Buyer beware

The Trout has been on the Internet and phone making hotel, motel and B&B reservations for our trip to New England next month. Everything has gone quite well until we were trying to set up our last two nights in a town in Maine which shall remain nameless. This B&B is beautiful, near the ocean, but the only thing that was different from every other place we have ever stayed in the US, is that when we made the reservation, their policy is to immediately charge your credit card, even though we are several weeks from arriving there. And then, if we do need to cancel, they will charge $50 for inconvenience.

Through e-mail and phone calls with the Mr., the Trout found out that he suggested two different rooms, quoted a price plus tax and we should get back to him when we picked our choice. We called back and picked one of his suggestions and the Mrs. took credit card information. She knew we were asking for a two night stay. We understood the cancellation fee and agreed to it. An hour later, an e-mail confirmation arrived and the price had gone up 50%. The Trout called immediately and the "Mr." of the house answered the phone. Trout told him we had the e-mail prices quoted us and the price had gone up 50%. He said we were charged the correct price. Trout told him to cancel the reservation, because that is not what we agreed to. Trout also told him he understood that he would charge us the $50 for cancellation. Kind "Mr." said not this time because he had not put the charge through yet. Trout also mentioned that this place is the only one we have ever come across that submitted the credit card charge before we even got there. Mr. came back with "then you don't travel much!" Oh, no, that started the burners!! Trout told him he had traveled the world and had never found such a situation as this.

To end this sad tale, we are not going there nor ever will. If anyone reading is planning on going there, please e-mail me and I will let you in on this bad situation in the northeast.

He could have changed this situation into such a satisfying ending. We could have agreed on a price, he could have apologized, etc. After all, this is not a hotel chain--this man owns his own B&B.

Be careful and get everything in writing and if something sounds fishy, get out of there.

Every time something like this happens, I just lose a little more faith in mankind. I made a pact with myself a long time ago, that if I complain about someone or something, I will find someone to praise next. I am on the search, because this one was a doozy.