My partner and I had booked this hotel back in March for a 2 night midweek break. After a long drive we were looking forwarding to unwinding.
As we reached the top of the drive there was a massive marquee and as we got nearer the building we saw several funfair rides to the rear of the car park.
At reception they had our booking as B&B when we had booked DBB. After checking how much we paid, the receptionist corrected it and booked our evening meal. The hotel itself looked lovely inside.
We asked the purpose of the marquee and we were informed that it was student grad ball week. She told us that the bar would be rowdy, but that they had security and we could sit in the restaurant for as long as we liked. We were in shock so headed to our room to digest this information.
Our room was on the ground floor and at the end of a corridor with an external door next to our room that was wedged open and led to the marquee. The marquee was outside our bedroom window and we could here people talking. We decided to go for a wander and met 2 men storing a drum kit in the room next to ours.
We headed to the bar, which was quiet as the students hadn’t arrived yet and had a chat with a couple of lovely bar staff. The young female was extremely apologetic and they told us that the students leave the hotel around 2am, the drum kit was for the following evenings event and that the fire alarm had been set off at 1am during the previous nights event.
After digesting this information we headed back to reception where we spoke to a manager who wasn’t interested. She told us that the marquee would stop at 10.30pm and the fireworks and funfair at 11pm. She then told us that the students weren’t allowed in the bar. We said we would have dinner and assess whether we would leave in the morning.
I went to the bar to ask for an ice bucket and a couple of glasses for our room and was met by a wall of students who had now arrived. There was around 50 of them in the bar area and I had to fight my way through them, saying excuse me several times. By this point I was extremely angry with the hotel and their mismatch of information and went back to reception.
I told the receptionist that the bar was full of students and asked her to refund our 2nd night as we would be leaving in the morning. We would never have booked if we had known as we were coming away for some relaxation,
When I returned to my room, reception called my partner and asked him to come down.
She offered to transfer us to another hotel 15 mins away (Slaley Hall) for 2 nights DBB and would cover the difference in price.
We took the offer, we’re given a reference number to check in at the new hotel and she reserved dinner for us.
The bar staff and reception were more helpful than management, really not impressed,
We arrived at our new hotel to find a casino van and a circus van in the car park and a sign at reception saying they were hosting a 2 dat Grad Ball…..
The story continues in my review of Slaley Hall.
I have contacted Best Western to complain and have asked Slaley Hall for a refund, I won’t hold my breath. less
KEITH DONKIN, Other at Derwent Manor Hotel, BW Premier Collection, responded to this review
Dear Guest
I am sorry for the experience you encountered. As you had booked via a third party they should have informed you of the event taking place. The hotel offers a wide range of facilities and as discussed with yourself at the time, the function guests had no access to the main area for our hotel guests. I personally dealt with the outbooking to Slaley Hall along with our Deputy General Manager and I apologise that you felt we were not interested. As soon as we learnt of your disattisfaction we offered you a speddy resolution to move to another hotel so you could enjoy your break. I apologise that you felt the alternative was also not satisfactory. Once again my sincerest of apologies.