To be disappointed that I may not have lunch on Christmas Day?

[Mogs43]

I have booked to stay a week at a nice hotel over Christmas (my father died so I will be alone). I booked full board , which I never normally do, and it was very expensive (over £1,500) but its a treat after a lousy few months (spent last Christmas alone and pretty depressed/suicidal, so swore to do things differently this year).

Anyway I emailed the hotel to ask if I could see the menu for Lunch on Christmas Day (thought it would be nice to see). Last night they responded saying it was fully booked but they might be. able to add me to the cancellation list. They also said there would be no breakfast or other food available on Christmas Day but bar snacks would be available after 8pm!

I queried why the Reservations Team hadn't mentioned this when I had booked ( we had had a long conversation about my plans - I have stayed in the hotel before and the staff were all very friendly). She said I should have been told - she also confirmed that. there is no fridge in the room so I couldn't buy myself any supplies.

I have had a look for restaurants that might be serving lunch on Christmas Day but those that are open are fully booked. The one exception is another hotel but it is for guests staying at the hotel. I am wondering about whether to change hotels - I do normally like the one that I have booked with (it may be a difficult time so having friendly faces around would be nice and the other hotel is unknown/hasn't got as good reviews ) but I would like a lunch on Christmas Day. AIBU to be disappointed/WWYD? Thank you.

@atleastitswarm

‘That’s what I would be doing’ my last post should say, not ‘that’s what I’ve been doing’ as if I’ve been in this situation year on year and this is my normal course of action!!!!

:) :) :)

YANBU - I would cancel. They are being completely unreasonable to expect you live on a few packets of peanuts on Christmas Day.

I am outraged on your behalf! How can they accept a booking for full-board and then only tell you, btw, lunch and breakfast on Christmas day aren't included? Thank goodness you asked about lunch, or you might have only found out when you arrived. This is just so unacceptable, and only a truly rubbish hotel would do this. Who knows what else they 'forgot' to tell you.

I would book somewhere else ASAP. Then, cancel with the first hotel at the latest moment.

As a teen I worked in a very prominent hotel in a seaside town. I used to love Christmas and often opted for a triple shift on Christmas Day (and eat hotel Christmas dinner and Christmas dinner at home). It was such a party atmosphere and I would have been horrified if I thought someone somewhere in the hotel was banished to their room.

Similarly, if I have booked into a hotel with full board I would expect 3 meals a day or to be told at booking that this would not be possible. Completely unacceptable.

If you’re paying FULL BOARD all week, how can they not have included all your meals on Christmas Day?

That’s a serious balls up on their part.

They need to honour your booking and sort it out now, not saying you have to wait for a cancellation.

I think you need to email the manager and ask what they’re playing at? They must understand what FULL BOARD entails otherwise they’re in breach of contract?

I hope they manage to accommodate you

Part of the attraction of going away for Christmas is having a lovely Christmas dinner and maybe even a nice Buck's Fizz breakfast first

Fingers crossed for you

I’m also outraged on your behalf. You’re not being picky at all, in fact you only found out because you asked to see the menu. If you hadn’t, you could have turned up to find there was no food all day and had nothing to eat.

Having a lunch plate in your room is letting them off too easy. The whole reason for booking is so that you can have a nice experience on Xmas Day after a terrible few months, not having to stay confined to your room despite paying out for otherwise.

I know that hotels have staff shortages this year but to not even tell you that food on Xmas Day is not automatically included and you need to book is outrageous. They should be fixing this asap and giving you money off/some kind of freebie by way of apology.

If you do accept a lunch plate in your room, def get some money back.

And call me manager, don’t rely on email.

If you have paid or booked full board then not reserving you a place for food is a huge error. Definitely phone and speak to the manager to get this sorted out. It may be that the person you spoke to has given you the wrong information but if it's true they are going to have to fit you in.

@Amberflames

The Christmas lunch part of I can understand, rubbish as it is. The restaurant probably won’t be big enough to sit all guests staying in the hotel.

But to say they aren’t serving any breakfast is an absolute disgrace. I’d be cancelling on that basis alone.

Not being able to get into the restaurant at a hotel I’m staying at is a big bugbear of mine.

