[Shrike]

For £98 in Port Madog I'd expect a lot more than was apparent.
Liked the comment that Louis was very good at looking busy but actually did very little Thats the essence of management, my dear, but don't worry your pretty little head about that

[Normandie]

Originally Posted by hoppyuppy

Can't figure why he spent a million quid on the place. How long would it take to recuperate that sort of money from a hotel in Wales?

Depends how much the hotel is now worth. Perhaps he bought it cheap and the renovation costs has kept pace with the resale value. But, of course, one man's £1m is another man's £600k. Can't be sure how good their bragging maths is... especially on tv.

A thoroughly ordinary hotel. All done to an averagely good standard of quality, judging by the episode. Nice but not exceptional.

The reviews on TA are mostly good or very good (out of 257 reviews, only 40 (dating from 2006 onwards) are poor or terrible) but - as usual - the less good reviews make interesting reading... especially this one!

“As if I was back at school but worse!!!!”

Apart from the underwhelming rooms the main problem with this hotel is the manager.
Every time I or one of my friends spoke to him we were getting lectured about using Sat Nav to find our way to the hotel, lectured about our arrival time, lectured about dinner times, lectured about breakfast times which by the way are fixed (with zero flexibility at 8 - 9.30. This is a serious problem if you intend to make an early start on a walk in the hills of Snowdonia, as we did) and finally lectured about departure times which is 10.30am, even on weekends. I was still in my room at 10.39 and received a phone call advising me that I would be charged a late check out fee for being in the room past 10.30.
This was the least relaxing stay I have had in a hotel and anywhere for a long time and I rack up over 150 nights a year in hotels.

Or...

Average but ok-ish hotel with nice staff who are really trying to do their best. Unfortunately the place is run by a Basil Fawlty type perhaps owner/manager who has a strange manner and has introduced some strange procedures which don't suit the place (or any place!)

There are more gems if you go and look. At least the management responses are coherent if not exactly accepting of criticism.

Oooh. I just looked at the first of the Terrible reviews and the management response is rather revealing suggesting the reviewer was on a norty weekend away... Actually, as informative reviews, the Terribles are pretty useless, just entertaining.

[Normandie]

Originally Posted by SolarSail

I've found this

Some good finds there, Solar.

Originally Posted by hoppyuppy

At some time during your day at work, you have picked up somebody elses spectacles. Ring around your colleagues, one of them is struggling to read the instructions on her packet of hash browns.

Snork !!

[phill363]

God I think they are all scheming this week, only likeable people are the the two ladies who run the pub but i think they are game playing as well but subtly.

[Normandie]

I quite like all the women this week - I doubt those that the men are presenting as "the little woman" are anything but in reality.

[mathsbunny]

Originally Posted by Normandie

I quite like all the women this week - I doubt those that the men are presenting as "the little woman" are anything but in reality.

I absolutely agree.... The smiling assassins are amongst us

[passingforhuman]

Originally Posted by Normandie

I quite like all the women this week - I doubt those that the men are presenting as "the little woman" are anything but in reality.

The female hosts so far look spookily alike! Shame their men have such out dated views

[hoppyuppy]

Originally Posted by Normandie

Depends how much the hotel is now worth. Perhaps he bought it cheap and the renovation costs has kept pace with the resale value. But, of course, one man's £1m is another man's £600k. Can't be sure how good their bragging maths is... especially on tv.

A thoroughly ordinary hotel. All done to an averagely good standard of quality, judging by the episode. Nice but not exceptional.

The reviews on TA are mostly good or very good (out of 257 reviews, only 40 (dating from 2006 onwards) are poor or terrible) but - as usual - the less good reviews make interesting reading... especially this one!



Or...

There are more gems if you go and look. At least the management responses are coherent if not exactly accepting of criticism.

Oooh. I just looked at the first of the Terrible reviews and the management response is rather revealing suggesting the reviewer was on a norty weekend away... Actually, as informative reviews, the Terribles are pretty useless, just entertaining.

