AN INSPECTOR CALLS
He pays his way — and tells it like it is
HARBOUR Hotels is one of the largest privately owned hotel groups in Britain — all its outlets are in the South and most are on the coast.
I have stayed in several of them and on each occasion things have gone poorly.
In Bristol, our room had no window and in Guildford the heating packed up, so it was with some trepidation that we walked into the group’s newest acquisition just off Richmond Park in London.
It’s a handsome white Georgian building that used to be the Richmond Gate Hotel. Renovation is ongoing. The downstairs public areas are all done but, when we arrive, we can’t quite work out if our room has benefited from a refurb or not.
Sadly, we think it has, which makes the stains and flaking paintwork around the bathtub inexcusable. And the lighting is so poor that it’s impossible to read while sitting in the armchair.
We are on a dinner, bed and breakfast rate of £199. On checking in, we are told the only slot available for dinner is at 6.30pm and that the table must be vacated by 8.30pm.
We think some tables should be held back for people staying and that those people should be able to pitch up when they wish. The receptionist agrees, but there is nothing she can do.
I ask for directions to the swimming pool. It is shared with a hotel next door and is packed with screaming children, the stench of chlorine almost overpowering.
On arrival in the restaurant at 6.45pm we are given a table that’s practically in the kitchen, replete with its bright lights and disparate smell of cooking.
Meanwhile, whole parties of non-residents troop in. We’re hungry and don’t hold back. That’s burrata followed by excellent Dover sole for me and fish souffle and ribeye steak for my wife. But when we come to check-out, there’s a balance of some £50 to pay for our dinner. The receptionist explains that this is because there’s only a £27.50 allowance per person for dinner.
‘If I had known that, we might not have ordered such expensive main courses — respectively £23 and £24,’ I said. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘Could I have a word with the duty manager?’ ‘She won’t be in until 10am.’ ‘Surely the duty manager should, by definition, be on duty.’ ‘Sorry about that.’ Harbour Hotels is expanding fast. But it will trip itself up unless this sort of thing can be sorted.