Disappointing stay in the Sheen Falls
My wife and I stayed in the Sheen Falls last Friday night March 28th 2025. We arrived at 15.15 and checked in we received a warm welcome and we were shown to our nice room. We booked an evening meal for 19.00 in the Falls Restaurant. We visited the leisure centre for a swim and sauna once again the staff were friendly and informative. We returned to our room to freshen up before our evening meal and decided we would have an aperitif in the bar before dinner. We arrived in the bar at 18.25 and sat by the fire and waited to be attended to. Two barmen were on duty at the time and they were chatting behind the bar, we waited patiently. There were six customers in the lounge at this time. Eventually at 18.45 a staff member came to us and asked us if we would like to order a drink, we ordered two gin and tonics. A further wait ensued and at 19.05 not wanting to be late for our dinner reservation, and not having received our gin and tonics, we decided to go to the Falls restaurant. We went to the two barmen and told them to cancel the gin and tonics as they had not still been poured. This is not five-star service or even related to it.
We were shown to our table at the restaurant and we met with our waiter George who was friendly and very helpful. We ordered our meal and a bottle of wine. Our starters arrived I had the lobster my wife went for the ravioli. My starter was disappointing as the lobster was tough and tasteless the ravioli was also described as lukewarm and tasteless and poorly presented. Our main courses were no better we both had the lamb. The lamb was small in portion and lacking in flavour the shoulder of lamb presented was not edible. The pureed potatoes were lukewarm at best. The deserts and coffee were acceptable. We both left the table disappointed and not satisfied. This is not five-star food or even related to it.
In the morning we were advised to go to the restaurant before 09.30 as we were advised it gets busy after that, strange advice to be given in a five-star hotel I thought to myself. We arrived at the restaurant at 08.40 and were shown to our table, the server asked if we would like tea or coffee, we both order americanos, ten minutes later a pot of tea was delivered to the table.!! We re ordered the coffees and 15 minutes later they arrived. My wife then ordered the mini-Irish breakfast and I ordered the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and I asked for some white toasted bread also.Ten minutes later the breakfasts arrived the scrambled egg was luke warm and no toast arrived. The mini-irish was not freshly cooked and was also lukewarm and had all the appearance of food which had been under warming lamps. We both do not like buffet breakfasts and this is a reason for booking a hotel that supposedly cooks the breakfast on demand. I eventually got the attention of a server and asked for me previously ordered toast as my eggs and salmon were eaten at this stage.
The toast arrived eventually, the server said they were very busy, which is hardly an excuse for very poor service, as at this stage the restaurant was only half full.
We had planned on staying in the Sheen Falls until late afternoon on the Saturday and to have lunch in the Stables, but we both agreed that we did not need anymore disappointments so we grabbed our belongings and checked out immediately after breakfast.
I took the time to write a letter of complaint to the General Manager and I am still waiting for a response which adds insult to injury !!!