Dreadful.....and don't risk complaining to the "Operations Manager" or he is likely to shout/argue or insult you....and do so in front of children!
My recent stay, with my 9 year old daughter at the Crown Spa Hotel in Scarborough was quite extraordinary.....it was so bad! Masquerading as Scarborough's premier hotel, the Crown Spa's operations manager yelled over to reception that they should immediately give us our bill (which I took to be a demand to leave) after I dared complain following a horrible over-night stay and disgusting breakfast experience. The previous evening my daughter wanted some supper....we absolutely sat down in time, last hot food orders are 9.30pm, I was served flat champagne in a dirty glass while we looked at menu. Even after a wait (due to being ignored for what passes for service), the timing of our first bill receipt proves we sat down well within time. At 9.31pm they told me that the chef had gone home. We should have followed his example.
My daughter who had wanted hot pasta was told there were only cold sandwiches available. She declined. So much for available food at The Top-Rated AA Hotel on the Yorkshire coast. Whatever happened to decent room service. Not only was no hot food available in the entire hotel after 9.30pm but they didn't even have a packet of crisps at the bar.
Not liking the sound of any of the cold sandwiches on offer, we retired hungry to a bedroom which became increasingly hot as the night progressed as I see others have also reported on Tripadvisor. Why was that? The radiator was switched off and it had not been a particularly warm day in Scarborough. Very odd. Perhaps that's why we found, the following morning, that the shower only had two temperatures...cold and freezing....as also reported by other guests on Tripadvisor.
Arriving in the sea-view bedroom the previous day, I noticed a dirty teddy bear on the bed, an experience also mentioned re this hotel on Tripadvisor. Heavens knows where the bear had been. In many hotels, clean, new bears are gifts for children however at the Crown Spa it is available to buy for £9.99. I wouldn't have it for nothing. Also on the bed were rolled up towels. The Crown Spa Hotel boasts on it's website (where we booked) that it is the only 4 Star hotel in Scarborough and the TOP AA-rated hotel on the Yorkshire coast, which is why I booked. No top rated hotel leaves towels for their guests rolled up on the beds.....that's what one expects at a DHSS rooming house of which there are quite a number to be found in down-at-heel holiday resorts which, sadly, Scarborough has clearly become......a relic of the grandeur of its' past when Max Jaffa performed daily at the Spa open-air theatre.....and the Royal Hotel, with its' Hollywood connection, reigned supreme. It was clear to me that the staff at the Crown Spa were badly trained locals with barely a clue about the hospitality industry....along with a sprinkling of rude East Europeans....one of whom I saw kick open a bedroom door. Another, carrying a tray (it seems someone was going to be on the receiving end of what passes for room service) pushed past us, into the lift, much to my astonishment, whereupon the doors immediately closed before my daughter and I could enter. We had been politely waiting for the lift having called it before this employee pushed past us.
Ignored again on arrival at reception point at breakfast as three waiters blanked us as just the two of us waited to be seated, we were taken to a table laid with some filthy cutlery. I walked to the buffet area for cereal and the top bowl in the pile was encrusted with old food. I lifted it to find that the bowl underneath was equally filthy at which point I pointed this out to a passing waitress who watched as I uncovered a further four dirty bowls before finding a rare, clean one. The waitress apologised, the only apology I received during my entire stay and asked for my room number.
On leaving breakfast I decided to inform the management of our Crown Spa Hotel experience. May I see a duty manager I asked the receptionist. What do you want to see him about I was asked. On explaining that I wished to complain, some seats were pointed out where I was instructed to go and sit, like a naughty schoolboy.
Along came the duty manager, in his shirt sleeves. On seeing his demeanour and expression, I immediately explained that while I had a complaint to make, I did not want anything deducting off my bill nor any other benefit. I then started with the shower, which the Operations Manager who has commented on posts below, turned into an argument. This manager believes that if you have a faulty shower it can be repaired by the hotel in two to three minutes and he had a go at me when I admitted that I had not called reception for help. In fact no hotel can repair a faulty shower within 2 3 minutes. Just telephoning reception, having them answer and explaining the problem can take that long, then you are put read more