Basil Fawlty-style hotel owner 'locked up guests'

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A Basil Fawlty style hotel owner is being investigated by police after locking his guests inside following a series of complaints.

Manager Anello Aiello, 68, faces possible kidnapping charges after locking in guests who complained about poor service including unchanged sheets and poor quality meals.

Aiello reportedly announced: "Right that's it. I've had enough - no-one is leaving," and promptly locked the front reception.

The incident took place at the Villa Pinuccia hotel on the Italian island of Ventotene, about 40 miles off the coast of Naples, and involved 80 people including small children.

Trouble began when guests returned and discovered sheets in the bedrooms had not been changed and bathrooms were left untidy. There were more complaints about the quality of the evening meal.

Guest Pierlugi Lanzoni said: "All I said to the owner was that it wasn't good enough and we weren't happy with the service. The next thing he was shouting he'd had enough and then he locked the doors. He said no-one was going to leave."

Police spokesman Marco De Martino said the owner wouldn't open the doors of the hotel when officers first arrived.

He said: "It took them a lot of persuading to get him to open up but eventually he did.

"Under Italian law, as all of the guests made official complaints that they had been held against their will, we have had to open a kidnapping file on the case.''

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