“Cosy guesthouse feel”
Reviewed 15 August 2012 via mobile
A Small hotel generally relaxed atmosphere, with the exception of the stressy rude porter/waiter. Diffident manager. Very kind and helpful housekeeper and friendly female restaurant staff.
Bedrooms are very small.
Reception desk rarely attended.
Daniel Lawson, Manager at Bell Rock Hotel, responded to this review
17 August 2012
Thank you for your review, of which I am concerned as it appears you were not totally happy with the service you received whilst with us. It is a shame that you didn't bring to my attention any details you felt were not up to your expectations whilst actually here. Our welcome pack in every room does request this if guests have any issues, and obviously in this case I was not given the opportunity to try and rectify your grievances.
With this in mind, I would not say I am a 'diffident' person. I can only assume by that, you mean that I am not loud, brash and in guest's faces all the time, but instead prefer a more calming, considerate and courteous approach, and being there to help whenever needed.
Reception is manned daily, Monday to Saturday my myself 8am to 1pm (at least), and in the afternoons, our housekeeper has the phone (Sunday is also staffed). I am unsure what you mean as 'rarely attended'? We don't have a 'dedicated' full time receptionist as I fulfil this roll as well as being manager, with the help of my team in the afternoons and bar staff of an evening. If there is not someone on reception or bar, there is a phone on reception to buzz a staff member who will be no more than a few seconds away. Inevitably, there will be times that I am called away from reception, such as taking guests to rooms, making a coffee for a guest, or helping in the restaurant, but again not far away.
The hotel has 23 bedrooms, and is staffed by just 10 people who all multi task between departments. This helps us to keep tariff's lower, and also create consistency by helping the staff know what our guest's require throughout the hotel.
***Footnote***
I have to follow certain guidelines when responding to reviews left on TripAdvisor. One of which is not identifying the original reviewer (if known). I do have a pretty good idea of who may have left this review, and it is a real shame they didn't alert me to any issues they had whilst here. If it is who I think, I had bent over backwards for them and managed to pull a few strings to help arrange alternative transport for them when the Scillonian III ferry was cancelled due to rough seas and strong winds. Seats on flights were like gold dust!
Talking with them, it was their first short break visit to Scilly, and I don't think the islands on the whole were what they were really expecting.
I guess sometimes you just can't please everyone!
