Extremely disappointing experience – poor management and service

We had an extremely disappointing experience at London Road Bistro at The 4-Star Hyde Hotel on Saturday evening.

We had made a reservation in advance and purchased dining coupons from Wikideals specifically for this experience. The coupon clearly states that "booking is essential, that no walk-ins are allowed, and that up to three coupons (six people) are permitted per table/booking." Despite having done exactly what was required, we arrived at the restaurant that appeared to be significantly overbooked and understaffed.

A waiter repeatedly ignored us when we tried to get assistance and eventually told us that there was only so much he could do because the restaurant was overbooked and understaffed. We then asked to speak to the restaurant manager, James, but also had to wait just to be attended to by him.

When James eventually spoke to us, we were told that we would need to wait approximately another 30 minutes for a rugby match to finish so that tables could become available. We were also told that this was not the restaurant's fault, but rather the hotel's, because the hotel apparently overbooks guests in anticipation of people not showing up. We were told that the other people waiting in the lobby also had reservations, and therefore we simply had to wait.

What was particularly frustrating was that, as customers, we were the ones trying to come up with solutions to resolve a problem that was not of our making! We had already purchased the coupons, so simply cancelling our reservation and leaving was not a reasonable option.

We suggested a very simple solution: joining a four-seater square table with a two-seater round table so that we could be seated inside. James refused, explaining that the restaurant would lose the opportunity to seat another potential table of customers. Instead, his proposed solution was to seat us outside, despite the extremely cold and windy conditions and despite the fact that our reservation was for indoor seating.

Eventually, after close to an hour of waiting, we were seated inside. We had decided to be proactive and place our food order while we were still waiting in the lobby, yet even after being seated, our food still took an exceptionally long time to arrive.

When the bill arrived, we were charged a 12% service fee. The waitress explained that 10% was the service fee associated with the coupons, while the additional 2% was apparently the restaurant's policy for bookings of six or more people. However, our booking consisted of three separate coupons, rather than a group booking or function. The coupon itself states that three coupons/six people are permitted per table, booking or seating and separately specifies a 10% service fee. This made the additional 2% charge particularly difficult to understand.

The most disappointing part of the entire experience was the complete lack of ownership. Rather than trying to find a reasonable solution, we repeatedly had to advocate for ourselves and suggest ways in which the restaurant could accommodate us. We were eventually told by the manager himself to direct our complaint to the hotel manager, and he indicated that we were not the first customers to experience this problem.

That, in itself, is concerning. If management is aware that overbooking and seating issues are repeatedly affecting customers, the solution should not be for customers to simply wait, accept poor service, sit outside in unpleasant conditions, or take their complaints elsewhere.

We did not expect special treatment. We expected a reservation to mean that a table would actually be available when we arrived, and we expected basic communication, accountability and customer service when things went wrong.

Overall: a very frustrating and disappointing experience. The management of reservations, communication between the hotel and restaurant, and the handling of customers when the restaurant is overbooked need serious attention.