We have just returned from a 12 day holiday. We stayed here last year (my husband and myself) but there are some aspects of this hotel are barely recognisable now. I will begin with the positives as not is bad. The hotel setting is beautiful, very close to the sea, the extensive grounds are kept tidy and well maintained and the communal areas are kept immaculately clean. There are fresh flowers and greenery throughout these areas which are replaced as and when required.
Our room,165, was kept clean and tidy every day, towels changed daily and the bed linen was changed twice. However our daughter and her family were not so fortunate. The balcony was never swept nor the cobwebs removed. The wall tiles which had fallen on the floor were never disturbed and the cobwebs were full of flies. On the 7th day my daughter told Reception that there were ants on her balcony (3rd floor) but nothing was done. Two days later there were hundreds of ants in the room, on the floor and on and in the beds. My granddaughter’s pillow was covered. Reception immediately sent a cleaner who sprayed the room and balcony floor, thoroughly cleaned the room and at our request changed the sheets.(The bed linen had not been changed prior to this because on the first day my daughter noticed a cigarette burn on one of the pillowslips and that was still there). The ants returned 2 days later, fewer yet still noticeable.
The food is ok. There is a variety of hot and cold food. Trays replenished as and when necessary and meat is cooked thoroughly and remained warm throughout. However it does get repetitive. Vegetarians have very little choice - plain pasta,most sauces contain meat or fish, potatoes and vegetables but even then they were often mixed with meat.Do NOT be misled by the advert for the Grill Night showing a beefsteak. The Grill Night is just what you get in the restaurant chicken, pork fish with its head on and very over cooked cabbage. Combine this with sitting at an outside table along side smokers does not make for a pleasant meal. At the beginning of the dining queue are the stacks of plates many of these have chips or cracks. If a guest places a damaged plate on the side a member of staff puts it back on the pile. Serving bowls were similarly damaged and many glasses used in the dining room and bar area are often chipped.
The outside seating area is kept tidy, empty glasses and full ashtrays are removed and replaced every few minutes. However there is no designated non-smoking area outside. The Manager says they have to consider the comfort of their smoking guests so presumably the comfort and health of children and non-smokers is of no relevance.
The beach is a minute’s walk from the hotel. However it consists of boulders, rocks some of which are very slippy and pebbles which continue into the sea. A major concern with the beach is the amount of broken glass scattered on the pebbles and rocks. This does not just apply to the beach belonging to the hotel but continues around the bay.
The majority of the staff are polite, kind and helpful, especially the ladies who work in the dining room and bar. However it is on the subject of staff that leads me to my biggest complaint. It is something that made me very angry but also saddened that this could be said in the present day. On the last evening at dinner my granddaughter went to fetch drinks for the family. There was an empty tray so she filled 5 glasses. A waiter said she couldn’t use the tray(possibly hotel policy?) so she asked if he could help her carry the glasses to the table but he said no(not his job?). So she replied she would take 2 and come back for the rest. At this point the waiter poured 3 drinks away and said the family would have to fetch their own. My granddaughter said two of her family were disabled and one an OAP to which the waiter responded “if they can’t fetch their own they will have to go without.” Surely this cannot be hotel policy towards disabled guests?
I welcome the Manager’s response and explanation why my family was treated this way.
