The Tea House and Bar — Restaurant in Santiago del Teide

The strangest end to a gin tasting that I will ever experience.

Dear Jim,

Before I get into the reason for my 1/5- I do want to say that you catered to our dietary requirements very well, and up until the last 10 minutes, we had a good time. You seemed relaxed, engaged and entertaining...

I do not get the impression that you are the kind of person that would keep an open mind, or accept any kind of criticism. I have accepted this but I am still keen to share my thoughts. I want to demonstrate to you, that despite your preconceptions, there are things that you can improve on relating to your customer service. (Notice my mirroring of your overused phrases throughout the experience. Do you practice what you preach?)

If you think it is in any way acceptable to swear at, point at, and shout at any person who has paid you money to engage in your service; then you are deeply, sorely mistaken.

The way you treated me and my family was beyond unprofessional and childish, and as a group we have left your company in a mixture of hysterics and shock.

For the reader of this review, Jim shouted and berated us as a group at the end of our experience because we arrived on time. Yes you read correctly, we arrived at 4pm for our 4pm gin tasting. I have attached the picture of the programme which states the 4pm start. They seem to have some additional rule that you must arrive at 15:50, to avoid demonstrating disrespect to the establishment.

Having read your prior responses to criticism and feedback, I can already imagine your response. I welcome this, and I am sure you have an elaborate and well-thought out return to my comments. Maybe something about being entitled customers?

P.s. maybe brush up on your history of gin, it was patchy at best.

With...

I would like to offer caution to anyone thinking about going to the gin tasting experience offered by this tearooms. This started off as a great experience - and after everything i would still like to say a massive thank you to Lindsey who catered amazingly to my food intolerances (for which i am really greatful)!

however this ended up as a really shocking and unpleasant experience as after the three hour gin tasting (priced at €35 euros each - paid in advance) when Jim the owner running the experience started an embarrasing and aggressive argument with our party in front of the other customers for turning up at 3:58 to an experience that started at 4pm as we were apparently late which he considered disrespectful.

This was confusing and completely unexpected as this was not mentioned to us as a problem when we arrived, and was not communicated to us appropriately at the end. instead Jim shouted (yes that is right a fully fledged adult shouted at paying customers for being disrespectful of his time management)

I would not reccomend this establishment to my...

Whilst I appreciate that at times, prior bookings do result in a table or 2 looking empty artificially, at the particular instance we tried to come in the majority of the restaurant was empty- this, in principle, isn’t an issue. The reason for my review is the hostile reception we encountered when we enquired as to whether one of the empty tables was free, and dismissive attitude thereof. We should thank you, as a result of being turned away, we discovered “bamboo bakery” around the corner, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with the excellent tea/cake and welcoming/superior service.

I have worked in hospitality for many years- regularly serving senior members of The Royal Family, Heads of State and other dignitaries- and I have never experienced the level/quality of service I did here. Truly a dodged bullet, as the outset doesn’t bode well for what the experience...