Woman Left Stranded by UK Hotel Over Tourist Tax Payment Issue

Manchester: So, there’s this woman, Margaret Jones, who had a pretty rough time at a hotel. She arrived at the Britannia Hotel one evening, all set for a cozy stay. But when she got to the front desk, they hit her with a £1.20 tourist tax.

Now, Margaret usually pays in cash because she struggles with remembering her card PINs. It can really stress her out. But when she tried to pay the tax with cash, the staff said no way, she had to use a card.

Margaret didn’t even know about this tax, which started in April 2023. She wasn’t against it, but the hotel staff just wouldn’t help her figure out a way to pay. She explained her situation, but they didn’t seem to care.

She even tried to give them £1.50 in cash, but they refused it. It was really frustrating for her. They told her she couldn’t stay there, and she ended up outside in the cold, feeling lost and scared.

After about 15 minutes, a friend tried to help her pay the tax online, but the hotel staff wouldn’t accept that either. Finally, she found a card that worked without needing a PIN, and she was able to pay the fee and get into her room.

Margaret thought it was ridiculous. She believed cash was still legal tender and mentioned that she had no issues at another Britannia hotel before. The staff just shrugged it off, saying different hotels have different rules. She’s just wondering why they can’t accept cash, since not everyone has a card.