Pals flee bed bug horror

Aug 3 2008 by Ian Robson, Sunday Sun

A SCOTTISH hotel has been dubbed McFawlty Towers after a bust-up over bed bugs led to guests leaving in the middle of the night.

Paula Carr described her one-night stay at the hotel as like an episode of the comedy starring John Cleese.

The auxiliary nurse claims she woke up screaming when she was attacked by bed bugs at the Park House View Hotel in Edinburgh.

She had booked there after a night out at the city’s jazz festival with two friends.

Another party called police to complain and both groups left the premises at 2am.

Paula, of Carrville, Durham, claims they were told to leave, but owner Saeed Akhtar said it was the guests’ decision.

Paula said: “I can laugh about it now but it was a dreadful experience at the time.

“Fawlty Towers hasn’t got a look-in compared to this place.”

Paula stayed at the hotel with friends Debbie Singh and Paula Murphy.

She said: “I went to bed and woke up being eaten alive by bed bugs.

“I was so shocked that I screamed and knocked on all the doors in panic. Another party were also complaining.”

Paula said the other group of six called police. She said: “The police came and said it was a civil matter.

“The next thing we knew, the owner had called taxis for all of us and asked us to leave his property.

“Rather than walk the streets we spent the night in a taxi office waiting for the train station to open.”

Paula, 38, returned home on the first available train.

A spokesman for Lothian Police confirmed there was a complaint about the rooms. He said: “We were called to a disturbance at the Park House View Hotel in the early hours of Sunday.

“It was a civil matter relating to the condition of the rooms. There was no claim of criminal conduct.”

Owner Mr Akhtar refunded the £105 room costs paid by Paula and her friends.

Mr Akhtar said: “There was a problem with bed bugs in Room 23. We have changed the bed, taken up the wooden floors, and everything has been sprayed.

“The three girls decided to leave the hotel. They were not asked to leave.”