The Hotels: A Journey

[Ian]

Stayed in ATH last night and partook of breakfast at Secret Garden this morning (I shan’t say “enjoyed breakfast at”). Although the pastries served here are different to the ones in Splash last week, being both free of wrappers and under heat lamps (I think these ones may have actually been baked off that morning), the rest of the buffet is the same grisly affair.

• Thick cut, but very fatty bacon, and very little of it.
• The standard Towers meat-filled tubes. I don’t know what is put in them, but it isn’t meat. I’m pretty sure you cannot legally call them a “sausage”. They have the texture of a Quorn-type product (perfectly smooth almost paste-like texture).
• Scrambled eggs devoid of any seasoning or favour.
• Mushrooms which manage to taste of nothing but water and I’m pretty certain are tinned.
• Inoffensive but rather cheap hash brown bites.
• And the highlight… Bean sauce. “Bean sauce?!” I hear you ask? Well yes, because this morning, the baked beans were served exclusively with slotted spoons. This meant that after a few people have had their helpings you are left with a bowl of nothing but sauce. It was like bobbing for apples trying to find a bean!

The mind boggles how Towers continue to offer this breakfast at the premium they charge for their rooms. It’s quite simply unpleasant. If it wasn’t for the price you could almost laugh at how tragic an affair it’s all become!

How can the same restaurant go from offering the above in the morning, to this in an evening:


Breakfast in a hotel is the last chance to show that little bit of extra courtesy to the guest and send them off happy. A good breakfast can forgive a multitude of sins encountered earlier in the stay. Instead, the Towers offering is a sloppy, lazy means to get you off packing as quickly and cheaply as possible. I’ve had many hotel breakfasts, from theme parks to chains like Premier Inn, Travelodge and Ibis, but I can say without any real hesitation that Towers comes in rock bottom.

______

Elsewhere in the hotels, why not take in some of the wildlife wandering around inside Margs bar?



Roach patrol anyone?

 

[Mikw]

Stayed in ATH last night and partook of breakfast at Secret Garden this morning (I shan’t say “enjoyed breakfast at”). Although the pastries served here are different to the ones in Splash last week, being both free of wrappers and under heat lamps (I think these ones may have actually been baked off that morning), the rest of the buffet is the same grisly affair.

• Thick cut, but very fatty bacon, and very little of it.
• The standard Towers meat-filled tubes. I don’t know what is put in them, but it isn’t meat. I’m pretty sure you cannot legally call them a “sausage”. They have the texture of a Quorn-type product (perfectly smooth almost paste-like texture).
• Scrambled eggs devoid of any seasoning or favour.
• Mushrooms which manage to taste of nothing but water and I’m pretty certain are tinned.
• Inoffensive but rather cheap hash brown bites.
• And the highlight… Bean sauce. “Bean sauce?!” I hear you ask? Well yes, because this morning, the baked beans were served exclusively with slotted spoons. This meant that after a few people have had their helpings you are left with a bowl of nothing but sauce. It was like bobbing for apples trying to find a bean!

The mind boggles how Towers continue to offer this breakfast at the premium they charge for their rooms. It’s quite simply unpleasant. If it wasn’t for the price you could almost laugh at how tragic and affair it’s all become!

How can the same restaurant go from offering the above in the morning, to this in an evening:


Breakfast in a hotel is the last chance to show that little bit of extra courtesy to the guest and send them off happy. Instead, the Towers offering is a sloppy, lazy means to get you off packing as quickly and cheaply as possible. I’ve had many hotel breakfasts, from theme parks to chains like Premier Inn, Travelodge and Ibis, but I can say without any real hesitation that Towers comes in rock bottom.

______

Elsewhere in the hotels, why not take in some of the wildlife wandering around inside Margs bar?



Roach patrol anyone?

Interesting review! Tell me, does bean sauce (without beans) make you trump less?

I'm desperately trying to find a postive.....

