bestwestern.co.uk

Formal Complaint – Wedding Booking Experience at Best Western Plough and Harrow

Dear [Manager's Name / Best Western Customer Relations],I am writing to formally express my disappointment and concern regarding the handling of my wedding booking at the Best Western Plough and Harrow Hotel, which has unfortunately led to us cancelling our plans entirely due to the lack of communication, empathy, and support from the venue.My partner and I originally chose your hotel after a personal recommendation from my mother-in-law, who attended a family wedding at your venue previously. We initially spoke with Emma Griffiths on 5th February 2024, who left us with such a positive impression that we decided to book our wedding for 5th April 2025 without even exploring other options. We paid a £1,000 deposit and signed the contract, reassured by the professionalism and warmth Emma provided.However, after 23rd April 2024, we received no further communication from Emma. I sent an email on 11th October 2024 regarding a possible date change due to new visa requirements that could impact our European guests, but received no response. Repeated calls to the hotel were unsuccessful until I was eventually informed that Emma had left the company some time ago, and that Mr. Paul Smyth had taken over.I was disappointed not to have been informed earlier of this important staff change, especially as we were working with Emma closely. Mr. Smyth explained that he had prioritised contacting weddings scheduled for 2024 first, but I still feel that the lack of communication was unacceptable, given we had already paid and were relying on timely updates.I did not feel the same confidence or connection with Mr. Smyth, and much of the warmth and personal touch that influenced our decision to choose your venue was lost. Despite this, he did accommodate a date change to 13th September 2025 following our visa concerns, and requested an additional £1,300 payment, which we made.Later, on 21st March 2025, I contacted Mr. Smyth again with another deeply personal request. My mother-in-law had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and we were concerned about her health and appearance in the wedding photos. I asked to reschedule once more, this time to 12th September 2026, to give her the chance to recover.While Mr. Smyth agreed to this date change, he imposed a £1,000 penalty fee. Although I appreciate his willingness to accommodate us, I was surprised by the lack of compassion shown during what is an incredibly emotional and stressful time for our family. This change provided the hotel with ample time to rebook the original date, and we were more than willing to provide proof of the medical situation if required.Ultimately, due to these repeated issues and emotional strain, we made the difficult decision to cancel the wedding entirely. I informed Mr. Smyth by email and stated that we understood the loss of our £1,000 deposit. However, I did ask whether the £1,300 payment could be refunded or partially returned, but received no reply to this or any previous messages.To this day, I have not received a response.This experience has been incredibly disappointing. What should have been a joyful and exciting time became stressful and disheartening. The lack of communication, empathy, and professionalism from the hotel has led us to completely lose trust in the service, and I am genuinely relieved that we are no longer planning our wedding at your venue.I am now formally requesting a review of our case, and kindly ask for consideration of a refund or partial refund of the £1,300 that was paid in good faith. We believe this to be a reasonable request given the circumstances, and we hope Best Western as a brand will uphold a higher standard of care than what we have experienced so far.Thank you for your attention to this matter. I would appreciate a response within 14 days.Sincerely,

Date of experience: Jul 04, 2025