An important occasion had been booked and paid for several months in advance at “The Retreat Tamborine Mountain”. The event had been preplanned for months with the preparation of expensive cuisines and beverages, also including significant travel expense for family members arriving from various locations. Unfortunately, the gathering was completely ruined by a failed water system. There was no running water, being absolutely imperative to facilitate a successful function, not to mention guest's incapable of being able to shower. Unacceptable for a five-star holiday retreat.
Several calls and messages in an attempt to contact the Property Manager with no prompt response, it was necessary to find an immediate solution on our accord. We arranged for a local water service authority to arrive at the property and perform an onsite inspection at our expense. To no avail as he advised this was a technical issue outside of his expertise.
The Property Manager finally returned our calls to relay a series of instructions in order to resolve the absence of running water. Nothing worked. Back and forth calls later, the Proprietor called and informed us that a hydro technician would be onsite to remedy the situation. By the time the problem was resolved, the planned event had passed. Unfortunately, all too little, all too late, all very disappointing.
As the evening grew tiresomely long, the water was now running so at least the guest’s could now shower... or so we thought. There was now no hot water. Further calls to the Property Manager, further remedial instructions that guest’s had to perform, we learned how to reestablish the hot water reticulation. Unfortunately, the hot water wouldn’t circulate for a few more hours, at which point guest’s were beginning to retire for the evening and resigned to the fact that hot showers weren’t a reality until the following day – our departure day. Completely unacceptable in the middle of freezing winter.
While the Property Manager and Proprietor where both polite and apologetic, unfortunately these failings are entirely unacceptable for a five-star rated holiday retreat. In the spirit of five-star service, compensation will be required in the form of a full refund.
The Property manager has advised that the Proprietor will be in touch. There has been no return call.
This exercise has caused immeasurable distress to the host. An exorbitant expenditure for an extremely negative experience.