Rachel N.
Google
Having spent years travelling from the most northern to southernly tip of this island and stopping at countless hotels along the way, never have I received such poor service let alone in an alleged 5 star hotel.
Firstly, I would like to highlight that this trip was a special one for my partner and I, as I am 8.5 months pregnant, and it was a 2 night stay for our babymoon.
Upon arrival on Monday evening, we checked in, and before going to the room, I requested the receptionist to confirm our spa treatment times for the following afternoon, as it has been a while since I booked them.
On contacting the spa, the receptionist presented confused, as it appeared the spa was having trouble finding our booking, and she requested we go and speak to them directly.
So, leaving our bags at the front desk, we went to the Thai Spa to see what the problem was. Upon a brief back and forth, the spa confirmed they had us as a customer (baring in mind we have never stayed here, so they had been in contact with me), to which I was able to show them the call log of making the booking, and having given my card details to secure said bookings. This first and foremost raises GDPR concerns, as they were unable to find this information. Where did my card information go?
The Spa then advised us they were fully booked, for the Tuesday for the treatments/times we had previously booked, so wouldn't be able to accommodate us. However could offer a 30 minute slot each, which given my partner had opted for a 60 minute hot stone massage and I a 90 minute maternity package, was just not what we wanted for our special trip.
When we elaborated this to the spa, they said they could offer a 60 minute treatment for us both on the Wednesday at 1.45. This would have been fine had it not been the case we were leaving Wednesday, and check out is at 12.
We then stated we could only do this if the front desk would provide us with late checkout, as we specifically booked treatments for the Tuesday so I would have access to our room after, as being heavily pregnant with diagnosed pelvic girdle or 'SPD', means I have difficulty with mobility and require help changing.
Upon returning to the front desk, this was all explained to the receptionist, who firstly said they could push check out to 12.30, which again was no use to us given the treatments would be ending at 3pm and we would require it to 4pm. This then resulted in the receptionist going back and forth from the back office to us, we assume to discuss with a manager who was for some reason unable to present themselves to discuss in person.. First it was 12.30, as mentioned, then 1pm, then best they could do was 3pm at a charge (!) of £40 rather than £60 due to the error.
At this point, it became clear no one was listening to us. Paying for late checkout was not the issue here, it was that the time wasn't what was required. But still, we were expected to pay for their mistake for my pregnancy related ailment which did not make it possible for me to change alone, on a wooden bench of a ladies locker room without my partners assistance. This is blatant discrimination of pregnancy according to the Equality Act of 2010. To this is was offered to provide a treatment room, to which we laughed as we were told the spa was fully booked other than our slots.
We then challenged the receptionist if it was the case that on a Wednesday in January, they were so fully booked, there wasn't a room they could spare for an hour, to allow a heavily pregnant person to change with assistance. The response was "sometimes we would be". Not answering the question. I myself checked their website upon hearing this, and had the option to book any number of rooms, they were simply unwilling to accommodate even when the issue was their mistake.
We then felt completely defeated and unwelcome, and as I said, discriminated against. We had our payment voided and left to stay elsewhere. Do not recommend.
