We arrived with children in the cold and rain outside the hotel at 9.24 pm - admittedly late due to unforeseen heavy traffic through Belgium and in appalling weather and driving conditions. The hotel was closed: there were no staff at the hotel , no provided emergency number / no message provided for us despite we’d paid almost £200 for the night in advance. We phoned the hotel number about 15 times - no answer. A resident upstairs in the building heard us and kindly spoke to us and showed us a copy of the check in notice which said the hotel was open for check ins until 4.45 pm - this contrasted with the published check in closure time of 9 pm. We were left abandoned looking for another hotel - finally found a welcome at Michel and friends around 11 pm. On return to Horchem the following morning, the front door was still closed . We could not enter still and again were abandoned outdoors. There were no staff, again no message for us, no breakfast. Only a note on the door for a courier to drop a parcel. No effort was made by the hotel to contact us or check in on us or our welfare during the whole experience. It was a shockingly poor welcome and clear taking of our money under false pretences. Such a pity as the hotel from outside looks really beautiful.