Seaview Hotel — Restaurant in Queensland

Had never been treated so poorly as a (prospective) customer in my life until I went to the Seaview Hotel! Family and friends were spending time together there while I was attending a course in town, and I was supposed to meet them there before going home. It was starting to rain, so when I phoned my partner up to tell him I was on my way, he said they had decided to go to a restaurant for dinner, so we would only stay there for 10 or 15 minutes after I arrived. I had never been there, so, unaware of the need of a document to get in, I left my handbag in the car and rushed to the place to remain as dry as possible. The guy at the door asked me for my driver's license, and I explained to him that I did not have an Australian license... but, luckily enough, I had my mobile phone on me, and in my country, we have this government approved app where some of our documents (ID and driver's license among them) are stored, so we don't need to carry the paper version. He was not happy enough, as it was not in English and he could not understand it, even though it had my photo and name on it - I tried to convince him by saying that he would recognise me in the picture, and Miriam is an international name, so he would understand that that was my name. He wanted the paper thing, anyway, which I told him I had left in the car, about 100 metres away, and it was raining. I could have borrowed someone's license just to go inside, because they don't even give it a proper check, as I noticed... some people just show the thing from a 2 metre distance, which makes it impossible to even check if the people in the picture is the same as the one holding the document! Anyway, as I had rung my partner up to let him know that I had just parked up and was going in, he came out to see why it was taking me so long to arrive... Even though I had explained to the young man that the paper version would look exactly the same as the digital one, he made my partner go and grab my bag, so that I could get in and meet my friends for a few minutes. Of course he did not accept the paper document, probably because the word "name" was spelt "nome", for that's the way in my language!!! I asked him what difference it made if he could not recognise it as a driver's license, because it was not Australian. What matters is it is an ID, and that is easily understood... It was then that I remembered that my passport was probably in my bag, as I always carry it and asked him if he would take that. He said he didn't know. But as people were obviously not happy having to wait behind me for a few seconds while he was still arguing about the driver's license thing while letting others in without checking their documents properly, he decided to transfer me, the problem, to this young lady a few metres further inside. He said she would be able to decide what to do... I handed her my documents and explained the situation. The queue behind me started to grow... She then told me that she could not understand either document, because they were in Portuguese. While I was calming my partner down and still trying to be as polite as my mum always told me to be, I kindly asked her to look closely, because the passport, which is an international document accepted anywhere on this planet, was in both Portuguese and English. Like: nome/name, and so on. She then told me that the letters were too small and as it was too dark in there, she could not read it, so she did not know whether she could allow me in... she would have to call the manager, so he would decide what to do. Anyway, they could not find the manager and the people behind me were getting very, I mean very impatient! So she was kind enough to say that she would let me in "this time". I got in, my friends finished their beverages in five or ten minutes, and we left, after having spent about 20 minutes at the entrance door! Why I give Seaview Hotel one star? Because you have to rate it somehow. Will I ever go back there again? Noooooo! Their chips probably taste as bad as their attitude...

What a horrific experience that was!

It all started when I was ordering. I explained to the staff member that I am a Type 1 diabetic and would it be possible to swap the side of hot chips for a side of garden salad. This is something I have done countless times in countless venues with no issue. I was told, point blank, that this would not be possible as it's Irvin Hotel Group policy not to allow exchanges on menu items. Once again I explained my reasoning was not that I am fussy, it's because I am Type 1 diabetic. But nope, it was impossible. I asked to speak with the Manager and a chap called Wally appeared. Wally seemed nice enough but he again reiterated this point. I asked him for some contact details for his head office so I could provide some feedback around this and he provided these. I finished by explaining to him the difficulties of trying to eat out as a Type 1 diabetic and if he could provide some feedback along these lines to the powers that be above him and he nodded.

But things then just got worse and worse.

My wife, who is 30 weeks pregnant, and 7 year old son both ordered medium-well rump steaks. After a long delay these arrived and both were well under... literally oozing blood onto the plate. They both tried to eat around the rare parts but it was a big mess. So I took my son's up and gave it to the staff for a recook. I then took my wife's up and asked for a refund as she so so turned off by the blood she didn't want to attempt round 2. It was at this stage that I met another Manger, a fella called Ryan. Ryan processed the steak refund and while I had him, I told him I would like to provide him with the same feedback I had earlier given to Wally.

So once again I explained to Ryan that I am a Type 1 diabetic and could have please let his superiors know the issues I faced tonight. But instead of humoring me, Ryan said that it was company policy not to exchange plate items, and that was it. From here the conversation went along these lines:

Me - "Ryan, I understand that this is your policy. I am wanting to give you some feedback on this policy so perhaps something can be done about it." Ryan - "But it's company policy, that's just the way it is." Me - "Yes, I understand that Ryan, but I am giving you feedback on this policy. Are you saying to me that my feedback is irrelevant?" Ryan - "Yes that's correct."

What???

Customer feedback is irrelevant? Since when? I went on to tell Ryan that every rule, policy and guideline in the world is the subject of reviews and feedback... all apparently except policies of Irvin Hotel Group it would seem.

What a disgrace. I will never, ever return to this venue and would suggest to anyone else who is either: a. Type 1 diabetic or b. someone who wants to feel valued and respected as a consumer, to...

So just had walk in with a couple of friends and noticed that there was a worker cleaning tables. We went to sit down after ordering a drink and noticed when he has been cleaning the tables. He has put lots of soapy wet water on the chairs I had asked, the guy that was cleaning if he could clean the tables and chairs just to wipe the residue off as I have done this he was quite frustrated Tempered as I think he was trying to finish his shift and get out of there yes I do understand when you want to leave. You just want to leave but if you need to finish your job and your job you should do it 100% so as he has cleaned three of the chairs, which weren’t the ones that we were sitting on? I had asked him if he could clean this one as I pulled the chair out as where I was sitting and he has taken this as an insult as he has an immigrant and he is not an Australian citizen, so unless he has taken my Wording wrong he seem to think that I was being sexual. He has stormed off threatening me that he was going to get me kicked out of the venue and I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. He has then gone to the public and Sarah that took the complaint come straight to me with a security guard and threatened to cut me off as she was trying to find out what was the inappropriate comment that was made which we told her three different people told her the same story she did not want to believe it she told us to our face that she is going to back her workers, no matter what This was all going down as she was talking to me Sarah the manager the worker that had clean the tables has got their normal clothes on and has left the venue as I stated he was in a rush to leave the venue and did not want to finish his job Correctly as I proceeded to try and talk to the manager and the security guard to try and figure out a solution and get to the bottom of the actual statement that was made she did not want to take any recollection or listen to me and kept proceeding to try and kick us out of the club Which I left appropriately to her knowledge I had asked to talk to the manager. She stated that she was the manager didn’t want to take any statements. She went and got some card with an email address to email the venue. as a first time customer I recognise not to go there ever again and will not be going back there ever again as it’s very...