I pitched up in early January on one of the windiest nights of the year. I hail from Blighty so like to think I have modest expectations. The hotel setting is beautiful and I was expecting so much.....and how underwhelmed I became. I also must state i co-own an award winning inn in Woodstock Vermont so I do have high expectations.
The staff were all personable and tried hard but plainly were not encouraged to make many decisions. I had booked a dinner bed & breakfast package in a top room (the Lowther) at 230 quid....I now reflect that this represents poor value.
My room was tired, the furniture a mish mash, the breeze through the original windows was terrible. They had placed 2 additional fan heaters in the room so plainly the cold situation was not new to them. The bathroom had been refitted and could have been impressive....but the filler handle on the bath came apart in my hand, which illustrates poor maintenance. The bedroom was not luxurious, the sofa uncomfortable and the room had no clock. I asked for one and a very efficient member of staff managed to get me a massive wall clock for the room, plainly taken off the wall of the office or alike. However 10 out 10 for initiative!
The bed was tired with the mattress being too used, but the duvet was warm and I like a cool room, which was good as the wind blew the curtain all night long and in the morning the room was fresh to put it mildly.
I toddled off to the health club, which offered so much potential, but again the mens dressing room was tatty, with hand written notices about a scalding shower, and plaster peeling....not the sophistication I was hoping for. The steam room did the business and pool was clean...but I was disappointed. The very jolly health club manager was most impressed that I was in the 'honeymoon suite' by myself....my feeling was that had I taken my bride to the Lowther suite we would have had a quick divorce!
I enquired about using the internet on the house computer in the lobby area, as I had left my laptop in the US. Certainly the duty receptionist replied but there is a 3.50 charge if you don't use the free wi-fi that is available for your own machine! This to me is just plain stupid and also takes the piss.....why charge at all???? If McDonalds can give you free wi-fi why in heavens name is a 4 star hotel going to charge you to use the helpfully provided in-house computer?????
Onto a pint before dinner, again the staff were friendly........and I discover the restaurant is closed. The bar area had a few tables laid up with candles and the staff had tried to make it welcoming, but it was like a bar area with tables and the place was like a funeral parlour.....little positive movement! I sank a pint, read the papers and decided to seek some life in a village pub.....so asked to be removed from the dinner service as there were just 2 travelling salesmen ( a profession I used to do and I no longer need to have dinners in a morgue for one....) sitting down for supper. More onto this charging issue later.....
I return to the hotel after a fish supper in the local village and toddle off to my 'cool' in the sense of cold room for the night.
A new day dawns...the wind still blows and the curtains still move so I bathe and off to breakfast I go. A very personable breakfast manager 'meeted and greeted' me, and took my order. To say my kipper was underwhelming would be a compliment to the producer. It was a kipper fillet reminiscent of a 'boil in the bag' type. It was however warm and had some taste...but my hope a fresh grilled kipper was not achieved. Maybe I was expecting too much for a 4 star hotel? I could only see strawberry jam on the self service counter so I asked for a small portion of marmalade.......... off the ever helpful manager goes, I hear doors open, see him return and disappear to another cupboard....and then go off in a fresh direction for he was a man not to be beaten....BUT...he returns about 5 minutes later and very apologetically says 'they must have run out over Christmas and have not got any'. This is an honest answer...and I commend him for being frank....but in a four star hotel in Blighty to not have ANY marmalade reflects I feel on having poor supply management.
On checkout I was credited with one dinner @17.50, after I raised the issue ...but I had booked a room for two even though I was a single traveller. I noted my dissatisfaction on the ubiquitous survey that followed my stay, and Stuart the new manager, who in all fairness has only just taken over the running of the hotel (in addition to his own hotel in Troon) replied quickly. I followed up his note with a request for a refund on the additional dinner that I had not taken. After 10 days I had heard nowt so I wrote to Stuart, who quickly apologised and stated that they had indeed refunded 17.50 for dinner as i requested, but no one had informed me.
200 quid a night....no way!
Stuart...good luck in fixing the place! read more