COACH TRIP DAY 7

“I’ve got my pills with me!” Gregor, our driver, greeted us this morning with this comment, when we asked if he was going to sit out in the sun and rest as part of his 45 hour catch up. He grumbled, “If the doctor had his way I’d be wearing a veil!” So the answer to our question was no then?

So Wednesday arrived and an easy day was planned; geo-caching on a walk to the harbour; a fish and chip lunch and a mooch around with hopefully time to read/write/sketch.

In fact, also time to reflect on the hotel, which has been the cause of gossip and complaint since day one. If you check out its website, the hotel sounds delightful with a restaurant overlooking the sea, a ballroom with entertainment and a photograph of a bedroom that looks like one found in the Premier Inn adverts shown with Lenny Henry. However, this is far from actual truth!

The restaurant is in the basement, down some very steep stairs with one small  window and no view at all, never mind a sea view! There is a ballroom sign but we never found it, which seems strange as ballrooms are usually quite large and difficult to miss.

Yes, we did have entertainment  for two nights on the trot; one gentleman comedian who also played the guitar and another gentleman comedian who also played the  guitar. You get my drift! The audience numbered no more that six on each evening! 

If you had read any of the comments from Trip Advisor before you came on this holiday, you would not have chosen this hotel at all, however as part of the coach trip package there was no choice. The travel firm obviously have a deal in place with the hotel, which has been used now for over three years.

Apparently three years ago, according to some of our fellow travellers, the hotel was in much better condition and they have seen a decline since then; now it is tired and worn out!. To others it is too big, too old fashioned for the modern customer with not enough staff and poor food.  To the rest, the overall quality experience is not on par with hotels developed in the 21st century!

So it begs the question why does the travel company still use it? And why is it still in their brochure for 2017? The deal that they have must be incredibly cheap in order for them to operate on the scale that they do. Maybe they think that because their clientele are of a certain age, modern standards don’t hold for them or that because they are of the older generation they will be more inclined to grin and bear it! I’m not sure but it does give you pause for thought.

However, I digress and back to our thoughts about the hotel and its facilities. Our room is basic, with twin beds, a walk in cupboard for a wardrobe and a chest of drawers which has seen better days. The ensuite consists of a small shower, sink and toilet with an extremely noisy fan! However, it is clean, and has been that way since we have arrived. The towels have been changed daily even when we haven’t placed them on the floor for pick up. There is no view to speak of but we haven’t spent much time in the room during the day anyway. The photograph of the bedroom on the website must have been someone's idea of a joke!

 But when you step back and think; this is a budget break, in a hotel held together by a shoestring! So what do you expect!

Breakfast has been fine; well cooked and hot but the evening meal could be better. The earlier complaints about frozen vegetables still stands but up to now we have been able to eat everything. Although tonight is curry night!

So we’ve decided to eat out; a Chinese beckons!

​Thought of the day: Everyday may not be good but there's something good in everyday!  

---