to which we received the rather confusing answer that �92 was not the rate for a room for 2.I have since checked both the Peel Hotels site and the laterooms.com site and this remains the quoted price.

The receptionist finally decided that he would change the duvet cover but told us that he could neither change the room or even show us another one so that we could see the standard of the other rooms.

We were, by this point, appalled at the way we had been treated and that no apology had been made whatsoever-also that we were still expected to stay in this room which was still entirely unacceptable.On his return we informed him that we would not be needing the room and would find alternative accommodation somewhere else. Yet again no apology was made for the inconvenience that had been caused and he simply followed us back downstairs.

As we were about to exit the hotel Mr. Black made a comment from behind the reception desk before retreating through a door, leaving his colleague to deal with any further comments from ourselves that may ensue. On asking to speak to him once more and enquiring about the subject of his comment he simply repeated it in an insulting tone saying 'There's a youth hostel up the road,you might want to try there'. I found this extremely insulting and informed him that we would much rather stay at the hostel where we would receive a higher standard of both cleanliness and of service and also that we were quite capable of (and would rather) pay 3 times the amount that they were charging,as he seemed to be insinuating that we could not afford to,or were not worthy, of staying in the Freedom Inn. Each time we attempted to walk away from the argument he made yet another insulting comment.

The manner of this receptionist can only be described as condescending, insulting and thoroughly disgusting. On asking if he spoke to all customers this way he replied 'only some' and when I enquired which customers these would be he said : 'only the rude ones'. As far as I can see our behaviour was far from rude as we were only expecting an average standard of accommodation, basic cleanliness and customer service. A simple apology at any point may have been sufficient but Mr. Black seemed determined to argue. On asking to speak to his manager we were told that he was not available,neither was there any duty supervisor. Both myself and my friend found it extremely difficult to believe that he was completely in charge of the hotel and when asking if this was the case he replied 'I suppose so'.

Having been brought up in the hospitality trade ( my parents formerly proprietors of a hotel in Glasgow and now owners of a restaurant, both of which I have worked in) and my friend now working in the same trade, we are both entirely aware of the meaning of the term 'customer service' and were disgusted by the treatment we received in this establishment. Hospitality appeared to be a concept which was entirely lacking in staff training, if indeed any had been provided at all! We also had the distinct feeling that because we were 2 young girls (both aged 19) travelling alone, we were expected to accept the low standards which were being offered and that our challenging of these resulted in the consequent discourse.

This all left us extremely angry, upset and disillusioned not to mention without accommodation at this late hour. Not only did we now have to search the town for new accommodation but our dinner and subsequent plans for the evening were ruined.Due to leaving the next day this was one of the last thoughts of the area which we took with us and certainly left us with no taste for returning to the Aviemore/Caringorm region in the future.

I am therefore writing to ask if this situation, particularly the standard of the room in question and the behaviour of Mr. ****** *****, can be taken up in the form of a formal complaint. It is bad enough that this kind of service was given to us but we would hate to think of the consequences upon the Highland tourist industry if this was received by all visitors!

Thank-you for your time and consideration,

Awaiting your reply,

Kim

obviously i didn't sign it Kim though!

And if you've read Levi then you'll know that our stay in the youth hostel wasn't that pleasant and that the whole thing didn't in actual fact ruin our plans for dinner...although it did make us so tired that all we could do after dinner was fall asleep....so in a way it did ruin our plans,if you see what i mean? ;)

Anyway i've so far had 2 e-mails saying that the complaint is beaing dealt with and that they'l be in touch once they have contacted and possbily inspected the hotel..so i'm quite happy with that for the moment.

Anyway i think thats about enough for just now...I'll write a proper update soon......