 

[Rose Of Dawn]

Just noticed the ‘sausages’ in Ian’s photo. God they’ve gone downhill. I remember the good old days where they actually looked (and were) decent.

 

[DistortAMG]

In regards to the photo of the evening meal that both Astrodan and Ian posted. It looks nice and well presented, but where is the rest of it?

If I wanted to go for a gourmet food offering I would book myself into a Gordon Ramsey resturant. This is a hotel at a theme park and I think the management need to remember that. If I had spent a day walking round the park and was served up that insuffiencient (but probably tasty) meal, I would not be too happy.

I just seems to me, they either go too far one way with quality (breakfast), then swing it back way too far in the other direction (dinner). There is no middle ground which is where I think they should be firmly planting themselves.

With all the other issues, cost saving measures and problems the hotels seem to face. The only reason that evening meal is small, is because they can get away with low volume and high price food offerings in the name of 'gourmet'. Based on the other issues, this is just one of the more clever ways of them ripping you off. They can get away with giving you small portions in the name of 'quality'.

 

[Ian]

The only reason that evening meal is small, is because they can get away with low volume and high price food offerings in the name of 'gourmet'. Based on the other issues, this is just one of the more clever ways of them ripping you off.

The portions are not huge, though I would certainly say I’ve never come away from SGR hungry. However, I would refute the suggestion that SGR is a rip off. If anything it’s actually rather fairly priced for the standard I would say. Yes, there is a bit of a markup on it being at a park, but the duck is rather keenly priced compared to what you might pay elsewhere for that level of presentation.

As Craig has said previously, there are some things which are a overpriced (such as the £4 steak sauces) but I’ve certainly paid more for duck and steaks elsewhere. It’s worth noting that some of the same dishes are served in Crooked Spoon but are on average 50p more, less consistently well cooked and lower standard of presentation, and I’m also not convinced the portions are any bigger.

I don’t see any problem having SGR as a premium option, but they do need to drag the rest of the F&B operation up to a decent standard to enable that. Crooked Spoon for example is very ropey in my experience. If they could sort that out and perhaps also bring Emperors back online as another more standard offering in ATH they would be on the right track.

Ultimately though I think the point both me and Dan are trying to highlight is that the restaurant operation isn’t completely devoid of skill and talent. They prove with Secret Garden that they are more than capable of serving food that is prepared and served to a decent standard and - most importantly - tasty. That needs to come through at all levels, whether it’s an inclusive breakfast, a simple burger or smoked salmon.

 

[Craig]

Yup I agree with Ian, SGR is great for dinner but the starter and side prices need to be reviewed and a couple more things added to the menu. There are substantial options like the steak, burger and also the chicken which are relatively good value, less “chefy” if that’s your preference and bigger plates. But, for duck breast and the decent presentation I’d say it’s not a bad price at £16 and it’s good to have a higher end option on the menu.

On top of Flambo’s being sorted, I’d like to see that extra restaurant like Emperors, or a more casual bar/restaurant crossover which would serve to relieve the pressure off the existing bars too.

 

[AstroDan]

ATH was a bit of a car crash again last night - popped in after a good (if wet!) day on park - the queue for Dragon Bar was merging with the queue for SGR and it was just all round rammed, slow service across the board.

They really are limping over the finish line. My concern is the sheer costs of rooms over the next few weeks vs. the standard that will be offered. A worrying time.

They clearly have staff shortages. But, as a result, should not be filling rooms so that the infrastructure can cope.

 

[Matt.GC]

When have AT ever cared about damaging their brand long term in recent years? While there's punters with cash, they'll carry on taking money from them and to hell with the reputational damage, that's next season's problem. For now, it's pretty much too late when they have your money.

 

[Kraken27]

ATH was a bit of a car crash again last night - popped in after a good (if wet!) day on park - the queue for Dragon Bar was merging with the queue for SGR and it was just all round rammed, slow service across the board.

They really are limping over the finish line. My concern is the sheer costs of rooms over the next few weeks vs. the standard that will be offered. A worrying time.

