We are a group of 13 adults from Switzerland. We booked 7 rooms for one night in Foyers House in Foyers. We had to pay half of the amount in advance. Therefore I had to pass my credit card details to Foyers House. They charged 270 GBP.
On the 3rd of August around 8 pm we arrived in Foyers. We travelled with two rental vans. The first car arrived ten minutes earlier. The owner of foyers house didn’t welcome us very friendly. His first question was how we would like to pay our accommodation. I explained him that we will pay in cash. But I would like to wait until the second car arrives. Then I can collect the money from all members of our group. This made him already upset. He said it would be easier for him if we had arrived all at once.
I told him that we are coming from the Isle of Skye. It took us more than two hours to drive to Foyers. Probably the second van had to look for a service station. His answer was that he would nobody recommend to visit the Isle of Skye. We asked for the reason and he gave the unreasonable answer that the Isle would be too busy.
He told us that he had a “plan A“, so he wanted us to show the rooms first. Now he has to change to “plan B” because of our unreliability. Plan B was that we had to deposit our luggage in a designated area and then we should take a seat on the terrace and wait for the rest of our group. A member of our group didn’t want to deposit his bag in this area. He preferred to have his bag in sight. This made the owner of Foyers house again displeased. He told us to leave the luggage where he defined. There were no thiefs in his house.
Another member of our group asked for a bin. He had eaten something in the van and wanted to recyle the paper. The owner got the first time very angry. He asked us why he should take our rubbish. He would have a contract for an accommodation not for recycling. We brought the paper back in the car.
Then we wanted to walk to the terrace when our second group arrived. The owner of Foyers House claimed that he has to change his plan again – back to “plan A”.
Unfortunately one of us left the second van and lighted a cigarette. This was too much for the hotelier. He exclaimed that this would be a non-smoking B&B. Of course we knew that before. But mistakenly we believed that smoking would be allowed outside the building. He explained that his smoking area is down the street – go as far away as you can’t see the Foyers House any more.
The wrongdoer of our group apologized and we promised to follow this rule.
Then he explained his rule for the check-in. He had a “holding area”. Luggage had to be deposited in a certain area inside the house and people had to wait in another area outside. He planned to take two people, show them their room, bring them back to the holding area and take the next two people.
But before he called me to the reception desk. As the responsible person I should sign a contract.This paper contained his house rules with the smoking area and another paragraph which explained that he sells alcohol. At the bottom of the contract he stated that he is allowed to charge fines on my credit card if our behavior wouldn’t be appropriate. I’ve never seen such a contract before. Therefore I denied signing this contract. I explained him that we intend to follow the house rules. But I will not sign a contract which allows him to be a policeman and to charge fines. During our stay in Scotland we werde in 6 different B&B’s and we never had to sign such an unusual contract.
He answered very rude. He gave us the choice to sign the contract or to leave. Then a colleague of mine accepted to sign. She signed the paper. I explained him that he’s not allowed to charge my credit card with the signature of my colleague.
Then he took the contract and pulled it to pieces. He told us that he doesn’t want to accommodate our group and he cancels the contract. He insulted us. I asked him to give our prepayment back – because he cancelled the contract. He denied. Then I asked him to get his cancellation in written. He denied again. Finally he made clear that he doesn’t want to discuss anymore and required us to leave his house. He banned us from the house and threatened to call the police.
We went to Inverness and looked for another accommodation. In the beginning of August this was a big challenge. Fortunately the people in Inverness were very kind and helpful.

Back to Switzerland we suffered a surprise. The Foyers House charged my credit card with the accomodation and the dinner! We neither had dinner nor stayed overnight.

In addition we found the latest review of environmental health. They wrote a report in March. Their comments about the kitchen are not very pleasant. Probably it's better we didn't get dinner in this house.

All in all, this is not the way you want to be treated on holiday!