But the OP has paid for full board, so they should automatically have reserved her a space in the restaurant. If they didn't have room for her, they shouldn't have taken a full board booking in the first place.

Don't cancel yet! Call them up and be firm that they need to sort this out or you will cancel. This is their mistake and they need to sort it out. Stand up for yourself. You are paying a lot of money to stay there and they made a mistake, so they need to sort it out. You deserve this! Their response isn't good enough.

I’d be cancelling.

Being brought a plate up, for which I imagine they’ll charge, is like being treated as a leper.

If that’s the best they can offer you’d be better off staying at home.

If you want company on the day many Churches etc provide a Christmas lunch. Mine does. Some who go are homeless, some in hostels but the vast majority are those who would otherwise be alone.
There are some of those who would otherwise be alone who volunteer to help.

If you are booked full booked, they are clearly in breach of contract telling you there will be no meals for you on Christmas Day. Point that out to them and demand (politely) that they meet the terms of the booking. If they won’t, cancel and find somewhere else. Also, put this in a review on tripadviser to warn other potential guests.

Do they not want a single diner in the restaurant on Christmas day?

Surely they can find enough turkey and veg to plate you up a dinner too have in your room. If they're catering for, say, 100 people, there's bound to be a bit of turkey breast going spare!

That's really shit of them. Cancel and stock up on lovely goodies from M&S. Got to be better than surviving on crisps on Christmas Day!

I wonder what they think full board means!

I can get a full refund as long as I cancel at least 24 hours before I am due to stay.

Be nice - leave it til 22nd and give them 48 hours notice
sod shuffling round and having meals in your room when your paying ££££ - breakfast maybe. not lunch

Look for somewhere nice where you will be a welcome guest - with company and festivities should you choose

www.justyou.co.uk/holiday-types/festive/

@Backtomyoldname

I’d be cancelling.

Being brought a plate up, for which I imagine they’ll charge, is like being treated as a leper.

If that’s the best they can offer you’d be better off staying at home.

If you want company on the day many Churches etc provide a Christmas lunch. Mine does. Some who go are homeless, some in hostels but the vast majority are those who would otherwise be alone.
There are some of those who would otherwise be alone who volunteer to help.

This. Imagine sitting in a hotel room alone on Christmas day, munching on the scraps left from the restaurant below,(that you are not^ invited to.) Fuck that! I would feel like Alan Partridge in his crappy cheap motel, sitting alone munching on service station crap, and trying to get the shitty TV to work.

You deserve better @Mogs43 Could you not cancel and book some kind of an excursion or cruise, where you will have company? The whole thing sounds so depressing. Tbh, I would rather be alone at home, than stuck at this overpriced hotel. (Who don't sound like they care about you much.)

I'm glad you've emailed the managed. I'd hope they can sort this for you, especially if you're open to having lunch in your room. Fingers crossed

Absolutely shocking OP. The fact you discussed your requirements with the, and have booked full board. This makes me so sad for you. Find somewhere else and let the manager know exactly why. No breakfast on a full board booking!! I agree phone and speak with someone.

I hope you find somewhere just lovely and have exactly the time you deserve

That is truly outrageous. It's not as if Christmas day is going to have MORE options available for hotel guests than an average day. You have every right to be upset.

YANBU. That is awful.

Agree with atleastitswarm

"Will you get all your money back if you cancel? Because if yes that’s what I’ve been doing, for the simple reason of you wanting a lunch on christmas day and them not being able to give you one."

Sorry, about your dad.

I’m so sorry you’ve had such a dreadful time, and we’ll find for planning something to look forward to. To fail to offer you a place at Christmas lunch/ dinner is completely and utterly unacceptable ( and possibly breaking their contract) of the hotel. For that money please please treat yourself elsewhere - you could even go on a short cruise for a couple of days with that budget. Don’t give a mean, thoughtless and unsympathetic venue your money!!! I really hope it works out for you and that you find a nicer , friendlier alternative 💕💕

Did they realise you are booked at the hotel when you emailed them. They may have thought you were ensuing about just booking Christmas lunch?

Just a thought

💐