I get the speculating and accumulating but it is the hassle element I don't get. He has pitched up on FIAB as some sort of advertising and by the end of the week, that will fall flat. I am at a point where I know what I am trying to say but it doesn't work trying to explain it.

Take the cash and enjoy it is working for me.

[flique]

Originally Posted by hoppyuppy

Do you get screwed by not getting the new increased pension too, when it is due? (Think there might be a revolt about it).

Sorry this was off topic, I promise never to do it again.

I will be eligible for the new flat rate pension as my serps went into a private work pension I will get a reduced rate as I understand it, so its not really a flat rate. I do think its unfair for those whose serps went into government pension as i think they will lose out in the long run. Don't really understand enough about it all. My husband had a private pension too that we paid into for years, he will retire on the old rules and probably would have been better off not having the private pension as he had to opt out too. The private pension doesn't ammount to that much, we did what we thought was right at the time to make sure we saved some money. Neither of us have ever been big earners so it was hard to find the money for the pension now we wish we had saved it somewhere instead, at least then we could have spent it as and when we wanted. As it is we can only take 25%lump sum and then a silly ammount per month.


Sorry for OT post but would have been rude not to reply especially about something that bugs me that much.

[owllover]

Originally Posted by Normandie

Oooh. I just looked at the first of the Terrible reviews and the management response is rather revealing suggesting the reviewer was on a norty weekend away... Actually, as informative reviews, the Terribles are pretty useless, just entertaining.

Snap Normandie. See my post 2349!!

[Normandie]

Originally Posted by hoppyuppy

Take the cash and enjoy it is working for me.

It would work for me too... and perhaps one day it will work for Louis but I'm not sure... some people define themselves, their sense of self-worth, via their jobs. That being the case, they can never completely let go otherwise they lose their own sense of identity...

Originally Posted by owllover

Snap Normandie. See my post 2349!!

I missed that post... I think I was probably replying to Hoppyuppy, took my time and I see I missed several posts.

[SolarSail]

Normandie, I thought the responses to the negative reviews very telling - really put me in mind of Julian Peck's too.

Originally Posted by hoppyuppy

I get the speculating and accumulating but it is the hassle element I don't get. He has pitched up on FIAB as some sort of advertising and by the end of the week, that will fall flat. I am at a point where I know what I am trying to say but it doesn't work trying to explain it.

Take the cash and enjoy it is working for me.

But that would assume that the 'million pounds' spent is all his own saved money?
Most businesses with that kind of investment are utilising borrowed money, don't you think? and therefore have to market hard to keep all the wheels turning.

Originally Posted by flique

...he will retire on the old rules and probably would have been better off not having the private pension ... we did what we thought was right at the time to make sure we saved some money.
...
Sorry for OT post but would have been rude not to reply especially about something that bugs me that much.

It really bugs me too flique.
My husband paid for the best part of his longest employment into a private pension fund and it's gone into administration.
The future is worrying - maybe one day we'll be showing up on the latest 4iaB.

[hoppyuppy]

Originally Posted by flique

I will be eligible for the new flat rate pension as my serps went into a private work pension I will get a reduced rate as I understand it, so its not really a flat rate. I do think its unfair for those whose serps went into government pension as i think they will lose out in the long run. Don't really understand enough about it all. My husband had a private pension too that we paid into for years, he will retire on the old rules and probably would have been better off not having the private pension as he had to opt out too. The private pension doesn't ammount to that much, we did what we thought was right at the time to make sure we saved some money. Neither of us have ever been big earners so it was hard to find the money for the pension now we wish we had saved it somewhere instead, at least then we could have spent it as and when we wanted. As it is we can only take 25%lump sum and then a silly ammount per month.


Sorry for OT post but would have been rude not to reply especially about something that bugs me that much.

