We booked a two bedroom cottage, and arrived around 5pm on the first night. The cottage was well presented, nicely furnished, and comfortable for the needs of my wife and two children (5 and 13).
Around 615, we began to prepare our evening meal. As soon as we switched on the cooker/hob, the circuit breaker tripped all the sockets upstairs. I reset the breaker and tried again. Same thing. A call to reception and, 15 minutes later, the maintenance man arrived at the door - Farqhuar. He was a very pleasant, chatty, and helpful man. However, he was unable to fix the fault. By this time, my youngest was starving and so we were able to use the microwave, and cook some pasta for her. The rest of us had a takeaway indian meal that night.
The next morning - and having had to have cereal instead of the cooked breakfast I was looking forward to - I called reception. I was told that the cooker would be fixed that day. We then went out, arriving back at 6pm. Guess what? The cooker was still not working. This time, I walked up to reception, and explained that, having family in Aberfeldy, we had arranged to cook for them that evening, and entertain them in our cottage. The receptionist knew nothing of the fault, although eventually found a note in their log book. I asked to speak to the duty manager, James, and again explained. that we had intended to entertain family. He said that we were welcome to dine in the hotel bar, and we would receive 50% off our food bill. However, 15 minutes later back at the cottage, we had a call from reception to say that we would only receive 50% of meals for my wife and children - not our visitors. We were also offered the use of the kitchen in another cottage nearby - which was no solution at all, as we would be running backwards and forwards with food all night, in freezing temperatures.
So, we all ate in the hotel bar. The food was typical bar fare, mostly deep fried options, but well presented, and tasty.
The final day of our stay - again cold cereal and no cooked breakfast - I went to reception to pay our bill and check out. We were charged full price for all the food, with the exception of the burger I had, the scampi my wife had, and the two plates of chips we children had. The discount worked out at roughly £12.70. In addition, the hotel deducted the cost of the electricity we had used. This couldn't have been very much, given that we were unable to use the cooker!
I asked to speak to the duty manager, and then had a fruitless conversation with Helen, the customer services manager. I made the point about having booked a self-catering cottage only to be unable to self-cater. She then told me that I was able to cook my daughter's pasta using the microwave! Not a very customer-oriented response. Then, when I said how we had planned to entertain my family, she had the cheek to say that the cottage was designed for 6, and there was only enough plates and cutlery for six! I didn't even bother pointing out that it was my intention to use paper plates. Why bother - Helen didn't care. It was all she could do to eventually apologise, when I pointed out that she hadn't done so. Her words, and I quote, were "I'm sorry if you aren't happy". So, not exactly a wholesome, customer service manager apology. When I told her that I intended to write about this experience on TripAdvisor, she shrugged her shoulders. Finally, I pointed out that she had ruined the goodwill we had towards Moness, for the sake of her failure to recognise that we had not received the self-catering cottage we had booked, and had been offered what amounted to a discount of around 10% on the cost of our stay.
Electrical faults happen - though why are heating, cooking, and hot water not checked before each arrival?. Moness is actually pleasant enough, with reasonable leisure facilities. We have stayed many times before. However, it is noticeable that there has been, in recent years, a massive turnover in staff. I wonder if this is a reflection of the attitudes of at least some of the management?
I really doubt that we will return after this experience.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
30 January 2012
Thank you for taking the time to review Moness resort on Trip Advisor. I am pleased to read that you found your cottage well presented, nicely furnished and comfortable.
Regrettably, after maintenance visit to Hunter cottage the information relayed to reception, was that a microwave would be suffice for the two days you were visiting, I am sorry if this is not correct, we have now updated our internal procedure to ensure such incidents do not occur in the future.
We have no record of a call made to reception from Hunter cottage on the morning of 4th January and I am unsure as to who you would have spoken in regards to the cooker that morning. However I am sincerely sorry if our strict reporting policy was not adhered too on this occasion.
When contacting reception on the evening of 4th January, an offer of the full use of Keeper cottage, next door to Hunter Cottage, was offered and declined along with the offer of a 50% discount of dinner in the Terrace Bar for the residents of Hunter cottage only. A call was made to reception shortly after accepting the offer of 50% of dinner in the Terrace Bar. It was reiterated too you on three occasions that the offer of the discount applied to residents only. I am pleased to read that you and the rest of your party found the food in the terrace bar well presented and tasty.
Although I strongly disagree with many references in your review, I am sincerely sorry with what you perceive as a lack of interest in this matter, I would like to assure you that was not the case.
The cooker in Hunter cottage was checked prior to your arrival, unfortunately some repairs are unforeseen, as in this case and cannot be dealt with as quickly as we would like, regardless, the cooker should have been repaired and I can only apologise fully for what appears to be a misunderstanding on our part. The food bill for Hunter cottage residents and the electricity bill, totalling over 20% of the accommodation, were wavered as a goodwill gesture.
As mentioned you have stayed at Moness Resort many times before and I am sincerely sorry your view was tainted on this occasion. I do hope you take up the offer of a discounted future stay as outlined in my letter to you dated 12th January to demonstrate that we do normally get it right as the vast majority of our past reviews concur.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
