Last month, after a week of youth hostelling and camping we took our four
children aged 6 to 13 to Moonfleet Manor, one of the Luxury Family Hotels
collection, in Dorset. We had been looking forward to three nights of luxury
as we had previously enjoyed staying at Woolley Grange and Fowey Hall from
the same group.
But the exterior of the hotel was shabby with rodent traps near our
accommodation. The upholstery and shower in our room needed a good clean and
our toileteries were not replaced when they were used during our stay. When
we arrived all the dinner slots that allowed children were full so they all
had to have high tea which was not sufficient for the older two or
appropriate (even my six year old had trouble sitting at the small tables).
The adult food was adequate but not as good as advertised. The breakfast
buffet choice was on a par with what we had eaten at a youth hostel we
stayed in the week before.
The children enjoyed the facilities but they were also scruffy. The swimming
pool had a poor changing area, was missing tiles and could also have done
with a good clean. The creche despite being advertised for children up to
eight was only really suitable for toddlers.
We feel price - £400 per night for all of us - was extortionate for what we
got. We were happy to pay the price at Fowey Hall because it was a luxury
break, but Moonfleet was not of the same standard. We've had no response to
our complaints. - Elizabeth and Paul Leonard, London E11
Times online family travel expert Chloe Bryan-Brown responds: How
disappointing. I do sympathise. For £400 a night you deserved better. That
said, I am impressed with how the Luxury Family Hotels group has responded
to your complaint. Often when a reader writes in with a moan, the hotel or
holiday company sends a bland reply, sometimes trying to pass the buck. So
the Luxury Family Hotels’ letter was particularly refreshing and I hope it
goes some way towards making you feel a bit better.
In a nutshell it said it was sorry you had a rotten time and would try to
learn from your experience. It defended Moonfleet (“It’s a successful hotel…
we get our hospitality right more often than not and our systems and
processes work well”), but also admitted that it does “provoke extremes of
opinion,” and is primed for redevelopment within the next couple of years.
Best of all it offered you and your family a two night complimentary stay at
any of its hotels. So I suggest you get on the phone right away and book
yourself in for a relaxing break.
For your information, while the Luxury Family Hotels are particularly well
known, there are several other very good family hotels in the UK that cater
for families with young and older children.
Have you thought about Calcot Manor
near Tetbury, Gloucestershire? It has a fistful of awards and offers great
family facilities such as an Ofsted-registered creche and The Mez with
Playstations, X-Boxes, computers and the like for older children. It has
also has indoor (limited children’s admission) and outdoor pools, tennis,
bikes and an outdoor play area. Babington
House is also popular, as is the Westin
Turnberry in Scotland – especially good for dads and lads – and dogs.
Got a question about family travel? Email our trio of experts at yoursay@timesonline.co.uk- Chloe Bryan-Brown takes care of questions for the 0-6 year olds, Emma
Mahony handles the 7-12 age group and Jane Owen the teenage and single
mother groups
