English Chess Forum

Hi Everyone

Did anyone else have issues with bookings at the final weekend of 4NCL. I had rooms booked 6+ months before and got given email to confirm names the monday before the 4ncl began, I did so. Then was told they "accidently gave away my booking" which I find unacceptable. Considering the sheer amount of division 1 players in the Barcelo, does this suggest that other teams had issues.

I know others had problems at the hotel, like why the bar was not open until 3+pm on the Monday.

I am not pointing any finger at 4ncl, mainly the hotel, they seemed to make alot of errors.

Kind regards

Ben

The only problem I had was some nugget smashing a beer glass in one of the toilet cubicles and then leaving it there for me to stand on next time I went in. A little bit of detective work leads me to believe that the cuplrit has something to do with Sambuca Sharks, made up a few Sharks t-shirts or something?! Oh well, I'm sure I'll track down a name and a face soon enough...

Begs the question, why do you take your shoes off when you take a piss.

Ben Purton wrote:Begs the question, why do you take your shoes off when you take a piss.

Or why would you take your beer with you

to replace the fluid you give away?

Ben Purton wrote:to replace the fluid you give away?

No (rumour...) in case another Sambuca player drinks it

I have found that usually the first time the 4NCL uses a hotel it is pretty poor, presumably because it is quite hard for a hotel to appreciate what a chess league requires. I thought there were a lot of areas where Staverton Park could improve - the check-in was terrible, the rooms weren't ready in time and mine and my father's room were mixed up. The meal on Saturday was simply not up to standard. I also didn't like the way the chess was so split up, but this might be unavoidable. Having said all this, there were good things too, nice rooms, free Wi-Fi, coffee in reception, decent meal on Sunday. I don't think Staverton Park was too bad, but I think you have to accept that it is difficult to know what a chess league requires and hotels have to learn from experience and I'm sure Staverton Park will be much better next time.

Its not the first time that the 4NCL has been at Staverton, so that's not a valid excuse.

Most of the players booked into the Barcelo that I spoke to had either done so by mistake (who said chess players were intelligent?!) or because they left it too late and Staverton Park was full.

However, a number of players booked 2 nights at Staverton, only to be told that the hotel had accidentally only booked them in for 1 night. Consequently they got moved on the Sunday to somewhere else by Staverton, and at the Staverton rate. This sounds suspiciously like bumping the low paying guest (teh chess players) for a higher rate paying party who booked after the chess. I know thats not good, but when you have such a low rate as £44, its a risk.

Ben Purton wrote:
Did anyone else have issues with bookings at the final weekend of 4NCL.

Yes. The Guildford 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams were booked into Staverton Park for 2 nights, but Staverton Park moved us to a different hotel about 4 miles away for the second night, at, I understand, only 2 days notice.

The evening meal at Staverton Park on the Saturday night was abysmal.

Ian Thompson

Well the Saturday was all you can eat pasta , which was huge!!!

Ben Purton wrote:Well the Saturday was all you can eat pasta , which was huge!!!

Quantity, yes; quality, no.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I'll be having my usual post-weekend feedback conversations with the venues shortly and will pick up the various points with them then. Feel free also to email me directly if there ever are any specifics that aren't necessarily of general forum interest but that you want to raise anyway.

This is a pretty minor issue, but I'll mention it anyway.

I took advantage of the express checkout at the Barcelo on Monday. My name was misspelt on the bill and my house number was also wrong. I corrected these, as instructed by the accompanying letter, before handing in the bill at reception. The final statement and receipt have just arrived - thoughtfully hand delivered by a neighbour because the name (and more importantly) the address were still wrong.

No harm done on this occasion - but what if I'd needed the bill for an expenses claim and I didn't have such helpful neighbours?