“Wonderful ... but disappointing!”
We drove up to to the Wilderness Grove "house", amidst olive trees, and it was wonderful. They sent us the "secret code" for the door by SMS text message during the day, we gained entry and the key to our room was there. Wonderful.
We had also had a phone call earlier in the week asking about a potential problem with the weekend - GREATLY appreciated (and the problem was solved ... I suspect it was solved by the people booking one room agreeing to cancel ... which means the owners sorted the potential problem at their cost!)
It is the small things that can turn an "above average" place into "exceptional". However, it is also the small things that can make an "above average" place only rate as "average".
Our suite included a "complimentary" tasting platter. FREE olives, bread, olive oil and wine. WONDERFUL. Except, the suite does NOT have any wine glasses, plates or cutlery. Even the most basic motel includes wine glasses!
Then the notice says that the wine, olives, etc. are complimentary HOWEVER if any of them are removed, they will be charged at full retail price! So ... we eat half the olives ... AND we enjoy them ... we are NOT allowed to take the leftovers home? Do you recycle them for the next guests?
We had driven for a long time, and had had a relatively big lunch, so had decided the wine and olives provided would be a welcome dinner. Unfortunately, it was'nt.
Breakfast is included but was disappointing. This is a B& B that is among the highest priced in the Hunter. However, fruit juice is not freshly squeezed and fruit at breakfast is small, plastic tubs of pre-packaged fruit. This is completely unacceptable for this kind of establishment.
We will find somewhere else next time.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
16 February 2012
Hi Michael D, Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are glad that you appreciated that we had indeed gone to extra lengths (and yes – at a cost to us) to ensure your stay was peaceful. Whilst most guests don’t seem to mind collecting wine glasses from the dozens on offer in the guest lounge, we think that providing wine glasses in the room alongside the port glasses and coffee mugs is a great idea that we will look into. Since the guesthouse is located within an olive grove, we do like to provide complimentary olives, oils, balsamic vinegar & dipping bread for guests to enjoy when they arrive as well as a complimentary bottle of wine – but we do ask that guests don’t remove the glass bottles and jars from the room (excluding the wine of course - we hope you will feel free to take the wine home with you). The produce tasting basket is for guests to enjoy on arrival (it is certainly not intended to be dinner) and whilst we would never recycle produce (oils/vinegars or olives) we do in fact re-use the jars and bottles – this is how we are able to provide these treats for free. We’re sure you will understand that the room was not self - contained (ie doesn’t have cooking facilities) which is why crockery and cutlery isn’t provided. We are of course disappointed that you didn’t enjoy the breakfast. Most guests thoroughly enjoy the hot breakfast served to them each morning – in fact we’re famous for our roasted vegetable and double smoked ham frittatas, not to mention the lovely and bacon, scrambled eggs, sautéed mushrooms and double cheese tomatoes you were also served. Unfortunately it seems that we can’t (despite trying!) satisfy all tastes! PS Health regulations dictate the fruit be served in containers as it was.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC