Antrim Collection - Everything BUT Luxury

Dear Antrim Collection Management

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with our recent experience at the Antrim Collection during what was supposed to be a special couples getaway. Unfortunately, our experience was far from the enjoyable and memorable stay we had anticipated, and I feel compelled to bring several issues to your attention.

Firstly, when my husband booked our stay, he was asked if we had a voucher, to which he rep**** yes. Almost immediately, he was told that there was no availability. However, just five minutes later, I called and was informed that there was space available. I proceeded to book a double room and mentioned to the booking agent that it was our anniversary. Despite this, our arrival was far from welcoming. We were made to wait more than 10 minutes in the dining room because the staff could not determine which room was ours (speaking in Xhosa the entire time). When we finally got to our room, we were disappointed to find two single beds instead of a king-sized bed. After a lengthy conversation with a staff member (Anita), they reluctantly converted the beds to a king size, but this was only the beginning of our troubles.

We then went to the spa for our treatment, scheduled for 15:00. Upon arrival, we were not greeted properly; instead, we were immediately asked for proof of our voucher. We also did not receive the welcome drink that was indicated on the voucher. We were then left to wait in a loud hallway until 15:15 when we were finally called into the treatment room. The treatment itself began at approximately 15:25, and to our dismay, it ended at 16:05. This was far short of the 60-minute treatment time that we had paid for, and it was poorly executed. Our arms were not massaged at all, and only our backs, back legs, and necks were treated, with minimal attention to detail.

Returning to Antrim Villa, we hoped to prepare for dinner, only to find that there was no power. The manager or supervisor on duty was completely unprepared to handle the situation and was rude and unprofessional when we approached him. To add insult to injury, we requested wine glasses and were given dirty, dusty ones, which we had to wash ourselves before use. We left for dinner without the opportunity to shower or properly prepare due to the power outage.

At the Antrim Eatery, we were disappointed to be offered only two table options: one directly in the doorway and the other in a corner next to the cutlery and crockery. This was particularly frustrating given that we had informed the staff it was our anniversary and had hoped for a more pleasant setting. Upon returning to our accommodation, the power had been restored, but our air conditioning was not functioning, leaving us to endure the cold and rain outside. Not to mention the loud "neighbours" in the room on top of ours. We asked the night manager to address this issue with the guests but he told me he will not do this and closed the door in my face.

When we brought all of these issues to the manager's attention on Sunday morning, we were met with nothing but excuses for the poor behavior of the staff. This response was wholly inadequate, and we are left feeling cheated and saddened that our milestone anniversary was ruined by such a disappointing experience.

Given the numerous issues we encountered during our stay, I would like to formally request a refund or at least a "re-do" refund, as we did not receive the quality of service or experience that we paid for in any way.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.