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It is
almost a year since the BDL managed Holiday Inn Hotel alongside the
Madame Tussaud Group owned Chessington Park opened full of hope and promise.
We were at
the opening of the safari themed hotel, which provided something
totally new for the area and decided to return to see how plans had
progressed. First, I must say how impressive the hotel is both
externally and internally, with high-ceilinged public areas,
comfortable bedrooms and a very inviting leisure area with swimming
pool. However, the plans for the safari theme and even animals
roaming the hillside seen from the back of the hotel seem to have
been lost in the bush somewhere.
The original
publicity lauded the quality of cuisine at the Langata restaurant to
compliment the décor standards of the hotel but a year on,
this still remains a seemingly unattainable target. When we first ate
there, we were expecting perhaps a safari theme to the menu - perhaps
Kenyan steaks, curries and fruits - which proved just how wrong you
can be. Instead we were treated to a chaotic meal with substandard
food and poor service.
Nothing
daunted, this was put down to the shake-down period that every new
catering establishment needs, but nearly 13 months on our own
experience, and that of numerous readers and associates, suggests
that there has been little improvement in standard in the face of the
struggle to attain demanding monthly financial targets and management
seems to be chaotic.
Colleagues
have visited the restaurant during an evening to report patchy
service, often due to only one person seemingly being on duty and a
string of complaints ranging from cold and badly cooked food, to
absences from the menu of really basic items like steak, burgers and
apple sauce, abound.
Our latest
visit was on a Sunday for lunch, to relax and enjoy the £16.95
buffet. We had booked and the restaurant was supposed to open at 1.00
but there was no sign of life as we waited by the bar. We decided to
share a bottle of wine and ordered a bottle of South African Chenin
Blanc from a slightly bewildered young lady behind the bar. The cause
of the apparent bewilderment became clear when she asked if we would
like white Chenin Blanc or Red???? A few minutes later we were given
a Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc!! At least the colour was right and, on the
basis we might die of thirst if we sent it back, we decided not to
press her further and be thankful for something to drink at least.
The
restaurant showed signs of life around 1.30 just after the hotel
sales manager had marched into the bar to occupy a table in a
secluded corner. He obviously decided he did not like the rather
pleasant music on the sound system so had it turned right down -
which I gather is a regular demand whether the customers are enjoying
it or not..
Once seated,
our order was soon taken by the very pleasant waitress although she
appeared to be the only one on duty. Thank goodness she only had
three or four tables to deal with.
For an hotel
of this standing, the buffet was unappetising and of a standard that
would probably be bettered by most pubs. The ribs for starter were
virtually cold and the soup was acceptable but tasteless - where was
the peppermill? - certainly not visible anywhere in the restaurant.
For main course the carved beef was reasonable but the chicken was a
disgrace. It should have been breast but they had run out and it was
in fact the worst kind of scrawny drumsticks almost raw on the bone,
just inviting salmonella. As for my salmon, all I can say is it would
have been great for someone with no teeth. I love salmon but not when
it is presented grey and mushy as a result of over heating.
What an
unfortunate and unpleasant experience. Some of the fault must lie
with the kitchen. I did ask to see the chef but he declined, which is
the first time in my long experience this has happened to me. Perhaps
the greater fault lies with the general management, however. The
décor is already showing signs of wear in places and there was
a strip off the side of our dining table which could have caused a
nasty cut.
The staffing
problem is more obvious. Most are from a wide variety of countries
outside UK with very varying levels of knowledge. The kitchen, for
instance, does not seem to know what good gravy is, producing a demi
glace when a stock based gravy would be far tastier. As for front of
house, apart from the incident in the bar, we saw two female members
of staff run towards each other in the restaurant for a 'kiss, kiss'
before going on their way ; staff shouting at each other across the
restaurant ; another male member sauntering through listening to an
MP3 player and our poor waitress being told off in front of us by a
manager at 4.00pm for saying no to new customers when service had
supposedly finished at 3.30pm.
Gluttons for
punishment, we decided to return once more two weeks later to give
the restaurant yet another chance. It couldn't always be that bad
could it? We will never know. We turned up once again for the Sunday
buffet (or a la carte) advertised all over the hotel and were amazed
to see the restaurant carpet still being vacuumed at 1.30 pm. Once
again we sat at the bar to wait and saw a family who had booked
seemingly turned away and told to order bar food. Customer after
customer turned up to ask about lunch only to walk away after,
presumably, being told the same thing. Eventually my party could wait
no more and we asked just when would the promised buffet be ready.
Guess what? Try bar food we were told - no lunch today as we do not
have enough bookings!
Disappointment
for our guest, embarrassment for us and 0 out of 10 for the hotel -
and there wasn't even anyone on duty we could complain to.
The hotel is
lovely and the potential of the restaurant excellent but on present
evidence it is a potential that may never be realised unless better
systems are put in place and someone learns to buy better produce and
cook it better. Until this happens my suggestion is try the pub up
the road - the food is far better and much better value.
Holiday Inn
Chessington may have intended their restaurant to be an oasis of
culinary delight but in actuality it is more a culinary desert. Enter
at your peril.
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