They clearly have staff shortages. But, as a result, should not be filling rooms so that the infrastructure can cope.

My [very soon to be ex] employer operates in the UK short break market. At one of their locations they have big staffing challenges at present. They are actively contacting guests due to visit the location in question in the coming weeks and offering them the option to rebook for a future date in order to reduce guest numbers at the said location. There is a 50% discount sweetener on offer too - get 50% back off what you paid for the break you reschedule.

So if Alton Towers actually did care about the guest experience in the hotels, there is nothing to stop them doing something similar. Sure, they may hot get huge numbers of guests taking up the offer - but everyone who does is is helping to ease the strain on the staffing levels / hotel infrastructure.

Using Witbread as an example [they own Premier Inn] - a nights stay at the Uttoxeter Premier Inn tomorrow night is on sale for £66. 2 adults in the room, so add on £9.50/person for the Premier Inn breakfast [which is very edible] total is £85. A nights stay at the Alton Towers hotel tomorrow night is £123.50 including a rather inedible breakfast.

Add to the fact that the pub - The Racecourse - adjacent to the Uttoxeter Premier Inn will do significantly cheaper evening food than the Alton Towers hotel & also has a bar where you can actually get served - unlike the Alton Towers hotel. Whitbread / Premier Inn are clearly making money on the rates they sell the rooms, food & drink at, so if the will is there [at Alton] it is possible to offer a decent breakfast and well appointed fairly soundproof rooms.

I just hat to wet myself at the description of the Alton Towers hotel on the resorts website...
Discover all the fun and quirky artefacts Sir Algenon has collected from his travels during your stay at this hotel located in the heart of the Resort.

Head to the Secret Garden Restaurant for a delicious three-course a la carte meal, before taking a seat on the terrace or in the hotel's atrium for an evening of amazing family entertainment!

Add a little indulgence to your break and take some time out in the Alton Towers Spa. There’s a fantastic range of treatments to choose from, as well as a pool, sauna and Aqua relaxation rooms.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or the ultimate treat for a special occasion, Alton Towers Hotel is sure to provide a truly unforgettable stay.

Has anyone at Towers heard of the Trade Descriptions Act?

 

[Rick]

Is it vastly different versus 2019? There were a few classic "Merlin WTF" moments but we had a great time.

As I recall, we could have saved about £120 to stay off site but felt like a lot of effort.

 

[GaryH]

It’s the “reviews” that make me giggle on the website. They don’t change, are from years ago. If they had the balls they would link to the Tripadvisor pages for the real reviews in real time like other hotels do!

 

[NuttySquirrel]

My [very soon to be ex] employer operates in the UK short break market. At one of their locations they have big staffing challenges at present. They are actively contacting guests due to visit the location in question in the coming weeks and offering them the option to rebook for a future date in order to reduce guest numbers at the said location. There is a 50% discount sweetener on offer too - get 50% back off what you paid for the break you reschedule.

So if Alton Towers actually did care about the guest experience in the hotels, there is nothing to stop them doing something similar. Sure, they may hot get huge numbers of guests taking up the offer - but everyone who does is is helping to ease the strain on the staffing levels / hotel infrastructure.

Using Witbread as an example [they own Premier Inn] - a nights stay at the Uttoxeter Premier Inn tomorrow night is on sale for £66. 2 adults in the room, so add on £9.50/person for the Premier Inn breakfast [which is very edible] total is £85. A nights stay at the Alton Towers hotel tomorrow night is £123.50 including a rather inedible breakfast.

Add to the fact that the pub - The Racecourse - adjacent to the Uttoxeter Premier Inn will do significantly cheaper evening food than the Alton Towers hotel & also has a bar where you can actually get served - unlike the Alton Towers hotel. Whitbread / Premier Inn are clearly making money on the rates they sell the rooms, food & drink at, so if the will is there [at Alton] it is possible to offer a decent breakfast and well appointed fairly soundproof rooms.

