PAY PER VIEW
Fury as plush tourist restaurant in holiday hotspot charges guests for the view with £13 added on to bill…for each diner
Guests said they felt like they were 'tricked' by hidden charges
A PLUSH restaurant in a popular holiday hotspot charges each diner £13 on top of the bill to enjoy the incredible views.
The Italian restaurant has introduced an additional fee for tables with a view of the famous Lake Como.
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The Il Gatto Nero, once frequented by Hollywood star George Clooney, used to boast a five-star rating and high praise from guests.
But the fancy establishment was recently flooded with negative reviews from furious customers.
The diners were appalled to learn that they had been hit with a hidden charge for enjoying the views while tucking into their food.
Gatto Nero's open patio overlooking the lake is a popular choice among visitors, who are often unaware that it comes at an extra cost of £13 per person.
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The second and third rows beneath beach umbrellas offer a cheaper option for £6.80, although the view is not as good.
And as the Il Gatto Nero only takes reservations, guests only find out about the surcharge once they have already been seated and looked at the printed menu.
The restaurant came under fire for its recent "tacky" move and average customer service.
The local media claims that under its new management, Gatto Nero has now evolved into a tourist trap designed to rip off foreign visitors.
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The pricing of meals at the restaurant have also been compared by local media to those of Michelin-starred establishments in major Italian cities.
Appetisers are said to start at £20, while main meals cost £28 and above.
We went out for dinner but were stunned to find the restaurant had added bizarre hidden charge to our bill
However, the publication said that Il Gatto Nero's is by no means a premium restaurant in terms of food quality or service.
The guests were baffled by the bill and said they felt like they were "tricked" by the management.
One reviewer wrote: "Despite the restaurant already being overpriced, the owners add a cover charge of €10 per head (no warning).
"An additional charge of €15 per head for a table with a view. Basically, they take any way they can to detach you from your money."
Another commented: "This restaurant has a stunning view and beyond that is the worst restaurant I have ever been. My family and I were tricked by the owner and his crew."
Everything you need to know about visiting Italy
- Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country.
- Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in 180 days.
- Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border.
- Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance.
- Italy is one hour ahead of the UK.
- The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- Flights to Italy from the UK take between 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the destination.
A third person said: "Wonderful view and good food, unfortunately it is full of tourists and they play the game to literally get the money out of their pocket.
"I've booked a table and they didn't tell us that the 'coperto' near the balcony was just €15 per person just to sit there and all the other available tables costed €8 per person."
Someone else added: "Before I even tasted the 10 euro stale breadsticks I was ten euros deep because my table was near the window. I mean yeah the view was good, but it is everywhere in Lake Como."
The Sun has contacted the restaurant for comment.
In a similar tale, a tourist was left fuming after she was told she would have to pay an additional fee of £8.50 for a table outside.
Brits will be disappointed to learn that Spanish establishments have legal rights to charge more for seats in the shade.
One bar in Zamora charged guests every time their waiter went to their table - as well as for using cutlery.
The bar-goers receipt shows a 20 cents (17p) charge for every visit from the server, as well as a €1 (85p) charge for the cutlery.
One holidaymaker said they were also charged £17 just for staff to cut their birthday cake.
And in Italy, a woman was charged £1.70 after requesting a separate plate to share food.
We previously told how a furious foodie let rip after being charged extra just because of how he likes his eggs in the morning.
The Aussie was stunned to find they had snook in a surcharge for customers who preferred scrambled over poached or fried.
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And this plush Singapore restaurant came under fire after warning people will be slapped with a cash penalty if their kids are "screaming or uncontrolled."
Angie's Oyster Bar & Grill said they implemented the £6.26 (10SGD) surcharge following a number of complaints from diners.
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