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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give a family run Hotel a Poor Review

568 replies

MistressMia · 30/04/2016 09:55

I stayed at a family run hotel earlier this week in the Midlands and while on the whole it was a nice place a few things bugged me, notably the vegetarian / vegan option or lack off.

It was only 1 night with breakfast included.

Perhaps I'm just too used to London standards, but it really amazes me that things like soya milk / soya yoghurt are not available as standard.

I'm not fully vegan, but haven't drunk milk for ages now, so couldn't have the breakfast cereals.

The hot breakfast consisted of bacon / eggs / beans / mushrooms & grilled tomato. I don't eat eggs. Don't usually have a problem as used to having the option of hash browns. and other veggie alternatives.

AIBU unreasonable to expect establishments to fully cater for those with different diets ? It really peeves me off, considering the charge is the same and veg options don't cost more.

OP posts:
AndTakeYourPenguinWithYou · 30/04/2016 13:41

hash browns cooked in pig fat

Why would you cook hash browns in "pig fat"? Confused They'll either be deep fried in a veg or sunflower oil, or baked or grilled. No pig fat to be found.

LittleHouseOnTheShelf · 30/04/2016 13:42

If you are a vegan then you should tell them when you book, YABU to expect them to have vegan meals available if you don't.

AndTakeYourPenguinWithYou · 30/04/2016 13:42

I've already answered. The bacon, sausages etc that I'm not eating costs far more than this soya milk

That doesn't answer the question, which was on food waste, not on wastage COSTS.

notamummy10 · 30/04/2016 13:43

I wouldn't give them a bad review as you've already mentioned it was a nice place to stay, I'd give them constructive feedback (that's what businesses tend to like so they can improve).

ScreenshottingIsNotJournalism · 30/04/2016 13:44

I've already answered. The bacon, sausages etc that I'm not eating costs far more than this soya milk

jez, you really don't get it! bacon doesn't go to waste if you don't order it because it'll be eaten by one of tomorrows guest. Soya milk that may or may not be used for weeks on end goes to waste.

Besides, most vegans these days just don't drink any milk at all, and of the dairy free milks, soya is so "out".. since you're making out how thoroughly modern your tastes are..

Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2016 13:46

A local tearooms sell Flapjacks. They are suitable for vegans so they put a sign up. They stopped selling any. As soon as they took the sign down they started selling out again. So people do try.

BillBrysonsBeard · 30/04/2016 13:47

Being vegetarian or vegan is niche though, next time just phone ahead or bring your own. Hotels won't lose much custom by not having extra options as they are providing for the majority, and most of the small number of veges will just eat the non-meat offerings.

Effendi · 30/04/2016 13:51

Best thread this week.
I'm visiting London in a few weeks from furrin parts. I have no special dietary requirements sadly.

LittleHouseOnTheShelf · 30/04/2016 13:52

Evans They should, I mean less bean eaters means less money spent on air fresheners.

roundaboutthetown · 30/04/2016 13:52

If they cater for weddings, etc, I expect they are used to people bothering to tell them if they can't or won't eat mainstream things like dairy products. You would, after all, be a colossal idiot not to inform caterers of the specific and varied dietary requirements of your wedding guests... On that basis, I think YABU to think they should have soya milk, lactose free cow's milk, almond milk, etc, etc on tap, but should certainly feel free to judge if you alerted them to your specific needs and they told you they could not cater for them...

Bogeyface · 30/04/2016 13:56

I live in the midlands and I have a great idea.

Why dont you stay in London because clearly you lack the imagination to travel anywhere that doesnt have your every need catered for without any consideration, compromise or effort on your part.

The rest of the UK would thank you for this.

Noodledoodledoo · 30/04/2016 14:00

I agree with the rest YABU - you needed to be proactive and either choose to tell them (even with little warning 24 hour supermarkets do exist outside of London), or provide your own alternatives.

If they are catering for dairy free options its not just Soya people go for - its a whole range of possible milks, Almond, Oat, Rice, Soya, Lacto free. Do you expect them to provide all plus additional yogurts as well? - would you have been happy with any of these or do you only have Soya - I have friends who only have Oat but its not run of the mill so most places don't have it.

Re choices - you have restricted your options - what else would you like them to have offered for the hot breakfast choices - a hash brown is not standard anywhere in the country - had plenty of breakfasts in London without one.

I am fussy how I have my eggs - I don't moan about this when they only offer in a way I don't like them I just either eat it how it is, request not to have it, or ask if they will switch.

Perhaps you need to be more organised in your bookings and book earlier into establishments that meet your expectations, maybe look for some nice Vegan B&B's - there must be a market for them!

Original poster
MistressMia · 30/04/2016 14:01

Being vegetarian or vegan is niche though

And this was the only reason why I mentioned London, because it certainly isn't niche around here.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2016 14:03

My brother lives in London I will ask him when I see him if it's niche in his parts. Grin

MuttonCadet · 30/04/2016 14:04

But which part of London?

I'm betting the part in Essex.

AndTakeYourPenguinWithYou · 30/04/2016 14:06

And this was the only reason why I mentioned London, because it certainly isn't niche around here

It is, there are just a lot more people there so niches are bigger. It's still a tiny minority of the population of London.
You self select where you go based on your own tastes, so you overestimate how well served the vegan population is. If you had actually gone looking in Birmingham for vegan and vegetarian places and places that cater to them as well as others, you would find there are a great number of them. You went to a hotel that didn't have soy milk, which was as likely to happen in London.

Original poster
MistressMia · 30/04/2016 14:10

Why dont you stay in London because clearly you lack the imagination to travel anywhere that doesnt have your every need catered for without any consideration, compromise or effort on your part

I find this kind of attitude astonishing. A hotel or restaurant is in business to provide a service and make money. By tailoring their offering to appeal to as a wide a variety of market segments surely makes good business sense.

OP posts:
woollyminded · 30/04/2016 14:10

Maybe I'm just used t'northern standards but I went to that London once and the BnB had no barm cakes, fat rascals or tattie scones. They even tried to pass off an Ulster fry as 'English breakfast' but I wasn't falling for that. Nearly fainted by lunch time. Shan't be going back.

curren · 30/04/2016 14:11

How do you expect a family run hotel to cater for all dietary requirements?

Can you at least answer that?

Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2016 14:12

That's disgusting woolly I hope you gave them a rubbish review on TA.

Original poster
MistressMia · 30/04/2016 14:14

I didn't say all I said wide variety.

Again veggie / vegan food is not exclusively consumable and appealing to vegetarians and vegans only

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2016 14:16

Well the flapjack thing tells a different story OP.

BirthdayBetty · 30/04/2016 14:16

woolly that's shocking Grin

mateysmum · 30/04/2016 14:16

OP When you went to have breakfast, did you ask the hotel staff then if they could supply soya milk? Perhaps they had some, but don't routinely put it out as there is little demand for it.
YABU, but if you did not even ask the restaurant staff at the time if they had some, then you are being VVVU.
Vegan is very niche. Veggie less so, but there were plenty of veggie options available.
Anyway, hopefully lesson learnt OP and next time when you go to the outer darkness beyond the M25 think ahead.

EssentialHummus · 30/04/2016 14:17

By tailoring their offering to appeal to as a wide a variety of market segments surely makes good business sense.

Notwithstanding that they would've likely catered for you if you'd only bloody asked, it makes far more business sense to cater for the majority. Lower costs, less items to stock, less faffing over what products can be prepared together.