How can they do this to people

Just heard that a large privately owned hotel near us has gone into administration due to lack of cash flow in recent months. I doubt they will be the only ones unfortunately.

We are in the same position. Son and family 3 hrs away. Haven't seen them since New Year. We aren't taking any chances and hope to meet half way soon in a nice park and just picnic in the sun!

Struggling2dol - I can imagine how concerning that is ( my DH also has Parkinson's). I hope you get another app before too long. It does put things in perspective!

Is camping allowed yet? Do you have a garden large enough to accommodate a couple of tents?
Toilet arrangements would be your biggest problem, and if(like me) you only have one loo everyone will have to tramp through your house to use it. But you could get a takeaway meal and all eat al fresco (weather permitting) it could be quite fun.

I hope that now you've got over your initial disappointment (and read some of the sensible replies to your post) you will realise that you really have nothing to be aggrieved about. There are much worse things happening right now and you can be sure this wasn't done deliberately by the hotel chain. They (and their workers) will be far more desperate to open (and keep their jobs) than you and your family are to see each other.

As someone has already said, it's not the end of the world. Just be thankful that you and your family are all well and no-one has had a vital operation cancelled, as has Struggling's husband and many others I'm sure. Save any strongly worded complaints for something serious and pray it never happens and you never need to write them.

Sar53
You can't understand etc etc You and me both.
No excuse given and hotel no doubt running around like headless chickens comes to mind and the ones to suffer are the public.
The hospitality trade was a no go zone from day one of this virus and the hotel was wrong in making promises they could not keep. Has your D thought of compensation ?after all if the role were reversed .and D had made a last minute cancellation, could be a different ball game ??

Disappointing, but as the "advice " from the government changes almost hour to hour, it seems, I am not surprised.
Maybe it's a case of the hotel jumping in too soon and assuming that something was going to be allowed when it isn't or maybe it comes down to staffing, or the fact that some hotels are currently being used as living accomodation for the homeless - this use has been extended in some areas until the end of August at least.
The meeting half way is a good idea - at least in England , from tomorrow, you will be able to meet up and have a meal in a pub and go to a park, I believe.

How about holiday cottages? Im sure if you google it, it will come up, then theres bound to be something on it.Be practical, instead of just moaning.

So disappointing for you. Haven't seen my family and GD since Christmas. They were due to stay in May but that was cancelled of course and now due to stay in August but as DH is on the shielded list they are very concerned about even coming then. A real dilemma.

I'm with LucyBelle. Haven't seen my daughter and family since before Christmas2019 and have been in Lockdown on my own . They also live about a 3 hour drive from me. I see no prospect of when I will next see them but I would rather they stayed safe than make a risky journey. We've just got to grin and bear it.
I'm quite sure the hotel would open if it could - they're losing money otherwise.

Agree. Your situation must be so very difficult. Hope the operation happens soon

So disappointing for you, but patience seems to be needed in these difficult days. I actually think it's too early to be staying anywhere but your own home. It would be awful if, after not seeing your family for five months, one of you got sick because you didn't wait a bit longer.

The hotel must have very good reason to cancel all bookings. I am sure it would be the last thing they wanted to do as the Hotel Business will have lost a lot of money & business over the Pandemic period. Not giving your daughter an explanation or apology as to why is thoughtless. Pity the Hotel could not move your daughter & Family into the next available week with a discount for the trouble. Might be worth ringing the Hotel and speaking to the Manager expressing your disappointment and how poor they have dealt with your situation... you should get more info then and may decide on a later date.

The people suggesting meeting for a picnic half way need to remember most public toilets are not yet open and one will need to be happy using shrubbery as a toilet. And then you might tread in something the person before you left behind. So it might not be as easy as one might think.

Despite your disappointment, I don’t see the need for a strongly worded letter. The booking was probably taken in good faith. They, like many of us, assumed that the pandemic would be easing. It really is not and they have to do what they can to protect staff and clients.

Since the ease of lockdown was announced, the Government have come up with more rules, which make it impossible for many hospitality firms to comply. No buffet breakfast, in some cases bring ones own cutlery are just a few. My daughter works as a chef In a small family pub. She is furloughed until the end of August, because the owners can’t find a safe way to open.

@Sar53 my D had the same thing happen to her very disappointing for all concerned. Email just said booking cancelled with no explanation

Sar53 - sorry but on the ‘scale of disappointments’ yours is pretty low down.
Medical procedures being very high on the list.
The hotel will be fighting tooth and nail to retain an income and did not deliberately try to upset you and deprive themselves of income.
Your challenges are pretty easy to find a way round.
If they are old enough, the grandchildren may enjoy helping you with the problem solving.

Huge sympathies. I haven't seen my son or grandson since the end of December and now have to wait until October!
They live over 5 hours away, north of London and a far more populated area to us. My husband reckons for us in our sixties and seventies it's too risky. The children were meant to stay in a seaside cottage locally to us (and the other grandparents and great grandma) at Easter but of course that was cancelled. They are now part way through a delayed loft conversion held up now by a shortage of plaster in the UK and they have been told it may be August or later before it is habitable. So we can't stay with them as they are a room down in a tiny house anyway. Lots of people in awful situations and I think we do have to realise we are all in this together and eventually there will be a going forward but not yet realistically. My sister is coping with her father in law just having died and trying to sort a funeral that seems impossible. So we all have our crosses to bear and all have good days and bad days.

Sounds as though the staff aren't prepared to work ?

Why would you think that, EV?

It will be a decision from high up in the chain, based on money.

Struggling2do1 that is indeed very upsetting.
I hope another appointment is made soon.

Not a hotel but a pub restaurant my eldest son part owns. After fighting through 51 pages of regulations in an attempt to open it is not feasible yet neither logistically, safely nor economically. Please bear in mind the near insurmountable problems both big and small businesses are facing! Meet up with your family somewhere outdoors, have a picnic and enjoy each other’s company as best you can. We did this with our youngest son and girlfriend in the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield and it was lovely to see them!

It's disappointing but not the end of the world! We are in a pandemic for goodness sake, and I am sure the hotel would not have wanted to cancel. There must be a very good reason - staff ill, still waiting for safety equipment,etc.

My dentist said he would be reopening at the end of June but has now emailed all patients to say that he's having to wait for some high tech air extraction equipment and that it will now be mid July.

I have not seen my daughter and grandchildren since Christmas. She is a key worker living a 4 hour round trip away from me, and I am shielding, so we are having to wait for a dry Saturday or Sunday for her to drive up and see me for a socially distanced garden visit. We have had to postpone 4 times. Very disappointing, but it is what it is.

These things happen.

I know it’s really disappointing but I’ve found most places that are taking bookings have warned guests that things are liable to change due to circumstances beyond their control re Covid 19. In the current climate I think you should be grateful that the hotel isn’t willing to put either their staff or guests at risk. I’m pretty sure they are desperate to get customers back for the sake of the business.

If they were fully booked, I'm sure the last thing they wanted to do was cancel. There must be a good reason for it. They will make a huge loss from this cancellation and no business will do that if they can help it.

Living room floor in a flat is fine for one night. It's crowded but the kids will remember it fondly. It sounds like you've come up with a workable solution though.

Have you considered entire apartments /flats / houses on Air bnb . Just take 70% plus alcohol disinfectant swipes and do a whip round surfaces. I find it less risky than a hotel quite honestly and cheaper. Although I take my own pillows.

There must be lots of hotels between you and your daughter’s which are available.
You need to overcome your reluctance to stay in a hotel if you want to see them.