Hotel Quarantine Part 2 ~ The Video Evidence

 

I'd like to make a complaint, Pleeeeeeeeasssssse

Following on from Part 1 which I posted yesterday.

A few days ago I requested that any security guard who escorts me to the elevator and any guard that escorts me to the smoking area, provide me with a negative Covid test. This may seem flippant but they all know I'm negative having had, to date, a negative test result in Panama before I flew, a negative test result upon my return to the hotel after I 'absconded', and and negative test result on Day 2 of my stay here.

A person in authority told me it would be impossible for security staff to provide me with such evidence and gave me assurances that all the security staff here are tested every two days. I told him I didn't want any of them standing near me.

This same person said to me, "I know what you're going through as I lost my dad a few years ago." I replied, "You couldn't possibly know what I'm going through, you did not have to isolate in a room by yourself after your father died."

After returning from seeing my father die I began to get hungry. I phoned down to reception to ask what time dinner would be brought to my room. "Between 7pm and 9pm" came the reply.

At 10 after 9 my food had still not arrived so, once again, I phoned reception who, in turn, phoned the kitchen. Within 10 minutes the kitchen informed me that nobody had told them I had returned from seeing my father die and no meal had been prepared for me. A sandwich was sent to my room instead, along with some vegetarian bitesize chunks and around four chips.

Because of this, I phoned a Chinese Takeaway and had a meal delivered. The morning after I phoned reception and asked for a minifridge, I could not eat all the Chinese food I had bought and paid for so wanted to keep it fresh so I could eat it later that day. I was informed they had no minifridges.

During my stay here, and even before I arrived, social media has been a great tool - people offering help, legal advice and even publishing agencies reaching out to me. I've been able to upload videos to show people just how frustratingly unprofessional the security staff are here and, more recently, the hotel staff at St John's Hotel, Solihull. Obviously, this is my opinion as I'm in the thick of it all.

A couple of nights ago two security staff came to my door and accused me of smoking in my room, they told me an alarm had gone off in my room which detected smoke. I gave them assurances that I was not smoking and invited them in, they declined, probably due to the fact that 'guests' in quarantine here are treated like they actually have Covid. One of the guards then 'sniffed' at my open door, as she was doing this an alarm went off in the hallway. Obviously the hotel alarm system was acting up, instead of apologizing for the inconvenience and accusation that I was smoking in my room, the same woman doubled-down and said, "You're not even allowed to open your window to smoke". She, along with her timid associate then left.

The morning after I phoned reception to send a guard up to my room so I could be escorted to an elevator. I wanted to go outside for a cigarette. A guard never came so I walked into the hallway outside my room and asked a guard who was sitting if he could radio down and get me a guard. This was the only way to communicate as, by then, reception was not answering my calls.

When I arrived downstairs, I was told they were 'busy checking new guests in to the hotel', hence the delay in sending one of the 12 or so security guards to my room.

Because I had walked into the hallway without an escort I was reported and the following day was told I was now on the 'Bad Behavioural List'. This decision was made without hearing my side of the story.

Before I left Panama I was forced to sign up to a government approved quarantine hotel, I didn't even know what hotel it would be until after I paid the £2,270. On the form I was asked if I had any dietary requirements. I noted that I had a cheese allergy, in as much that the mere sight of it makes me want to vomit.

Here's an example of the choices of food I am given at St Johns Hotel.

Before I speak more about the food here, I have some videos for you all. These videos have been posted on Facebook and links have been provided on Twitter (as Twitter only allows small video files)

The first is me requesting a bucket of ice be sent to my room to keep the takeaway fresh that I had been forced to order.

The next video shows how security staff come to my room to take me for a cigarette outside. On this day I didn't have a lighter so had to borrow one. I had to wear surgical gloves. Make note of the 'boss' of security warning me that I will get into trouble for using my phone to film. Filming is not against the law unless children are involved.

This video shows me returning to the hotel after my cigarette

Because the food isn't to my liking, my two lovely sisters put together a package for me and delivered it to the hotel, they was not allowed inside the hotel, they had to drop it off outside to a waiting security guard. They have a twisted sense of humour, just as I do, hence the three bottles of 'Corona'. Nice touch too to include a photo of me, my dad, and my partner.

The snacks above came in handy, particularly after I was served this. It was sweet and sour noodles, no meat. I threw it in the bin. To be honest, I've had better tinned spaghetti.

On another occasion, I was sent sausages in a bap for breakfast, although the appearance looked unappetizing, I was so hungry that I didn't really care what it looked like...that was, until I bit into it.

Here's another 'breakfast' - two potato fritters in a bap.

Once my story hit the front page of the Birmingham Evening Mail, the service here, which was poor at best, became worse. It now takes security staff longer to come to my room when I want a cigarette. I've been told that it's because they are 'busy'

Here's an example of that. The following was filmed because I didn't want security to tell me I had broke the rules again and to be told I have another naughty mark against me (Bad Behavioural List)

Because reception were, seemingly, busy, I popped my head outside my room door to asking the sitting security guard to send somebody up to escort me to an elevator. Notice he is not wearing a mask and puts it on after talking with me.

After about 25 minutes, reception rang my room and said they would be sending someone up. The 'boss' at reception, seemed to be annoyed with me. If anyone reading this knows his name, can you please let me know.

This morning this was delivered to my door.

Well worth the £2,270 I've been forced to pay, doncha think? Here's an example of what guests normally get to choose from at St Johns Hotel

I had to complain. Here's what happened when I did. The same reception manager took my complaint badly, it seems. I was shaking at this point. I'm beyond breaking and really don't know what to do anymore. This man knows about the Birmingham Mail article, most of the staff and security guards know about it too. They also know that I'm recently bereaved and am dealing with that bereavement in the confines of my small room. Although I raise my voice in this video, I think anyone in my position would. The 'boss' at reception' treats me like I'm something he's wiped off the bottom of his shoe, at least that's the impression I get. What do you think?

And here's what happened after I returned from having a cigarette

**Update

Because of the power of social media, A journalist just telephoned the hotel to ask to speak with me. I have now signed a contract with an agency who are going to deal with all media interest, as it is growing rapidly.

The manager of the hotel has also spoken on the phone with me this morning and has sent a proper plate and stainless steel cutlery to my room so I don't have to eat from a box with plastic utensils anymore. Further, she has kindly provided me with the use of an umbrella to use when I go outside for a cigarette. She also told me to write down and request what food I want rather than pick from the limited menu they have here. I appreciated and thanked her for showing some common sense and compassion.

It's now lunchtime and I have just been sent my sandwich of the day (Egg mayonnaise) - there's more in here than I normally get.

St John's Hotel can be followed on Twitter here

Bob Fiddaman