Wretched hotel, bit of a rant and rather long.

Oh what a disappointment, Grandmanorm! At least everything else fell into place afterwards, and you all enjoyed the rest of the trip.
One year on a little Inner Hebriddean island (which shall remain nameless ) where we had hired a cottage, we noticed that there was a piece of plastic guttering fixed to the INSIDE of the living room window. The guttering was tilted at an angle so that the rainwater coming from the leaky part of the window dripped down and into a plastic cup that was fixed to the corner of the window sill. We just happened to mention this to the landlord while we were having a drink with him at the one hotel on the island, and he replied, "Oh - is it still there? Nevermind!"

If it's worth the effort depending on how much you paid/lost & if it didn't meet what was advertised, try reporting to Trading Standards or Environmental Health. If you lost a lot you can also take them to a Small Claims Court. Otherwise, for the least effort redress write truthful reviews on any site you can & tell the local Local Authority Tourist Dept. or Office.

Pleased you had a good time in spite of this.

Many of the 'review' sites are managed for money..otherwise why would anyone create them? There is no way of verifying the source of the information so ex-employees with either a grudge or in need of maintaining their job can write 'reviews' as can the owner of a facility about their own or a competitors! Same with check-a-trade etc. Sad that we cannot trust.

If there are an overwhelming number of either positives or negatives then I think it is easier to believe them but take all with a pinch of salt!

That's shocking. I think I'll write to Trip Advisor and ask for an explanation. Will keep you posted.

I am pleased to hear that you and the girls enjoyed the rest of your trip to London. So sorry to hear about the hotel. Is there no way that you can get your money back? Maybe if you make enough fuss?

Trip advisor is not independent. I was talking to a hotel owner here- I did a report on their hotel, restaurant and room via Trip Advisor, and they were asked to pay 500 Swiss francs to ensure it stayed up and that bad reports would be taken down. I was truly shocked, as I thought it was independent and fair.

As you paid for the room I'd say you are entitled to review it on Trip Advisor yourself, mentioning all the above. Then perhaps you'll save another family from the same fate.
Glad it didn't end badly and you found better accommodation,

Grim! But glad it worked out OK in the end and the girls and you had a good time.!

However does the Fitzroy London keep going I wonder? Surely nobody would stay there...unless it was really really cheap! Did you write to the CEO?? I would if I were you.

how awful sounds like a case for "The Hotel Inspector."

Glad the tale had a happy outcome.