I will preface this review by stating that I have never left a negative review in my life. I have worked in customer service for over a decade so I understand the difficulties that can be faced in the industry. I have only ever heard positive things regarding the Little River Hotel, everyone I've spoken to has raved about how positive the dining experience was at the venue.
Despite this, last nightâs experience at the Little River Hotel was a masterclass in what NOT to do when hosting customers at your business, but rather one on how to guarantee they wonât return.
Our party of 7 had a booking for 7:00pm. Half of the party arrived on time, the other half was delayed due to our elderly grandfather with a disability taking a little longer than planned. The whole party was seated before 7:30, which I wouldnât have thought is unreasonable but it is the only explanation I can come up with for why our hosts treated us in a way that could only be described as begrudging for the duration of our visit.
Our entrance to the hotel was less than inviting, as we grappled to get past a slew of intoxicated bar flies obstructing the entrance. We then navigated our way through the menâs toilet area and into the main dining room where we waited several minutes before being acknowledged by a staff member.
The blunt, cold bar service was the kind you might expect at a busy nightclub, not a country bistro and asking for water for the table was also met with acrimony.
Our backsides had barely grazed the seats before we were informed that we would need to order right away because the kitchen was closing, to which my partner light-heartedly suggested âsurely they wonât close the kitchen before a booking has orderedâ. This remark was overheard by staff who illuminated us, explaining that âif you book at 7:00, thatâs when youâre expected to orderâ. Whilst it seemed unusual that the kitchen would close at 7:30pm during a dinner service, our group decided against ordering entrees as the general sense of urgency seemed to warn us against staying any longer than necessary.
I am pleased to insert a little relief at this point and inform you that everyoneâs meals were tasty and generously portioned, the work of the kitchen staff was without fault.
We had several other unpleasant interactions with the staff that are too petty to mention here, but it should be noted that our plates were whisked out from under us, even as a few of us had fork in hand. Our mother was interrupted while eating to be offered a âdoggy bagâ for the rest of her meal.
Perhaps most disappointing was the lack of tolerance for our elderly, disabled grandfather. As everyone elseâs plates had been cleared, leaving him to finish his meal alone, a staff member passed our table and scoffed, remarking to a co-worker behind the bar that she was looking forward to going home and running a bath. Sensing the growing hostility in the room, we asked the staff if they would return our cake from the fridge and (to the great relief of the staff Iâm sure) we decided to serve the cake back at our grandfatherâs house.
At what was probably about 9:00pm, our feet crunched across the gravel towards our cars and we were doused in darkness. In a final brazen display of indignation, the staff cut the lights...
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