children in a cliff top room which forced them to walk down more than 100 steps to the beach.

But Pompano Beach Club managing director Tom Lamb claimed the family snubbed an offer of a lower apartment and then caused a scene when they were told they would lose their $340 deposit.

Denis Guerin booked his family, including wife Marguerita, three-year-old son Patrick and three-month-old Margaret, for an eight-night stay at the South Shore property but left after just one night on April 25.

He is now staying at the Sonesta Beach Hotel where he has stayed previously.

Mr. Guerin said yesterday: "We could not possibly move our kids down those steps. It was a danger. We said when we made the reservation that we had babies.

"You have a duty to tell the customer there is a lot of steps. They could not have put us any higher. But they said `you are not getting your deposit back'.

We come to Bermuda every year and we love it.

"It's not a question of money, it's the principle of being fair. I am considering a law suit. But there was no negotiation or understanding. They just felt we would fall for it.'' Mr. Guerin, who is Irish but lives in New York, said the poolside apartment which was offered after the first night was still 60 to 70 steps from the beach.

However Mr. Lamb said: "This family came here without even looking at the brochure. You assume when someone calls then they have seen the brochure.

"We even gave them the chance to slide down to a pool-side apartment after the first night. And we drove them up there the first night. But he still wanted away.

"Then he exploded and made a huge scene in the lobby. He absolutely lost it and swore at me. I have never had that in the 12 years I have been a manager.'' Mr. Lamb said the hotel took a deposit for the first and last night of a stay and kept the $340 for the last night because it had lost out on six nights' business with no chance of filling the rooms at short notice.

He said: "No one is going to walk in and book those nights. We didn't do anything wrong. He is the one who left us.

"He thought by screaming and making a scene I would say here's your money. I am sorry he feels that way.

"We have lots of families with young kids all year long. We have them in the top apartment because it is a bigger suite.'' Mr. Guerin denied swearing at Mr. Lamb and said it was Mr. Lamb who had been rude in front of a lobby full of other visitors.

He added: "We did look at the brochure but there is no depiction of steps and no mention of steps. He said we could move rooms but who wants that on a vacation? It's still an inconvenient place to put young children. Isn't the customer always right? What is the point of holding on to the money?''