When looking for hotel accommodation most people are very price driven in terms of making their choices. Finding out where you want to go and how cheaply you can stay there are very often the only factors that are taken into consideration. Couple this with the British attitude of “making the best of a bad situation and being too accommodating when it comes to poor service, and it is no wonder there are so many hotel horror stories out there. As a travel writer I have certainly encountered a number through the years myself, however one of the best I have heard of late can be read here - http://www.epinions.com/content_40028769924. The following is an extract from this particular hotel horror story -

“When I checked in, I was given the last available room. It had one bed even though I requested (requested being the key word) two beds. I would be sharing a room with someone and even though I don't mind sharing a bed, I did not know how the other person would feel. I was told my request for 2 beds was just that, a request. They are not obligated to give me what I requested. Okay, so I would be sharing a bed. Fine.

Then I went upstairs, put the key in the lock, and opened the door. There on the bed, was a couple... um... enjoying themselves. They looked at me, I looked at them, and then I ran out the door. I went down to the front desk and told them what happened. They told me that they didn't know which rooms had been given out that day. The man checked a few things on his computer and told me, "Whoops, that was the room of the couple who just got married here." How did he know who was occupying the room and the other guy at the desk didn't even know the room was occupied? So I got another key and he was pretty positive it was empty. I went upstairs, put the key in the lock, and the door didn't open. I had to go back down to the desk. I was getting tired of lugging my luggage all over the place. He checked the key and gave it to me again, assuring me it would work this time. I went upstairs, put the key in the lock, I was happy to find that the key opened the door and even happier to find that the room was unoccupied.

The room was missing an iron and the light bulbs in both of the lamps. The bathroom light was out as well. Why would they give someone a room without making sure everything was working as it should?

It could be said that the British very often bring this on themselves with the ‘laissez-faire’ attitudes outlined above. However, as a paying guest you should be entitled to have a hassle free stay. While it can never be guaranteed that you will have a pleasant stay, a little research beforehand can go a long way. A bad hotel experience can be hard to digest at the best of times – but what if it’s a holiday you have been saving for, or even your honeymoon?

One way to minimise your chances of a bad stay is to pay for the best in luxury hotel accommodation. While this isn’t always practical for many budgets, a break in a 5 star hotel can be an experience which will leave you refreshed and relaxed and can be worthwhile splashing out for every once in a while. In a luxury hotel, it's the touches that make the difference. Fluffy towels, plump pillows, award-winning food, attentive service and opulent furnishings are the ingredients for the great memory of an extra special weekend break.

The UK certainly has its fair share of top quality five star hotels - from quiet country retreats in Scotland, such as Gleneagles and St Andrews Bay Golf Resort