Stuart Sommerville, 62, drove 250 miles from his home in Scotland to Llandudno, North Wales, to watch the town’s 80th anniversary Victory over Japan (VJ) parade
Andrew Forgrave Countryside and tourism editor and Steffan Rhys Deputy Content Hub Director
10:53, 23 Aug 2025Updated 10:53, 23 Aug 2025
‘I drove 250 miles from Scotland to a Travelodge but made shocking discovery when I arrived'(Image: Gerald England/CC BY-SA 2.0)
A Scottish tourist who made a 250-mile journey was left stunned when he turned up at his pre-booked hotel only to be turned away. Stuart Sommerville, 62, had travelled to the Welsh seaside town of Llandudno to witness the 80th anniversary Victory over Japan (VJ) parade on Saturday (August 16).
The journalist was eager to attend as family members in Llandudno had served during the conflict. He had previously visited the resort in May for VE Day 80 commemorations, where he made the remarkable discovery of a 1945 photograph showing his mother on the promenade celebrating the end of the war in Europe. However, his second trip became a complete disaster, reports North Wales Live.
Left stranded outside Llandudno’s Travelodge after being denied entry to his room, he found himself wandering the streets searching for alternative lodging late into the night before giving up and making the long drive back to Scotland.
Stuart is now demanding £80 compensation for wasted petrol following the gruelling 12-hour round-trip that has left him with a “bitter taste in my mouth”. He said: “I was hacked off. I couldn’t believe Travelodge had just dumped me on the street.”
Travelodge confirmed it had “apologised to Mr Sommerville for the inconvenience” and provided him with a complete refund plus alternative accommodation options.
During his VE trip in May, he had stayed at the Gloddaeth Street hotel without any issues. For his return visit, he reserved a £91.99 room at the identical hotel, departing from his hometown of Biggar after taking a half-day off work.
Having made the journey numerous times before, he planned to arrive by 6pm on Friday – exactly as he had done for the VE parade. Following delays on the M6, he found himself running 45 minutes behind schedule. His mobile began ringing during the drive, but he ignored the calls whilst behind the wheel. He pulled up at the hotel around 7pm.
“It was only after I’d parked in Gloddaeth Street that I noticed two missed calls from Travelodge,” he explained.
Upon arrival, he received devastating news – his room was no longer available. After demanding to speak with the manager, he was informed the accommodation had been double-booked.
Stuart explained: “The manager told me the issue was caused by an independent booking system over which she had no control. I struggle to believe this is true. I suspect they thought I wasn’t coming and just flogged the room to a walk-in.”
Following company policy, he was offered alternative accommodation at a Travelodge in another town. He turned down the offer.
“Parking in the centre of Llandudno is difficult enough,” he stated. “On VJ Day it was going to be even more difficult – it’s why I travelled down the previous day to make sure I had a place to park. Having to drive in from Colwyn Bay, and find a parking space, would have been far from ideal.”
He was then offered a voucher instead. Having sworn off using the hotel chain again, this was also rejected.
Eventually, he accepted a refund hoping he could secure alternative lodgings. Stuart attempted to book a room at Llandudno’s Premier Inn, which had one room left, but it was only available for online booking.
Back in Biggar, his wife Caroline hurried to assist, but the room was already taken by another guest.
“It wasn’t going to be easy,” Stuart admitted. “Llandudno has plenty of accommodation, but in mid-August, it’s bustling. I drove along the seafront looking for vacancies, but every sign indicated that the hotels were full. As it got later, I decided to cut my losses.”
Llandudno is not short of hotels and B&Bs but Stuart struggled to find one with vacancies(Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)
Caroline took to social media to express her “absolute disgust” at how her husband was treated, and several hotel owners in Llandudno offered their assistance. However, it was too late: Stuart arrived home at 2am, having been forced to detour through Wigan due to an M6 closure.
Despite spending the early years of his life in Llandudno and having fond memories of the resort town, including a photo of his grandfather, a Home Guard sergeant, in the town’s Home Front museum, the experience has left a sour taste. “It was one of the most bizarre days I’ve ever experienced,” he said.
“I just wanted to pay my respects at Llandudno’s VJ commemorations but I never got to see them.
“In 12 hours, I travelled 512 miles for nothing. It might be some time before I return there and, when I do, I certainly won’t be staying at the Travelodge.”
Travelodge hotels operate 24-hour reception desks to cater for guests arriving at all hours.
Booking conditions state that customers might occasionally be relocated to alternative accommodation.
The firm described this as a “rare occurrence” which typically happens due to unforeseen circumstances such as rooms being removed from service for emergency maintenance work.
A Travelodge spokesperson said: “We have apologised to Mr Sommerville for the inconvenience caused by the unexpected relocation of his booking and offered him a full refund, which he accepted.
“These situations are very rare, but when they do occur, we aim to contact the customer in advance and minimise any disruption by quickly arranging alternative accommodation at a nearby hotel.”
The company confirmed it remains in contact with Mr Somerville regarding his request for petrol costs to be reimbursed.