3
Shaun -
2 months ago
My weekend accommodation booked with Brenaissance already got off to a rough start when last minute I got contacted on WhatsApp to ask when I would be checking in since that starts at 14:00 and their reception is closing at 16:30.
This was really a bit cheeky as there is no mention of this anywhere and no alternative option was offered other than they could wait until 17:00 so we had to scramble to get there earlier than planned which made for a very rushed experience.
Upon arrival we were further informed the gates are closed at 23:00 and there isn’t any alternative means of entry after the fact. Something not advised beforehand anywhere.
All was good and well with what seemed a very well sorted and kitted self-catering Orchard unit but it soon started falling apart as there seems to be a complete lack of attention to detail and what appears to be a lot of extreme cost cutting as if the place it going out of business.
Firstly there were no fire-lighters or starter wood chips to make use of the corner fireplace, one of the nicer features for choosing the venue. An abundance of wood,but no way to actually make use of it.
It soon also became apparent nobody actually checked this unit’s kitchen as there were exactly 3 butter knives, 1 regular wine glass, 1 mug, 2 espresso cups with 4 champagne glasses. No forks, no spoons, no teaspoons even.
Ironically there were baking cup measure on the counter as if baking a bread was an option.
Small things sure, but the problem is with nobody on site after 17:30 there was no way to resolve this which made for a poor experience overall.
Further to this there was exactly one toilet roll in the bathroom and the tiniest unmarked bottles in the shower which could have been anything from shampoo to conditioner or moisturiser who knows. I don’t ordinarily even need these things but in the rush to make it for the check-in I had forgotten my own.
The free WiFi listed as a feature was pretty much not available at this unit and even when walking down to the pool house the next day it is so speed limited it pretty much doesn’t work. The lady at the restaurant was all too happy to agree that WiFi is actually quite useless across the farm…so it seems they are perfectly aware of listing a feature that doesn’t actually work.
Air conditioning worked as advertised and was welcome in the extreme cold weather, but I do worry with the complete lack of ventilation and water literally running down the walls how they keep the damp away.
Breakfast at the restaurant was pretty good, but very limited to a hot or cold option in single dish set menu fashion. While the food was excellent it was quite sparse and again felt like a cost cutting measure.
After noting the lack of fire-lighters, cutlery and glasses at reception and requesting an extra roll of toilet paper it things were mostly resolved but I got the tiniest piece of firelighter you can imagine and exactly one toilet roll that didn’t make it through to the next morning.
Things improved overall from there on out until I got to this morning and there was no hot water and therefore no shower before starting the day. I was quite over it by then…not that there was anyone at reception to complain to.
It seems a bit like a wolf in sheep’s clothing venue overall which looks good on the outside but is lacking an attention to detail that doesn’t match the price being asked of the experience.
