I don't like writing nasty reviews. I don't like giving anything less than 3 stars. But when something annoys me this much, I feel my only option is to write a stroppy dooyoo op!

A few weeks ago, I had an exam in Stourbridge. Don't ask me why it had to be Stourbridge - I don't know. Anyway, because it coincided with our wedding anniversary, my wife and I decided to dump the baby with grandparents and enjoy a night away in a hotel. The Talbot seemed an obvious choice, situated on the High Street in Stourbridge.

Being typically organised, we didn't book the hotel until the day before leaving. We phoned, and were told to book on the internet, on a late booking site. This would allow us to stay for £40 per room, instead of £70. This we did. We then rang the hotel to confirm they had received the e-mail booking. They had.

The next day was rather odd.

4pm - set off from home
5.30pm - arrive Merry Hill Shopping Centre. Great fun, big indoor shopping centre, did lots of Christmas shopping.
7pm - Pop across road to cinema. Watch Harry Potter. Good film.
10pm - Arrive in Stourbridge. Start circling the one-way ring road, looking for the hotel.
10.30pm - Eventually find the hotel, having circled the ring road 6 times.
10.35pm - Parking tricky in small car park. Arrive in reception to be told that all rooms are taken - we've been double booked.
10.40pm - Duty manager arrives. Horrified. Finally, duty manager agrees to move out of his room, so we can have that. Gives us free drink in bar.
11.10pm - Room finally ready for us to move in. Request wake-up call for 7pm, so I can get ready for exam and have a nice breakfast.
11.30pm - Discover room is right next door to night-porter. Sounds of TV and conversation all night.

And then, the next day topped it all off...

Wake up. Look at watch. Why is it light outside? Because it's 8.45am. Panic. No time for wash or breakfast
. Get dressed, run up to exam centre, leaving wife to sort out hotel.

Apparently, my wife went to reception, and was told "That'll be £75 please". Not amused, my wife politely explained what had happened, and eventually persuaded the receptionist (without resorting to physical violence) that maybe a discount might be required. We got the room for £20, which seems reasonable.

My wife was then left to wander round Stourbridge for the morning. Has anyone else been to Stourbridge? They don't call it the Black Country for nothing, do they?! A very odd, rather dull place, inhabited by people who are said by some to be related to one another. The shopping is appalling, maybe because Merry Hill is only 4 miles down the road, but fortunately, there are one or two nice pubs.

And the epilogue. We met up. (I still don't know whether I passed the exam). We went back to the hotel carpark to pick up the car, and "get out of this godforsaken place" (as I think I may have said once or twice). We were blocked in by another car. For half an hour. It belonged to.... the duty manager.

Never ever again! Oh, and the Talbot Hotel also organise wedding receptions etc.! I would advise very strongly against it!