Snobs hotel review!

Smcgie

Funny review on tripadvisor for castle Leslie estate in Monaghan: :pac:



Had a very open mind when visiting Leslie..friends and media and tripadvisor reviews were all very positive and I wasn't expecting or had particularly wanted the 'Country House & Spa' luxury treatment . Unfortunately Castle Leslie is priced up there if even higher than the best. I accept that it was August bank holiday weekend when we visited and was prepared to pay high rates and put up with overworked staff and busy kitchens etc. I was looking forward to splashing out for 'something eccentirc and very different from the usual country house retreat' which i was lead to believe Castle Leslie was according to reviews and their own literature .
However I was not prepared for the following:

(1)Pressing an intercom on arrival and being greeted with 'Hello Castle Leslie' by a very friendly but inexperienced spotty teenager who didn't even know when the house( which is not that old) was built!

(2)It's guests (that weekend anyway) were mostly young people from Northern Ireland (I suppose sterling exchange makes it seem less of a rip off) dressed in Topman and Ben Sherman outfits..lots of Grant Mitchell lookalikes. ( I got a little nervous as i pulled into the carpark in front of the house which was cluttered with blingy SUVs and BMW's with tinted windows.) I thought that I was arriving at one of those new 'G Hotel' places.

(3) I would have loved a GnT before dinner but all they had was 'Beer or Wine' as I was told by a delightful wee teenage girl with orthodontic braces.!! Some guests were drinking Budweiser from bottles in the main reception room!

(4)We opted for the surprise menu (upgrade from 52 euro to 60 euro at you peril) and also the surprise wine menu(24 euro). I am shocked at the reviews about Leslie's fabulous food . My companion was brought 'Pistachio (sic) of Venision' ...We forgave the waiter (strong local accent) this one for it was the poor spotty teenager who greeted us so specially at the front door who was later doubling up as one of our many waiters. Why do chefs still serve venision in Summer? My scallops were lovely but the wine chosen for me arrived with my scallops now gone cold and it was a big red Bordeaux (with scallops) hmm..??? very eccentric indeed Leslie.
Nice little amuse bouches and what- have - you's to follow but then arrived a stinking plate of 'gone off unseasonal venison' as my main course! I love my game 'high' but this was awful ..it was tough so not hung properly ,smelled like Tesco's reduced Value chicken just as its turning. At this stage I was't even going to complain as I was tired and disappointed. I have to admire the middle aged lady who immediately spotted my sadness (perhaps it was the stink of rotten defrosted deer meat) and immediately removed my plate and asked me what would I like ..She was so nice that I felt compelled to continue with the 'surprise menu' ...the food and wine ,port sand coffee that followed was fine if unremarkable. The dining room is beautiful and has a lovely atmosphere but let down by inconsistent food and untrained staff on this occasion..what a pity..(The sort of food Mr Fearnley Whittingstall cooks up would be amazing in such a setting..)

(4) Off to bed then..very comfy with unpretentious blankets but would have expected higher quality non repro antiques (again to match the price charged). Lovely having no TV and phone and very quiet too..HOWEVER what is inexcusable was the dirty toilet...I love Shabby Chic but this was altogether downright laziness and unhygienic..dried brown splashes around the rim !!! And it doesn't take much to use a little carpet shampoo as the room had been recently decorated. ( Note no lockable doors either or had they just forgot to give us a key..it didn't bother us but some may find this strange esp. with all the SUV.blacked out window BMW's outside.)

(5) I still was willing to forgive Leslie all this until breakfast...Pancakes tasted of greenmould..juices possibly from ASDA and my cooked breakfast was a 'poached' egg that was basically just a dry overcooked mess something a student would attempt after a night on the town..Again I couldn't complain to anyone as the only person on wait was another smily teenager who couldn't be expected to take responsibility for such an awful fare.. ( Subsequently the same girl ,Irish and local accent,informed me that it would take 3 hours to get to Maherfelt from Leslie..it took 45 mins!!!)


Again all this 'quirkiness' (I am trying to be nice here) would be welcome change ,funny and perfectly acceptable for 100 euro a night (at a push) but we had little change of 500 euro for 1 night at Leslie...AND NOBODY EVEN SAID GOODBYE TO US..HAVE THEY NO MANNERS IN MONAGHAN.?

..No wonder Jack can afford to be off in Italy (laughing at his silly guests) for 6 weeks ....I suggest he put some of these high rates back into training his very young staff and keeping the place reasonably clean... Please don't get me wrong.. I love muck and wellies and dust and shabiness as long as its all in the name of authenticity and heritage but Leslie is just a very expensive ,dirty hotel you might come accross on a Victorian sea front in Torquay in the 1970's.!!!!



TLDR - jumped up twat comments on spotty teenagers and lovely girls but they have braces in discust.

I wish the world was rid of vermon like this

Ghandee

Seems legit review to me OP.

