Warner Leisure Hotels
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Hard to believe
We have been staying at the Warner Hotel at Cricket Saint Thomas and my comments are based upon my observations at this hotel. Hands up, I am not a great fan of Warner’s hotels, but our friends are and we have been to a number as a group over the years. This is our third trip to this particular hotel in the last 5 years. On arrival, we were warmly greeted and collected our keys to our room. As we approached down the corridor we were greeted with a strong smell of bleach which increased markedly when we opened our door; it transpired that they had had an outbreak of a stomach bug ?norovirus? In the previous week. Well done for disinfecting our room, but perhaps ventilating the room afterwards would prevent someone with a respiratory issue being affected. Overall the staff on reception and those in a supervisory role are polite and competent. So onto what effected my score of a generous 2 stars. Many many people love Warners and I appreciate their views but our stay was particularly marred by the fact that Warners do not undertake housekeeping on your first day! You have to wait for clean towels and your bathroom to be cleaned after your second night. Really in a hotel? Restaurant staff were really indifferent, food presentation is poor, as even buffet food has to be served by Warner’s staff to limit the potential to spread the agent causing the stomach bug outbreak. They simply slap the food onto the plate with no attempt to make the food presentable. Staff are obviously poorly trained and this culminated in one of friends ordering the broad bean, spinach, courgette and feta risotto. It arrived and when the waiter was asked “where are the beans and spinach”, he left with the dish, returned and announced “chef says that there aren’t any” and the dish was given a ladle of French beans piled on top. Finally today I witnessed in the leisure centre a staff member arguing with a guest about accessing the changing room for ladies. The guest was becoming visibly upset and agitated. The staff member responded to her concerns with a comment “I have given you the code twice”. At which point I interjected and showed the lady how to open the door. It later transpired that the lock is faulty, but the question needs to be addressed regarding the customer was an elderly lady who was confused and becoming agitated. Raised voices was the order of the day and in my eyes, both parties were upset, but it was so unnecessary and the staff member should not have reacted in that manner. Ultimately many people lover Warners hotels. I admit to not being a huge fan, but in ten years or so of visiting, what I have witnessed this weekend has resulted in our whole party of 18 deciding that we wouldn’t visit again Cricket St Thomas and probably not to other hotels either. Hotel services are poor, staff poorly trained and the quality of food and service more school dinners than hotel.