Booking.com

Don't get me wrong... I really like booking.com.

I like the way the website and App interact with each other and with me... I like the way the booking process works and I even like the (pretty constant) suggestions of places I might like to visit.

And I certainly like the prices.

For example, I've been doing a bit of work in London recently.  My work has been based near the Royal Albert Hall and, as you can imagine finding somewhere to stay nearby was proving to be, shall we say, pricey.

So, booking.com to the rescue.

It took a bit of searching but I eventually found what looked like a very nice four star hotel called the Park Grand in Bayswater, just the other side of Hyde Park - a pleasant 20 minute walk from where I was working.

And, even better, it was 50% off on booking.com.  Now, I have to say that didn't make the single room I booked exactly cheap, but at least it was a realistic £100 a night instead of the advertised £200.

I fetched up on Sunday evening at the hotel and experienced booking.comism for the first time.

It's a bit like sexism but funny rather than simply wrong.

First of all checking was fine and I was allocated room 019... 'round the corner to the lift, sir'.

So I went to the lift and went up.

First mistake.

I walked back down to the ground floor and kept following the signs - down into the basement.  And there I found room 019.  I have to say it had everything a room should have.  A wardrobe, single bed, desk and shower room.

But no floor space... almost literally.  I could stretch my arms out and touch both walls... but, okay; after all I was really only going to sleep in the room.  It was comfortable enough.

I went back to reception to check what time breakfast was in the morning.  But it occurred to me to ask: 'does my room come with breakfast included?'

The same guy who checked me simply looked me straight in the eye and said:

'Booking.com.  No, sir'.