I just hat to wet myself at the description of the Alton Towers hotel on the resorts website...
Discover all the fun and quirky artefacts Sir Algenon has collected from his travels during your stay at this hotel located in the heart of the Resort.

Head to the Secret Garden Restaurant for a delicious three-course a la carte meal, before taking a seat on the terrace or in the hotel's atrium for an evening of amazing family entertainment!

Add a little indulgence to your break and take some time out in the Alton Towers Spa. There’s a fantastic range of treatments to choose from, as well as a pool, sauna and Aqua relaxation rooms.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or the ultimate treat for a special occasion, Alton Towers Hotel is sure to provide a truly unforgettable stay.

Has anyone at Towers heard of the Trade Descriptions Act?

Honestly I take real issue with any marketing spiel that invites me to "enjoy" a "delicious" anything. Like, let me be the judge of whether something's enjoyable or delicious, not you...

Also I think I just hate the word "delicious". Ugly word.

 

[venny]

A few observations from a recent visit:

- There are activity books, branded bags, chocolate bars and notebook and pens being left in the rooms now. It was nice to see a little touch like this has returned.

- The swapping out of the toiletries for non- Towers branded is interesting. The quality of the new products is good, but it’s a shame they couldn’t work out an upgrade in quality whilst maintaining a Towers theme.

- Borders biscuits appear to be back for the rooms.

- The online check in system is bizarre. If there were an improvement in speed to the check in process I could see the reason for utilising it. As it stands at the moment the system is clunky and takes as long as the in person process where you didn’t have to provide all your info upfront. It’s clearly meant to reduce staffing requirements, but that interaction is key to welcoming you to the hotel and probably really useful for new or irregular visitors. A big fail for me and not a good way to start your stay off.

- Breakfast quality remains absolutely dire. The ingredients are the cheapest possible. Pretty much every hot item is unpleasant, but there at least more than 5 of them now.

- The bar staff, whilst pleasant, are so badly trained. We were even asked if we wanted ice with our beer glass and told that they did not serve Baileys despite the bottle being directly behind them. Ma Garritas remains understaffed and unorganised.

- They need to give up on the vocalist shows if they remain of their current standard. The singing and backing tracks cheapen the feel of the place - I’d much prefer just background music.

- Cleanliness seemed quite good.

Overall then, there were some glimmers of hope, but if there generally is a move to improve standards it needs to be accelerated quickly. First stop - get rid of the online check-in/key pick-up process.

 

[Inferno]

It’s been years since I stayed in the Alton Towers Hotel, but what I’m reading sounds really sad.

I remember the actual hotel being really nice, and something quite different.

the rooms have always been dreadful though haven’t they. The noise from the corridors was terrible every time I’ve stayed and I don’t think I’ve ever slept when staying there

 

[Ian]

There are some serious training issues in the bars, that’s for sure. I asked for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and the member of staff had to ask someone else what it was, then proceeded to ask if it was red or white, before also having to ask what glass it should go in.

I appreciate that they are very short staffed this season and everyone has to start somewhere, but it really does make you wonder how much attention the management and team leaders give their new staff if they’re put straight on the job, front of house like that. Especially given how busy they get in the evening.

Agree on the entertainment too. I have no problem with there being singers, but you need to ensure a certain level of quality. Personally, I feel like the singers really should be limited to Margs with some more subdued entertainment in ATH. The atrium really isn’t geared up for kids dancing around the stage. It could still offer entertainment and be family friendly without turning it into Butlins.

Meanwhile, in Spirit of St Louis, just someone tinkling on a grand piano in the corner.

 

[venny]

It’s interesting that pretty much the same entertainment is offered in both main hotels. With CBeebies, you’d think that there was an opportunity to really offer a diverse range of entertainment, from toddler entertainment there, to a family entertainment range in Splash and then reserve ATH for a more upscale/relaxed vibe - that would all fit nicely with the each hotels’ unique and different feel as well.

At the moment the entertainment feels dated and it hasn’t really changed for years.

 

[AstroDan]

The entertainment has been downgraded in both Splash and ATH. It's about as basic as you can get now.

