Wedding Reception

[oilyrag1]

Good Morning,

 

I hope someone can help.

 

We recently Married, and had booked a very expensive Manor Hotel for our Wedding Breakfast for 63 people.

 

There were several meetings prior to the Wedding, and the Menu's were distributed to all guests, and choices made well in advance.

 

The venue was stunning, however the Breakfast was thoroughly disappointing.

 

The service was appalling (the top table had finished their courses before the last table had been served), This will sound bad mannered but the food was only warm when it arrived, and on cold plates so if we had not started as soon as we received our plates, the food would have been inedible.

 

The menu was described as "Fine Dining" many of our guests regularly eat in such establishments, and this definately wasnt.

 

A new Head Chef had just been appointed, but surely that should not have made a difference, we have made our feelings known to the owners in a polite manner, but we have just received excuses back, and no effort to rectify anything. There were so many problems which I will not bore you with here, but any help to rectify this situation would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Many thanks

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I'll move your thread to the General Consumer Issues forum and hope you'll have some answers over the course of the day.

 

There will be a short term redirect from this forum for you to follow.

 

My best, HB

[raydetinu]

Have you made your complaint in writing, if not do so.

You also need to make it plain what you want, in any form of redress; apology or some refund? and in what amount.

If you don't ask you wont get!

see what they say and take it from there.

[ericsbrother]

The obvious thing to do is write to the manager of the hotel listing all of the problems you encountered and make clear your disappointment with both the day and the response to your concerns so far. Tell the manager what you would like as restitution- a partial refund that takes into account the poor service and cold food or possibly a short stay so that they have the opportunity to show you that they can get it right!

Nothing can correct what has already happened (except the indifference to your complaint) so be realistic about what you want and there is a good chance that they will see reason and make an offer.

If they are intransigent then you have legal redress and you can always tell others of your experiences via Tripadvisor or similar web sites.

[sequenci]

Hello there.

 

Some great advice so far. TripAdvisor is certainly worth writing on - but be honest, truthful and objective. I really hope that you can get it worked out!

 

Congratulations by the way!

 

- Seq.

[oilyrag1]

Hi,

 

Thanks, yes we have and explained we require a refund, but all we have received back is an email full of lame excuses and the trouble is we really cant afford to go to a solicitor as I have a feeling this could drag on.

[oilyrag1]

Thanks, I have just sent another email, and have been a little more forceful this time !.

I have also posted our thoughts on trip advisor, in an honest and straightforward manner.

So we do have legal redress, but this will cost a lot of money wont it ?, we are so disappointed as are our guests, even more so now.

[oilyrag1]

Thanks Seq,

[Ell-enn]

Hi,

 

Thanks, yes we have and explained we require a refund, but all we have received back is an email full of lame excuses and the trouble is we really cant afford to go to a solicitor as I have a feeling this could drag on.

 

Check your home insurance, you will probably find that you have legal cover and they will put you in touch with one of their solicitors to handle it for you. They will probably start by writing a solicitor's letter to the hotel.

[raydetinu]

You can use SCC to seek redress, does not cost much. let a judge decide.

you first have to put an amount you are seeking by way of compensation and put this in a letter to them, and ask for a response in 7 days or will take the matter to court.

This is a letter before action as required by court rules.

Speak to local court and ask them to send you the forms.

[oilyrag1]

OK thanks will do:|

[sequenci]

Hi,

 

Thanks, yes we have and explained we require a refund, but all we have received back is an email full of lame excuses and the trouble is we really cant afford to go to a solicitor as I have a feeling this could drag on.

 

A refund for the entire reception or just the breakfast part?

[steampowered]

I think you are just slightly pushing it to ask for a full refund. The purpose of your contract with the hotel was the enjoyment of yourselves and your guests, a partial refund would be appropriate.

[oilyrag1]

A refund for the entire reception or just the breakfast part?

 

Hi,

 

To be honest, we provided champagne and wine, but they used all the champagne when people arrived, (they had written instruction to serve wine on arrival, not champagne) so there was none left for the speaches.

 

Really the main bill was the food, also I stayed at the hotel the evening before the Wedding and there was the most dreadful smell of oil, so I didnt sleep.

 

I explained this at the time and also in my letter of complaint, it cost me £135.00 just for myself for bed and breakfast.

 

When the Proprietor answered my email she admitted people had complained about this before, so it is clearly an issue, but in her defense she said that normally they leave the outside door propped open!

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that there are several issues here really ?

 

Thanks

[oilyrag1]

We are not asking for a full refund, but would expect a decent proportion, as there were issues with the room as well, and errors along the way which the Proprietors have already admitted was entirely there fault. There wasnt a great deal of enjoyment there believe me !

[raydetinu]

As said, you have to put a value on it, a proportion of the stay and food? so a judge can decide what is fair. quote what you paid and how much you want back.

The reasons why and then the hotel can make a decision or counter offer.

good luck.

[oilyrag1]

Today has arrived and still no response from the Hotel in respect of our complaint, so I have emailed them again really really fed up now !

[raydetinu]

Start court proceedings then; get forms from court or do it on line ( MCOL ).

[oilyrag1]

OK will do

[steampowered]

What a shame. It might be best to follow-up with a 'letter before action' explaining why you think the hotel owner was in breach of contract and stating that you will bring legal action in 14 days time if you are not offered a reasonable partial refund. You should be able to find some templates online. I know you have already complained but this formality should be completed before going to small claims.

 

Congratulations on the wedding and hope this issue has not cast a shadow over that!

[oilyrag1]

Thank-you, we have just received an email from the hotel, saying they would offer us £48.00 as a gesture of goodwill, this was the amount we payed for soft drinks, but the funny thing is the bill said we used 2 jugs, but they charged us for 6 !! lol,

Anyway I have responded quite formally informing them we do require a refund, and if we receive no response I will send the letter before action giving them 14 days. Yes it did cast a shadow, it just was not what we were promised.

 

Thanks for the good wishes !!