So after our lonnnng, long day of walking however many miles, swimming, and then driving 3+ hours, we were really hungry and tired and ready to relax for the evening. I had booked a place that had very good reviews and happened to be located above a river rafting center (and we had been thinking about going rafting or something in the river...).
In fact, this is the place I booked: http://www.booking.com/Share-HCACWQ. However, since by the time we were approaching the spot on the map, the office at the place was closed, the nice lady had called me to explain how to get into the room: "From the car park, go around the back of the center up the stairs, and the room is on the left. Keys are in the door."
So we found the car park, found the stairs, found the room on the left with a key in the door, and this is what we saw...
A dark, dusty room with 9 mattresses scattered around the floor and two dodgy chairs. We all stood there, stunned, in silence for a few long seconds. Rhodri said, "We can't stay here. Let's get back in the car and find somewhere else." I felt pretty sick in my stomach about it because I thought I had missed a crucial detail (like the absence of a kitchen in the first place!).
We drove to a nearby hotel that looked decent and I sulked in the car reorganizing our bags while Rhodri talked to the nice lady Julia inside. Sadly, there were no vacancies at this place, or at any of the other hotels, hostels, b&b's, etc anywhere in the vicinity! In fact, the nearest place with a vacancy for the night was 1.5 hours drive away. I suggested to Rhodri that we ask the nice lady to let us rent some sheets so we could make the dodgy place work for the night, but he refused. Then someone (probably Rhodri) suggested that I call the owners of this place to let them know of its unsuitability and to cancel the canyoning activity i had booked for the next morning. I didn't think anyone would answer, since the office closed at 6pm, but someone did answer. I tried to tactfully explain that the room wasn't what we were expecting and that we were quite disappointed. But then he interrupted me to explain that his colleague had given us the wrong directions! It wasn't the door on the left, it was the door on the right and then once inside the building it was the room on the left! That was a huge relief but also kind of funny. At least we had only lost about 30 minutes in all that drama, and we had met the lovely Julia, and when we finally got into the room, it was exactly as the website had advertised and perfect for us. I whipped up some pesto pasta while Rhodri and the kids hung up our wet clothes and we had dinner, then went to bed. What a day! And night!
In fact, this is the place I booked: http://www.booking.com/Share-HCACWQ. However, since by the time we were approaching the spot on the map, the office at the place was closed, the nice lady had called me to explain how to get into the room: "From the car park, go around the back of the center up the stairs, and the room is on the left. Keys are in the door." 
So we found the car park, found the stairs, found the room on the left with a key in the door, and this is what we saw...A dark, dusty room with 9 mattresses scattered around the floor and two dodgy chairs. We all stood there, stunned, in silence for a few long seconds. Rhodri said, "We can't stay here. Let's get back in the car and find somewhere else." I felt pretty sick in my stomach about it because I thought I had missed a crucial detail (like the absence of a kitchen in the first place!).
We drove to a nearby hotel that looked decent and I sulked in the car reorganizing our bags while Rhodri talked to the nice lady Julia inside. Sadly, there were no vacancies at this place, or at any of the other hotels, hostels, b&b's, etc anywhere in the vicinity! In fact, the nearest place with a vacancy for the night was 1.5 hours drive away. I suggested to Rhodri that we ask the nice lady to let us rent some sheets so we could make the dodgy place work for the night, but he refused. Then someone (probably Rhodri) suggested that I call the owners of this place to let them know of its unsuitability and to cancel the canyoning activity i had booked for the next morning. I didn't think anyone would answer, since the office closed at 6pm, but someone did answer. I tried to tactfully explain that the room wasn't what we were expecting and that we were quite disappointed. But then he interrupted me to explain that his colleague had given us the wrong directions! It wasn't the door on the left, it was the door on the right and then once inside the building it was the room on the left! That was a huge relief but also kind of funny. At least we had only lost about 30 minutes in all that drama, and we had met the lovely Julia, and when we finally got into the room, it was exactly as the website had advertised and perfect for us. I whipped up some pesto pasta while Rhodri and the kids hung up our wet clothes and we had dinner, then went to bed. What a day! And night!
No comments:
Post a Comment