 

[Boothy]

Having stayed at splash last night for the first time in about a decade, I was actually impressed with the hotel and the check in process - it was smooth and really handy after a long day on park to simply pick up the key and head to the room.

The breakfast offering and the size of the bed were my only qualms with the stay and I suspect I'll be back sooner rather than later.


The extraordinary golf offering was a nice way to spend the morning before setting off, too. People were in good spirits there this morning. The courses could do with a touch of love, mind.

 

[Matt.GC]

Not defending them on many other fronts, but in terms of staff "training" I think we need to spare a thought for how hard it's been all season to recruit and train new people. This has nothing to do with management not giving damn - what are we expecting them to do? If you were stuck behind a learner driver, you wouldn't tailgate them flashing your lights and beeping your horn because they didn't overtake the bus you're stuck behind then blame the instructor would you?

Bearing in mind these people are taken on when levels are already tight. It'll be a basic induction with the essential legal stuff then straight on the job under loose supervision by a person who has a heavy workload themselves. It's the best way to learn and makes trainees productive and helpful straight away. If they were sat out the back learning stuff for weeks on end that they'll probably forget by the time they'd put in to practice anyway, then we'd all be complaining about how few staff there are.

Give them a break, they're under-resourced throughout the resort as it is and we were all trainee's new to the job once. They have a high proportion of newbie's, I've seen it myself when I've stayed and I completely emphasise with the trainees, their co workers and their leaders.

 

[Craig]

Not defending them on many other fronts, but in terms of staff "training" I think we need to spare a thought for how hard it's been all season to recruit and train new people. This has nothing to do with management not giving damn - what are we expecting them to do? If you were stuck behind a learner driver, you wouldn't tailgate them flashing your lights and beeping your horn because they didn't overtake the bus you're stuck behind then blame the instructor would you?

Bearing in mind these people are taken on when levels are already tight. It'll be a basic induction with the essential legal stuff then straight on the job under loose supervision by a person who has a heavy workload themselves. It's the best way to learn and makes trainees productive and helpful straight away. If they were sat out the back learning stuff for weeks on end that they'll probably forget by the time they'd put in to practice anyway, then we'd all be complaining about how few staff there are.

Give them a break, they're under-resourced throughout the resort as it is and we were all trainee's new to the job once. They have a high proportion of newbie's, I've seen it myself when I've stayed and I completely emphasise with the trainees, their co workers and their leaders.

I don't think there are many people on here who haven't expressed sympathy for the staffing situation that the industry is in? However, that doesn't mean new members of staff should completely miss out on training and be thrown onto the job with the bare minimum.

There's a big difference between what you're interpreting as people saying management are "not giving a damn" and what Ian has actually said in that management should be paying more attention to their new members of staff. That's a valid criticism as demonstrated by his experience this past weekend. Of course, that's not a conscious decision by team leaders/managers, but most likely by them also being spread so thinly on the ground. As an aside, I will actually say from being on resort too over the weekend that the vast majority of staff we interacted with were really friendly and happy to help, including a brief conversation with a manager when complimenting a waiter in SGR on Saturday.

Sure the pandemic and/or Brexit has caused substantial labour shortages. However, that does not mean that companies should get a free pass to dishing out whatever service they like and have zero criticism when that level of service falls below the standard expected. Let's not forget that in the last few weeks we have seen some of the most expensive room rates across the hotels that we have ever had. When a Friday to Sunday stay in ATH over Fireworks was costing nearly £330 a night, guests are more than entitled to raise issues that they've had regardless of the issues going on with recruitment behind the scenes.

If the resort want to charge that, then they need to make damn sure that the level of service matches the expectations that come with that. If they can't, then they should be considering either lowering the prices or making adjustments to capacity to be able to provide that level of service until they can get staffing to manageable levels. That way new staff can get the correct supervision and training, management have adequate time to deal with issues that arise and guests can have the experience they deserve for the sky high prices they're paying.