HOLIDAYMAKERS seeking the sights and sounds of Walthamstow are being warned not to fall foul of a phantom guesthouse.

Scamsters are advertising the bogus B&B on two web sites accompanied by favourable reviews of the “perfect” 14-room accomodation with in “15 minutes of the West End”.

The advert shows a large semi-detached house in a leafy suburb and offers rooms priced between £38 and £80.

It is described as one of “north London’s best family guesthouses” and boasts a restaurant, bar and “golf nearby”.

“Sycamore Guesthouse” has also attracted rave reviews after being posted online.

Anonymous, who stayed one night during a business trip, added: "Perfect, very good hospitailty, good room and host."

But the address provided, in Church Hill, consists of split-level flats occupied by private tenants.

The creaters of guesthouse, which has its own website at www.sycamore-guesthouse.com and is advertised on Lodgingworld, are now being investigated by Trading Standards Christine Convey, 57, a customer service manager at Whipps cross Universit hospital, lives in one of the flats.

She said: "I haven't been contacted by anyone looking for a room and I certainly haven't had anyone knocking on my door carrying suitcases."

When asked what she thinks of the people who set up the scam, She said: "Don't get me started. They come up with all kind of ways to take your money."

The phone number listed on the hotel's website connects calls to an orthodontist in Earlsfield, south-west London.

Melissa Collis, the practice manager, said she has been receiving calls from holidaymakers since November 2006, when she opened her practice.

She added the police contacted her on Tuesday, March 17, to warn her the hotel may be a scam.

"I keep trying to contact the owners of the website to tell them the wrong number is on the site. I don't know what more I can do," she said.

Ann Corrigon, deputy chief executive of charity the Institute of Hospitality, urged guests to book with an established hotel chain in order not to get ripped off.

She added: "Check if the hotel is listed on more than one website. If it isn't then it's likely not to be that reputable. Call to check if your room is reserved and use websites like visit London who would vet hotels before listing them."