HOTEL customers have been slapped with £100 fines for parking in the car park.

Several visitors have been hit with the penalties after parking for functions at the Marks Tey Hotel without informing the hotel’s reception.

But the hotel’s management says the parking enforcement is controlled by an outside company.

And it said after “many requests for appeals” on behalf of guests, these “have been declined”.

Carol Wiltshire, of Copford, was ticketed after parking at the hotel for four hours for a Christmas celebration hosted by her work.

She said: “It was the first time we have had a Christmas celebration out. We decided this year we would splash out.

“I went up there and was a bit late and as I pulled into the car park I saw vaguely something about permit holders.

“I wouldn’t even have dreamt it applied to general people using the hotel.”

A few days later a letter arrived at Mrs Wiltshire’s home telling her she had to pay a £100 fine for parking there.

She said: “I immediately phoned the hotel. They said it was nothing to do with them and there were signs.”

Mrs Wiltshire was allowed to park in the car park but had to inform the hotel’s reception she had parked there within ten minutes of her arrival.

Comments left on the Trip Advisor website showed others had fallen foul of the parking restrictions.

One email to Mr Wiltshire from the hotel read: “We have sent many requests for appeals on behalf of our guests and this has been declined and over the last few weeks been in negotiation with the firm controlling the car parking and these are currently on-going.

“At this stage we are unable to force their hand to cancel any parking notices.”

Mrs Wiltshire, 65, added: “I am just annoyed and I wanted to prevent this from happening to other people.

“Even the hotel could offer compensation but they have offered nothing.”

The parking is intended for guests staying at the hotel and patrons such as those using its health club.

A hotel spokesman added: “The car park management system is currently run by a third party who operate independently from the hotel.

“While the current system was implemented to ensure our hotel guests and patrons always have access to free parking, we have been made aware of those that have been experiencing issues.”