Jimbo - I would laugh but I am too darn angry. Can you review my email to Kostas because my Italian blood is raging and I fear that I am currently too angry to send anything objective.
This is my first draft:-
Kostas
I recently wrote a review for Delfino Blu on Trip advisor which you replied to yesterday.
To say that I am livid is frankly an understatement and I would like to settle the matter as you are clearly misguided around what actually happened that evening.
See below for your comments and my response:-
Your comment
First of all I would like to point out that all guests are welcomed in “Kohili” restaurant, regardless of whether they are staying in the hotel or not. You actually, mention that fact in your review as well, when you say that you have trusted our restaurant since 2008 and 2009. Nothing has changed with our dedication to quality and service standards.
My Reply
Not all guests are welcomed in your hotel and I know for a fact that people have been asked to leave the premises when simply looking around to see if it’s somewhere they would like to stay or eat. Your reputation is known in the resort – I have defended the hotel in the past because I have had lovely meals there and have been treated well but you managed to ruin that in one evening.
Your Comment
Regarding your review, you requested a specific table on the terrace at front for 10 persons, which was not possible as there isn’t space for a table that big there. Our restaurant supervisor offered you a side table, where you would be more comfortable, however as the weather forecast at that time was unpredictable, he had advised you to confirm your reservation on the day you were coming which you didn’t.
My Reply
This is an outright lie. My husband booked the table around 11am in the morning and we were eating at 8pm that night – he was never told he had to reconfirm the table due to the fact we were eating the same evening. You host wedding parties at the hotel – I fail to see how a table of 10 people threw up such problems for you. Rubbish.
Your comment
Due to the bad weather conditions on that specific day, the terrace was closed and the indoor restaurant was fully booked. When we didn’t get any call from you, the booking was cancelled because of the weather. The same thing that happened to you, happened with three other bookings that day. The parties had called to confirm and we were able to tell them the terrace was closed and they were able to amend their bookings.
My reply
Another lie. The terrace was NOT closed that evening – yes it was slightly windy but not badly enough to close a terrace and besides which there was another couple who arrived within 30 minutes of us and were dining next to our table with their son!!
Your comment
The interior of the restaurant was full and we kindly asked you to wait and take an aperitif until a table became available or to make a new reservation for the next day. Despite the fact all other guests were dining inside, you insisted on having a table fixed on the terrace, even though the service was not possible under these circumstances.
My reply
We were told to wait at the pool bar until our table for 10 was ready on the terrace. The service was possible because you were quite happy to seat the couple with their son on the table next to us and fawn over them all night. Obviously they were hotel guests so clearly entitled to wonderful service and not having their table cancelled.
You have done absolutely nothing to reaffirm my faith in your hotel or your staff by this ficitious reply to my review. I will never eat at your hotel again, nor will I recommend you (as I have in the past).
I am also interested in the disportionate amount of 5* reviews the hotel has and the incredibly small number of poor reviews. Looking at the best 5 and 6 star hotels in the world, they all have a proportionate amount of average or bad reviews yet the Delfino Blu does not. Considering my initial review was pulled by Trip advisor after several days being live on the site, I am starting to wonder how many other negative reviews have been taken down to preserve your ratings.