Thanks for the reply and I take full responsibility for it being off topic. Once again a group of people will get hit from all sides but as long as it isn't the ones changing the rules, it will be fine.

Soz, we can go back to talking about not being able to afford to going to B+Bs now.

[flique]

I didn't get why the two girls slept on the floor, if it was the crackly mattress cover I would have taken it off. If I slept on the floor I wouldn't be able to move the next day. I know they said the mattress was poor quality but it must have been better than the floor surely.

Louis is still getting on my nerves but i thought some of the scores were a bit harsh.

[hoppyuppy]

Originally Posted by SolarSail

Normandie, I thought the responses to the negative reviews very telling - really put me in mind of Julian Peck's too.




But that would assume that the 'million pounds' spent is all his own saved money?
Most businesses with that kind of investment are utilising borrowed money, don't you think? and therefore have to market hard to keep all the wheels turning.



It really bugs me too flique.
My husband paid for the best part of his longest employment into a private pension fund and it's gone into administration.
The future is worrying - maybe one day we'll be showing up on the latest 4iaB.

I guess so. My only ever debt was a mortgage I could afford, good old fashioned values. You have to know what you actually own and live accordingly............and then in 2019 someone would invent the wheel.

[Christa Ellen]

Oh dear, 3 'no's'. I felt for Viorica.

[owllover]

Originally Posted by flique

I didn't get why the two girls slept on the floor, if it was the crackly mattress cover I would have taken it off. If I slept on the floor I wouldn't be able to move the next day. I know they said the mattress was poor quality but it must have been better than the floor surely.

Louis is still getting on my nerves but i thought some of the scores were a bit harsh.

This.

The mattress surely couldn't be so bad that sleeping on the floor was preferable.

I think Louis did too much showing off on the first stay so all their expectations of his standards were too high.

[hoppyuppy]

Originally Posted by Christa Ellen

Oh dear, 3 'no's'. I felt for Viorica.

The no vote is quite personal, worst thing is the way it affects the marks given to those that follow. But if you say yes I would stay again, it becomes hard underpaying by 50%.

[Normandie]

Originally Posted by owllover

The mattress surely couldn't be so bad that sleeping on the floor was preferable.

I thought - but I may be wrong - that they put the mattress on the floor and slept on that which suggested the bed-base was the problem...

[Christa Ellen]

Louis has said on the Channel 4 website that they surveyed 100 customers at the hotel and 96% liked their fairtrade columbian coffee.

He says he also had a mattress expert look at the mattress and he said it was in good condition.

[zoepaulpenny]

i THINK the two girls are just playing to the camera;s there place looks the pit's on tomorrow episode. and their breakfast looks horrid..

[owllover]

Originally Posted by Normandie

I thought - but I may be wrong - that they put the mattress on the floor and slept on that which suggested the bed-base was the problem...

That`s what I assumed they'd done but no - one of them picked up the bedcovers and knocked on the floor. They weren't on the mattress.

[Torch81]

Originally Posted by Christa Ellen

He says he also had a mattress expert look at the mattress and he said it was in good condition.

I wonder how one becomes a 'mattress expert'? I'll check but I don't think that course is on offer at my local college.

[marianna01]

Originally Posted by owllover

That`s what I assumed they'd done but no - one of them picked up the bedcovers and knocked on the floor. They weren't on the mattress.

I'm sure that the tattoed one said that the carpet felt quite soft enough to sleep on ...... I'm sure I haven't made that up!

[squadge]

I wouldn't stay there! What do you expect when you furnish your room out of the argos catalogue and charge over 90 per night? Those beds are suitable for a 16 year old on his own but for couples...pfffttt - i know my child has one! lol. The mattresses that 'come with' are crap.

Brekkie looked good - pity we weren't able to judge how much time there was before everyone was served but it didn't look like everyone else had scarfed it down before all the plates were on the table.

No matter - Louis needs to have an attitude adjustment. People don't appreciate Argos funiture as luxury Louis. They just don't. sorry.