A businessman has described the “nightmare” UK quarantine hotel he stayed in which cost him £1,750 for an 11-night stay.
Simon Baird, had flown out to Dubai at the beginning of the year on business and had only expected to be there for a short while.
However, he ended up remaining in Dubai until June when he had to return to the UK because his mother was having an operation, reports the Nottingham Post.
The United Arab Emirates is on the Government’s red list countries which means any arrivals from there are required to stay in a Government-mandated hotel for 10 days at a cost of £1,750.
Mr Baird began his stint in isolation upon his arrival in the UK on Saturday, June 19 at 11.45am, and described the conditions in the President Hotel in Russell Square , London, as a "nightmare".
"It took me nine hours to get from the airport to the hotel," he said.
"The hypocrisy of it is there was no social distancing on the coach or the airport. I am in a room with two single beds and no chair. I have moved the beds apart so I can do some sit-ups.
"I waited five hours for them to let me outside yesterday for exercise and fresh air. They have got a security team of 120 people and outside my room there is a security guard to the right and one to the left.
"It is a nightmare. It is frustrating.
"I looked at it online and I thought it would be something like what it said on the Government website. I was thinking I could cope with that.
"It cost £1,750 including food, but I am having to buy food in a delivery from Tesco and Sainsbury's to get some bits and bobs."
Mr Baird said the food was perhaps better in a prison, explaining he was given three pieces of chicken and some rice for dinner on June 21, while he said "unsurprisingly" he did not eat his breakfast which consisted of three mushrooms, a "block of omelette" and some baked beans on the morning of June 22.
He added he had been spending an additional £15 to £20 on takeaways and shopping due to the poor quality of the meals, some of which were cold.
A spokesman for Imperial London Hotels, which manages The President Hotel, said he has "no comment" in response to Mr Baird's stay.
