Warning: we did not stay here, as we had to cancel our trip. Our rating is the result of interactions with the owner. We contacted her 2 months before we planned to visit, to inquire about availability in May. She urged us to book quickly, as May "is a very busy season for us." We booked 2 rooms, and the owner insisted on 100 British pounds as a deposit. She refused to take USD, traveler's checks, or a credit card. The freight paid on getting/sending 100 British pounds from the US to Scotland annoyed us, but . . . The purpose of our trip was a wedding in Kelso. Sadly, the wedding was canceled, more than 6 weeks before we were to be in Kelso. We contacted the owner, who then informed us that the 100 pounds would not be returned if she could not rent the rooms (what happened to that "very busy season"?). Granted, we should have asked the cancelation policy right from the get-go, and we take responsibility for that. To boot, the owner told us that even if she did re-rent the rooms, we'd still be responsible for a bookkeeping fee. This is a one-woman, 2-room B and B!
This treatment suggests that everything is fine as long as the money is way up-front and on the owner's terms; and heaven forbid if you have to change your plans, no matter how far in advance. I urge you NOT to do business with Nisbet House.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
28 September 2007
As I have only recently visited TripAdvisor, I was not aware of this comment made in 2005. It raises a very valid point, however, as travellers from overseas, who may not be familiar with the UK bed and breakfast system, should be aware that a booking with a "one woman, two bedroom" establishment is just as valid as a booking with a hotel. Making a booking is a legal contract, which both parties must honour. If a cancellation is made the establishment is legally entitled to charge for the whole of the accommodation booked unless it is re-let. Holiday cancellation insurance should be taken out and a reservation should only be made if the guest intends to turn up.
A non-refundable deposit is normal practice throughout the tourist industry (especially where credit cards are not accepted) to protect both guest and proprietor. I would like to point out, however, that the complainant booked more than six months prior to the planned visit, not the two months indicated in his review, (I can provide copies of his e-mails to prove this) and cancelled five weeks before the arrival date. I have no way now of knowing how many bookings I lost during that five month period.
If the deposit system worked the way the complainant seems to think it should, I would have been able to e-mail him 5 weeks before the date of his visit, to advise him that I had cancelled his booking and was returning his deposit as I had been able to make a much better booking with some other guests. He might then have had grounds for complaint.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
