I write this on the back of a review i read from Z A about the arndale centre manchester hotel chocolat, altho i think it was a review about the entire company than the store.
i have to agree. it is a terrible, scam like company. they have created a mental brand that makes you feel part of a exclusive group of chocolate drinkers. they do this because the masses are stupid, but they dont care about taking the money.
the product is rubbish to be honest. the company even worse. the staff are like trained zoo animals, trained to keep on getting on their hind paws and acting extra extra happy, but always sneaky about what your rights are. they try to deceive you to their benefit.
they tell you you can return in 28 days of ordering. with this company you have to ask is that ordering or receiving. they wont tell you? do xmas bank holidays etc count towards this limit? what they do not tell u is if it is a gift, u cant get ur money back. i agree with the other reviewer this is theft. they also dont tell u that if u open the box u return window goes down to 14 days. they dont tell u this as u live with the idea it is 28 days only to be left down
spoke to a trained whatever u wanna call it thru the chat function yesterday. the customer rep identified as abbie. she said if the box is opened u can return within 14 days, followed by 'sorry for the disappointment'. it is like they are out to trap you once they have your money, and leave you with the idea 'well its tough'. this is more true than their mass marketed '100% happiness guarantee', 'and we will do everything we can to make you happy'. this is the biggest lie the company states.
scam like people, training the staff in this scam. the chocolate is absolutely nothing special, it just manages to get less than intelligent people to think they are drinking something great. dont be fooled by the newspaper reviews, these are most likely paid for, and are therefore more marketing than reviews.
tbh photos of the owners thru an online search do show them up as unsavoury characters. they may get rich, but misfortune can strike the families of people who live off other peoples unhappiness, or create a false happiness thru mass marketing of stuff that should not cost very much at all.
also they tell u to email them at support or help @hotelchoc, they dont reply. they also make sure reviews like these are not posted on their website. clearly checking and filtering what is on their website is part of the 100% happiness guarantee nonsense they bark on about.
thats what they are like. hence am posting here.
rubbish ethics, accompanied by rubbish owners, accompanied by trained pets. this is hotel chocolat.
there are reviews on mumsnet that says this too:
Hotel chocolat- I just don't get it?
30/05/2022 12:07
So I was was in the shopping centre and thought I would treat myself to a small pack (the three for 12 pound size packs)
I have never before tasted chocolate with such a cheap oily aftertaste.
30/05/2022 12:09
Totally agree - overpriced and very average chocolate.
30/05/2022 12:10
Yep, I agree. Someone bought me one of their advent calendars a couple of years ago. The chocolates were awful.
30/05/2022 12:21
I agree. Galaxy and Cadburys is better and cheaper.
30/05/2022 12:23
I don't like their chocolate. I've never understood the appeal.
30/05/2022 12:25
I agree, it all just tastes a bit greasy and is vastly overpriced for what it is.
30/05/2022 12:32
their chocolate taste a cheap advent calendar
30/05/2022 12:33
It's not fancy stuff. Just marketed well.
30/05/2022 12:36
It's just over hyped rubbish
30/05/2022 12:43
The product is certainly nothing special
30/05/2022 12:45
Agree. My heart sank when I opened a big box of HC chocolates for my birthday. I gave them away. I think it's horrible
24/11/2012 19:57
Never had it...this stuff is a triumph of marketing over substance....
24/11/2012 20:00
I think they are shockingly expensive. I bought some for a friend as part of a birthday gift and when I asked what she thought of them - not much - was the answer!
08/09/2022 16:18
I got one for Christmas last year and was excited to use it but it turned out to be quite a disappointment tbh. It doesn't make a great hot chocolate imo, very little flavour and thin consistency with no foam top....I can make a much better hot chocolate using a £5 electric whisk. Definitely not worth buying!
the list goes on and on.....these reviews are all on mumsnet (I cannot post links here).
i definitely agree with the last comment. the velvetiser..what does it even do for £100? nothing to be honest. apart from being a heater and adding in a few bubbles. its still liquidy and thin.
they ask you to email their help email and they will soooooo help you.
they dont even reply. they hide behind the act they have manufactured.
save your money. research some real chocolate instead, and more importantly give your money to a company who cares about you being happy. read more