Gay Couple Says London Hotel Forced Them into Separate Beds

A couple from Manchester, England, says a London hotel forced them to take a room with single beds instead of the double-bed room they had booked for Saturday, London’s Telegraph reports.

Nick Hurley, 22, and Gavin Maclean, 28, had been to the theater before checking into the east London Thistle City Barbican hotel. There, they say, they were treated in a “homophobic” manner by the receptionist, who repeatedly suggested they take the single beds rather than the double bed. Finally, the receptionist told them, "’We’ll have to put you in a family room, with single beds,’" says Hurley, who later tweeted: “Homophobic receptionist at @ThistleHotels refused me & my bf our pre-booked double room. Insisted we take a "family" room w/ separate bed.”

A spokesman for the hotel told The Telegraph that he had yet to speak to the staff involved but that he apologized for the way the couple thought they had been treated.