Thursday, September 02, 2010

Ireland episode 1

I can't do long posts at the moment - I'm still recovering from the holiday. So this will have to be episode 1. There are some more cheerful episodes coming up later!

These photos are of the state of the first place when my son and his fiancée arrived there. I've spared you the worst ones!


My younger son and his fiancée arrived the day before the rest of us, due to ferry booking issues. They found our first little holiday home in an appalling state - abandoned uncleaned by the previous occupants. They spoke to the property owner who sent a woman to change the beds for them (!) but she didn't do any cleaning and they spent their first evening cleaning up so that they could bear to spend the night in the place.

Unmade beds was the least of it. The floors and surfaces were filthy and I don't think you want to know about toilets and bathrooms: just imagine your worst!


The owner sent a cleaner the next day, who did at the rest of the cleaning. We got her back once to finish it, then gave up. We asked for compensation but the owner explained in great detail that it wasn't her fault. Right.


The holiday company emailed us to say that a cleaner had been sent in on the Sunday, which was true but wasn't the point. They seemed to think that was the end of the matter. I was incandescent: my baby had to cope with all that mess! It's amazing how easily I get into Mum-mode.


17 COMMENTS:

Ann said...

Oh my that is awful. Disgraceful! Most holiday places in Ireland are scrambling for business. This type of thing gives the whole industry a bad name. I would contact and lodge both a verbal and a written complaint with Bord Failte.

Stacy said...

Wow. And I thought service in America was bad.

fairyhedgehog said...

Ann, I'm currently preparing an email to the company that we booked through. I'll check out Bord Failte just in case we don't get any satisfaction.

stacy, it was pretty bad, and I've left out some of the more disgusting bits!

Phoenix Sullivan said...

Oh my! That just takes the cheer right out of a holiday. Hope your future posts are of happier days.

And at least you have photos - presumably before and after the "clean up" -- to share with the booking company.

fairyhedgehog said...

Phoenix, it didn't occur to us to take "after" photos! Some of the "befores" are pretty nasty though.

Old Kitty said...

Oh there must be a way to get compensation for this - this is outrageous!! :-( What a mess to come to on your first day of your holiday - your poor son and his fiancee! This is just wrong! I feel like writing to some consumer guru to get some redress!! How appalling for you! :-(

And this is only episode 1! I'll stock up on some adult beverages for episode 2 I think! LOL!

Take care
x

fairyhedgehog said...

Kitty, adult beverages sound like a good idea. I might even join you!

Sylvia said...

That's appalling!

I'm about to spend a fortnight in hotels, I hope you've used up all the bad luck!

fairyhedgehog said...

sylvia, I hope so too. Where are you going?

Jemi Fraser said...

That's awful! I can't believe someone would leave it like that! Yuck.

Sylvia said...

Gibraltar, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, Herts. Then maybe back to London, not quite sure yet but it'd be nice to have some *quiet time* in England where I could actually see people.

But I might just run away back home.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Oh my goodness, that's awful! I'm so sorry your family holiday began this way. I hope it got better. :)

fairyhedgehog said...

Jemi, it was pretty bad!

Sylvia, Epsom isn't far from London. Just sayin' ;) Hope you have fun on your travels, wherever you go.

Sharon, thank you. Luckily we did have some better times too.

writtenwyrdd said...

The cleaners should have been in and cleaned before the next renter showed up. I would notify any agencies or better business bureau groups (whatever your equivalent is) and go to yahoo and wherever else you can rate a place and slam them. That is outrageous. They should give money back in compensation.

fairyhedgehog said...

ww, we're working on it! After the email I sent the holiday company they rang me straight away to say they're onto it! One advantage of being able to write clearly, although I think my son's photos helped.

Whirlochre said...

Crikey, I didn't think people were sufficiently witless to be this appalling these days.

Hope you manage to wring every last drop of apology out of them.

fairyhedgehog said...

Thanks, Whirl.

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