to ask for money off for a crap B&B stay???

[Poohbah]

I didn't get it though.....

Basically I paid £300 for a three night stay at a B&B (double room) in cornwall which was advertised as a family friendly hotel with a swimming pool and tennis courts.

The room was okay but had stained walls, a broken window, no decent view, poor products, no hair dryer, poor/non existent room service, a rickety stool which my son fell off and ended up with cut face.

The swimming pool was warm but the bottom was dirty and all the buoyancy aids were horrible and the roof leaked when it rained and there were garden snails inside the pool shed and it needed painting. The tennis courts were covered in childrens ride on toys which sounds great but the wire fencing was falling down so therefore dangerous to a four year to go near. It was all shabby and sad.

Also the owner made my son cry when he when in a room only designated for adults, although we didn't realise it as it had a billiards table in it so thought it safe for him to go there. Odd because he doesn't usually cry when told off by random others - I didn't hear what /how she told him off though. I asked for £80 off as the place was so horrible but the owners (a husband and wife) ganged up and basically barred my way out of the hotel until I paid up, stating that "This is cornwall" so what did I expect...I told them exactly what I expected but then they became quite horrible. I was there alone with my son and the place had no mobile reception so I caved in.

[bottyburpthebarbarian]

IAGTBF - that's how I read it, that the OP felt she'd wasted money by having booked a room for 2 adults and then she came by herself

[LucyLouLou]

Referring to the OP's personal life in any way was grossly unprofessional and seemed to have been said in a manner to offer an excuse as to why the B&B weren't to blame for the upset. That was disgraceful. The OP's personal life should never have entered this forum unless she offered it up herself.

Frankly, the way the B&B have responded on this thread is excuse after excuse after excuse. I see only arbitrary (at best) acceptance of any responsibility for wrong doing on the part of the owners, and while I acknowledge the OP may have exaggerated to some extent, the B&B's response speaks volumes. They can't take criticism and they seem incapable of seeing complaints for what they are....an opportunity to see where improvements can be made.

Sorry, but I'm still buying the OP's story a bit more.

[bottyburpthebarbarian]

But Lucy if the OP had all those complaints, and I'm not for one second saying whether they were or were not genuine, then she would have been better to raise them at the time?

As far as the personal life of the OP, I didn't take it that way, maybe I'm too naive.

[fabsoopergroovy]

"location - we are in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty (ANOB), beautiful countryside and lovely local villages"

and there are plenty of other as good as and much better, as cheap as and much cheaper B&B's to choose from.

Go elsewhere - customer service means alot - one bad experience is enough for me.

[jenniejennie]

The B&B owner has been terribly unprofessional by saying that the other guests were slagging the OP off as well when she left. Shocking customer service.

OMG they do weddings www.weddingsincornwall.com

Not sure I would want to let the B&B owners be in charge of my wedding!

[bottyburpthebarbarian]

Jennie - did she actually say other guests were slagging the OP off though?

I think both parties are het up and annoyed and the whole experience needs a line drawing under it for the sake of everyones blood pressure.

[fabsoopergroovy]

Wringford - beware the mystery shopper - at ALL times .

[Marchpane]

I just don't understand why the B&B owner would be engaging in this public spat? It's just not the way to deal with a customer service issue.

I'd think the time would be better spent purchasing a couple of hairdryers to improve the guest experience.

[jenniejennie]

She didnt explicitly state the guests were slagging the OP off but they tried to imply this

"I think I am allowed to say that as she stormed out she called me a b----,
and other guests heard her. It would be intersting for you to hear what other guests said about her as she left...."


This is a very unprofessional comment and I would not expect anyone to say this about a customer. Customers are often unhappy, it is the service providers job to rise above it, apologise, try to get useful feedback to stop it happening again and to do what they can to resolve the issue.

Lack of politeness on the B&B owners part makes them look like they do not care about unhappy customers.

[CerealOffender]

this is why i camp, i can bear b&bs.

[jenniejennie]

Argos value hairdryer - A snip at £3.97!

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4428262/Trail/searchtext%3EHAIRDRYER.htm

[Wringford]

If I do not reply - you think I dont care,
If I do reply, I am making excuses.

I have simply tried to answer all of the issues raised, as honestly as possible.

I am not "slagging off" a guest, though everyone seem to be doing so to me.

I would have liked you to understand how difficult the guest was as she left (no problem at all until then), I dont think I can really elaborate without being accused of "slagging off".

The cost of £300 is a minimum charge, in August in a king size room we have a minimum occupancy of 2 adults, we would not have let the room to 1 adult. the child had an extra bed for which no charge was made.

Does no one care that the guest tried to blackmail me, and wrote very innacurate things on the internet? I am beginning to wish I had just given her £80, but I think she wpould have posted the review anyway!

I suggest that you come and see for yourselves.

[bottyburpthebarbarian]

Like I said, I think a line needs drawn under the whole experience.

This pulling apart of two sides to a story is achieving nothing.

[cumfy]

You should remember where the balance of "power" and observation is. LL is in s* here too; so long as he ends up getting secure income and a property in 1 piece he is vv likely to be happy.


In my view it is principally a matter of communication; physically you appear to have little choice.

[cumfy]

eeek
wrong forum:
please ignore last post

[laurely]

I think the truth is also somewhere in the middle here


I would be interested to hear if the OP DID refer to the owner as a bitch though?

[BlackBess]

Discounted stay in Cornwall? Someone should take Wringford up on it. Seems unfair that this debate rages when nobody knows apart from the OP and the establishment. Patricia has been there but that was 2yrs ago so who knows.

The establishment has made the offer so someone should book.

[bottyburpthebarbarian]

If I didn't live in Northern Ireland I would go!!

Everyone needs to remember, Wringford isn't a 5 star hotel - its a B&B with some extra facilities

(Wringford - that's not meant as a criticism btw)

[alicet]

I'd be up for it if I didn't live in Newcastle!!!

[LucyLouLou]

I quite agree that the OP should've raised complaints as and when they came up and of course this reduces somewhat the credibility of her side of things, but the terribly unprofessional way the B&B have dealt with the complaints is still the kicker for me. You do not refer to the personal lives of guests in public and you do not say how guests were talked about after their stay, no matter the reasons for doing so. I don't think this even comes near to blackmail either and the fact that the B&B are probably exaggerating (with 'buzzwords') their take on things is extremely telling. I'm not sure I fully believe one side of this over the other, but I do know I would never stay somewhere who dealt with complaints so unprofessionally.

[laydeecornyofsilke]

Wringford did you block the OP's way out of the hotel as she left? Where was her child as this went on? Wonder what the onlookers thought about that!

[LucyLouLou]

That said, OP what's your response now? That would be quite interesting to hear.

[laydeecornyofsilke]

Lucyloulou - I agree. To accuse the OP of blackmail is not nice.

[laydeecornyofsilke]

also looking at the prices shouldn't the OP have only paid less than £300 for a 3 night stay?

[bottyburpthebarbarian]

I think, as I've said before, that the B&B could've handled the complaints better.

I also think, and have also said before, that the OP should've raised complaints/concerns at the time and not just on check out.

I think there won't be a resolution to this one though, because none of us were there.