Problems at the Hotel du Vin Cannizaro

Readers will recall my distrust of restaurants with fine views.

The same applies to hotels.

The Hotel du Vin Cannizaro is a fine white palatial stucco mansion set in parklands by Wimbledon Common.

Wimbledon has many amenities: the Common, the All England tennis championship, theatre, a picturesque village with independent shops and excellent rail and tube communications.

So, over the years I have found the Cannizaro more than useful. Until last Wednesday.

I had booked in for two nights (8th-10th June), only to be informed at 4.00pm on the date of arrival that the hotel was “overbooked” and I was to be relocated to the Rose & Crown in Wimbledon High Street.

I do not believe the hotel was overbooked – more likely a potential guest, possibly a tennis player, enquired about availability and it was possible to accommodate him/her with my room and ‘bump’ me off.

It meant last minute disruption of my plans and my intention of being in the same hotel for 48 hours.

Although I had envisioned my impromptu accommodation as a nasty pub room above a noisy salon bar, the room allocated had excellent amenities – apparently the best of the 14 available and the lady was very helpful with my move.

Nonetheless any guest should be able to rely on their booking.

Although the Cannizaro imposed no charge on my room or for breakfast, I was still furious, particularly as the room allocated was inferior to mine.

That this room was available made me think that it was my room that was doubly-booked.

I referred to this malpractice on booking.com, through whom I  made the booking, and on Tripadvisor.

I have stayed at the Cannizaro many times before but this will be the last.