I have no problem with hoteliers replying to customer gripes (I have seen it done tactfully and appropriately when customers at a particular hotel complained that they had got a parking ticket because their free parking pass issued by the hotel for a public carpark had expired and they had chanced their luck overstaying).

But I think the fine is a step too far and it has garnered them massive adverse publicity. I wouldn't expect a palace for £36. But I would still expect the room to be clean, not have peeling wallpaper or broken bedsprings. If they felt the review was unfair they should have posted along the lines 'we are sorry you did not enjoy your stay, we are taking note of your concerns etc etc' If the review was truly unfair and they had, as they said, many other happy guests then that surely would have been evident from the other reviews.

Given the number of bad reviews this hotel has, the £100 fines must be an important revenue stream.

I heard that the hotel have been told to stop charging this "fine" by Trading Standards and they have agreed to refund the couple involved.

Thinking about it, £38prpn with two breakfasts doesn't leave much room for profit. Do they wash the bedding after each guest leaves ready for the next one?

Refunded.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/..._campaign=1490

No such thing as bad publicity, I think it may lead to a cult following. I am thinking of taking Mrs Lyon there for her birthday as opposed to Thailand. They are sitting on a goldmine if they can charge £100 plus normal usual fee.

kja - more info please. Are we talking about Switzerland or Germany for the murals in Lavin's parish church?

@ Melnq8 -- Lavin is in the Lower Engadine, and sorry, I should have said frescoes, not murals. I learned about it from one of Ingo's virtual tourist pages:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel...ol-TG-C-1.html
I was glad to have seen this place, and since you'll be so close...!

Excellent, thank you kja.