What exactly is wrong with it?

eth0

WoH!!!

MidlandsM

It does prove that an awful lot of **** post reviews on Trip Advisor about hotels............

Duggy747

The amount of places I've stayed in that have had bad reviews over the state of the toilets, floor, walls, bedrooms, etc.

Then when I get there I'm left puzzled as to what is wrong with some people, fully expecting cockroaches or something. They sure do love to complain.

kfallon

Guffaw guffaw!

Feeona

Smcgie wrote: »

(1)Pressing an intercom on arrival and being greeted with 'Hello Castle Leslie' by a very friendly but inexperienced spotty teenager

Spots must've been bad if she could hear them over the intercom.

Anyone else read this with the spotty teenager voice from the Simpsons in their heads?

kfallon

Resident's bar stays open til 4 or 5am.....check
Bed in the room.....check
Jax and bog roll for a dump in the morn.....check
Shower to have a wash.....check
Dressing gown to rob.....optional

What more do ya want from a hotel?

MidlandsM

A pal of mine is in the hotel industry, and is dead certain competitors upload nasty reviews about other hotels.......or comp other people (they know) to do it for them.

Duggy747

Smcgie wrote: »

Some guests were drinking Budweiser from bottles in the main reception room!

Oh Jesus, the humanity!!

xzanti

Googles Castle Leslie

mauzo

Everyone wants a ride in a hotel, she obviously didn't get one....took it out on the hotel!

xzanti

syndeyfife wrote: »

Everyone wants a ride in a hotel, she obviously didn't get one....took it out on the hotel!

I don't know why but I got the impression it was by a mans hand..

Strange looking hotel though.. very Kitsch..

mauzo

xzanti wrote: »

syndeyfife wrote: »

Everyone wants a ride in a hotel, she obviously didn't get one....took it out on the hotel!

I don't know why but I got the impression it was by a mans hand..

Strange looking hotel though.. very Kitsch..

I'm thinking woman, the fact she didn't complain to them, just on a public review...seems more of a woman's thing to do.

ANd can't imagine a man feeling the need to point out spots or braces...

Could be wrong though.

GastroBoy

Smcgie wrote: »

Funny review on tripadvisor for castle Leslie estate in Monaghan: :pac:

From 6 years ago........

sbsquarepants

I'm staying there in august for a wedding - so i'm glad to hear the amuse bouche is delightful, it does so ruin ones stay to be served an undelightful amuse bouche.:D

CuppaCocoa

Apart from the punctuation, spelling and personal remarks about staff members, I don't see anything wrong with it either! I've been to expensive hotels/resorts with glowing reviews only to find the exact opposite far too many times. I always write an honest review and let the hotel know as well. Nothing worse than spending a lot of money on a hotel stay only to find a bunch of howayas have taken over the place with their screeching offspring on some cheap voucher deal! :mad:

Jester252

who does she think she is complaining on the internet

GastroBoy

lilybarlean wrote: »

Apart from the punctuation, spelling and personal remarks about staff members, I don't see anything wrong with it either! I've been to expensive hotels/resorts with glowing reviews only to find the exact opposite far too many times. I always write an honest review and let the hotel know as well. Nothing worse than spending a lot of money on a hotel stay only to find a bunch of howayas have taken over the place with their screeching offspring on some cheap voucher deal! :mad:

Nice one, thats the summer hollies sorted:pac:

Scioch

Moral of the story is charge 500 quid a night and your customers will be nit picking posh folk.

naysayer

Couldn't help but think of Gil Chesterton while reading this.

Teyla Emmagan

Most of her complaints seem valid, bar the comments about the spotty teenagers (who else was working in hotels 6 years ago?), but the writing style comes across like Mrs Bouquet taking the piss...

biko

Someone is from Monaghan.

Plazaman

The one and only time I stayed in Castle Leslie, there was a bat in my room and it shat on my pillow.

Ya don't see me whinging on Trip Advisor.

mauzo

Plazaman wrote: »

The one and only time I stayed in Castle Leslie, there was a bat in my room and it shat on my pillow.

Ya don't see me whinging on Trip Advisor.

No, just boards

puffishoes

mikemac1 wrote: »

Why order it so? :rolleyes:

I would imagine with the "suprise" menu you don't know.

SUPRISE!!! geddit?

Fluorescence

I thought it was written by a man too. Dunno why. The complaints about staff with spots and braces were a bit much, but the rest seemed valid enough.

Truley

I don't understand, she keeps referring to the staffs' 'local accent', as if it's a bad thing? What's she expecting?

Bad Panda

syndeyfife wrote: »

I'm thinking woman, the fact she didn't complain to them, just on a public review...seems more of a woman's thing to do.

ANd can't imagine a man feeling the need to point out spots or braces...

Could be wrong though.

Assumed it was a woman myself.

