A FOUR-star hotel in the Conwy Valley providing emergency accommodation to asylum seekers whilst their applications are processed has been branded as "wholly inappropriate".

Hotel guests at the Hilton Garden Inn at Adventure Parc Snowdonia in Dolgarrog have had their stays cancels. There appears to be no availability for rooms in early 2023 on the website.

Robin Millar, MP for Aberconwy, believes there are 86 people in residence at the hotel but says it could go up to 100. Less than 10 are Albanians.

Mr Millar said: "Originally the thought was they were all Albanian. They have come from Manston in Kent. They are all male but there are only very few of them. There are a lot of different nationalities there. They are not in family units and we don't believe there is any children.

"They have come from Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, there are some Afghans. There is a long list of different countries they have come from [the asylum seekers]. There are some from Egypt."

Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, leader of Conwy County Borough Council, said: "We were not given advance notice that the Home Office intended to accommodate people at the Hilton Garden Hotel in Dolgarrog. We have been making enquiries about the arrangements.

“The Council and North Wales Emergency Services are working together to ensure appropriate measures are put in place by the Home Office to support the interests of individuals and the local community.

“Conwy has welcomed many people to the county in recent times, including those fleeing the war in Ukraine, however throughout that time we have been clear that this particular rural location is wholly inappropriate to house vulnerable people.”

Mr Millar has raised a number of concerns about the location of the site.

He said: "It is a hotel not a detention centre. It is isolated and unsupported by the appropriate services.

“I am also very concerned about the lack of notice, the poor communication and - most of all - the impact on communities in Dolgarrog and along Dyffryn Conwy."

Mr Millar has contacted Robert Jenrick, Minister of State (Minister for Immigration) as well as the owner of the hotel for more information. He has also spoken to Amanda Blakeman who was recently named the region's new chief constable.

During a Q&E with the politician on Facebook on Monday night, some residents voiced that schools in the village and surrounding areas have put up fences [prior to this news being communicated].

Mr Millar believed it is not linked to the asylum seekers staying at the hotel.

He said: "Nobody knew this was coming and no one knew this was happening. Certainly no one in a position that was able to buy fences for the schools."

Janet Finch-Saunders, MS for Aberconwy, has sent a letter to Suella Braverman, Secretary of State for the Home Department.

She has claimed there is about 200 asylum seekers staying at the hotel.

The Pioneer has been making attempts to contact the Hilton Garden Inn.

Hilton EMEA Press Office told the Pioneer the hotel had informed them it is closed to the public to support a Government contract. They added they do not own or operate the property, which is run via a franchise agreement.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.

“The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6million a day. The use of hotels is a short-term solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation.”

The Home Office would not comment on operational arrangements for the individual site.

The spokesperson added that the Home Office engage with local authorities “as early as possible” whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation and work to ensure arrangements are “safe” for hotel residents and people from the area.