And anyone who says 'amuse bouches' is a twat.

Sergeant

Bad Panda wrote: »

Assumed it was a woman myself.

And anyone who says 'amuse bouches' is a twat.

What should he/she have called them?

subway

have your spots cleared up OP?

jimthemental

It must be a pisstake. What bar only has beer and wine for feck sake. Regarding the accents though, you'd expect all teenagers working in a part time job like this to have polished south dublin accents in this day and age wouldn't you.

Dravokivich

kfallon wrote: »

Resident's bar stays open til 4 or 5am.....check
Bed in the room.....check
Jax and bog roll for a dump in the morn.....check
Shower to have a wash.....check
Dressing gown to rob.....optional

What more do ya want from a hotel?

A refined selection of coke and hookers.

fro9etb8j5qsl2

People in Monaghan with strong local accents??? :eek: :eek:

GastroBoy

Bad Panda wrote: »

And anyone who says 'amuse bouches' is a twat.

I know, because everyone knows that the plural of amuse bouche is just amuse bouche, right?:D

juan.kerr

GastroBoy wrote: »

I know, because everyone knows that the plural of amuse bouche is just amuse bouche, right?:D

I was hoping it would be 'amuses bouche' but we are both wrong (well you only partially):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amuse-bouche

the purple tin

We are not amused bouche.

DubArk

I thought it was all “a little tongue and cheek” myself! Definitely a he and (quite frankly) he made me laugh my britches off!

Jolly good old bean!!

DonkeyStyle \o/

If you're charging a premium for excellence, you should be delivering it.
Snobby or not, there are certain things that are assumed part of the value proposition when you're forking out that kind of money.

krudler

tripadvisor reviews would put you off going anywhere, some of the nicest hotels i've stayed in have gotten horrible reviews on there for nothing but trivial complaints.

CruelCoin

Smcgie wrote: »

I wish the world was rid of vermon like this

"Vermin"

Just sayin' is all.

Seriously, it was a seriously written review, so why the hub-bub?

If i was left little change for €500 i'd expect everything to be perfect, and if it wasn't i'd complain too.

Smcgie

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

If you're charging a premium for excellence, you should be delivering it.
Snobby or not, there are certain things that are assumed part of the value proposition when you're forking out that kind of money.

I look at the other way, if you're stupid enough to fork out €500 for a stay in a smelly rundown castle (I had a meal in it once) then you're an idiot IMO.

There is nothing special about the castle - only the marketing manager.

prinz

Bar the ridiculous personal remarks about spots, braces, accents and the other guests the rest of it is a pretty good review with what sound like valid complaints, bad service, bad food, dirty toilet..

Shreddy Krueger

Smcgie wrote: »

Funny review on tripadvisor for castle Leslie estate in Monaghan: :pac:










...AND NOBODY EVEN SAID GOODBYE TO US..HAVE THEY NO MANNERS IN MONAGHAN.?

No

padd b1975

Red wine with scollops is not on.





*rings bell to advise Jeeves*

Tzar Chasm

Damm you, I was about to post that about the red wine, thats just shocking lack of knowledge from wait staff.

The Author makes some very valid points, its does come across as a little snide in places but I would be of the same opinion, if I'm going to shell out 500 quid for a Hotel I'd like the room to be clean and the food to be edible, dunno what his/her complaint about all the BMW's is tho, nicest people in the world BMW Drivers, also, and I know it irks some others in polite society, but I do like to drink my Beer from the bottle if thats how its served to me, I'd obviously prefer it to be draught but thems the breaks sometimes

frozenfrozen

if i paid 500 quid for a night i would want it to be really nice. no problem about the teenagers and bmws thats just all ****e but dirty toilets no key to the room, and horrible food would make you quite upset about parting with your money. I'd bitch about the teenagers who got paid to give me bad service if that happened to me tbh.

Reviewer still sounds like a prick though.

1966

Definitely sounds like a male reviewer but you have to laugh ffs ...... The spotty teen, braces, BMWs, red wine with venison how uncouth can you be?

whatdoicare

From the looks of the hotel and the price of it I would be wanting a hell of a lot more than gammy food and a dirty room. I'd be wanting my own butler to hold the bog roll!

humbert

Local accent means common and unrefined.

The review is a bit pretentious and the writing style wouldn't be to my taste but it seems quite reasonable.

It's a 500 euro a night hotel, do people expect the reviewers to be complaining about the chips being soggy?

500 euro a night for a night in Monaghan is a recipe for disappointment, even during the Celtic Tiger.

Tzar Chasm

well Red wine with Venison wouldnt be that bad, depending onthe type of Wine obviously, a good Merlot would be fine.

However Red wine with Scallops thats a no no, Scallops are a Seafood the only Redish wine you would use is a Rose and that would be very palate specific, best bet in that situation is a Sav Blanc or, heaven forbid, a Chardonay