Food L'enclume - is this acceptable?

Not in this case, but in general I gurdgingly accept that hospitality, travel and leisure is going to raise prices and firm up terms and conditions after the horrendous 2 years many have had. But this is indeed showing contempt for a customer I'd say.

Apropos of the above, the first holiday we had cancelled in 2020 was a planned 15 April nights on the west coast USA. We finally rearranged for September this year and some of the price rises are breathtaking. I'd kept all the original 2020 bookings on file and whilst most rises are relatively minor - 10% or 15% more on hotels for example - we had hired a 4x4 for 15 days in 2020 for a total cost of £389. At the moment, the cheapest economy car for 20 days (we extended the trip) is coming in at just over £1500! I'm obviously holding off in the hope that these are just early prices and they'll fall nearer the time. Otherwise we might be buying one when we arrive instead :)
 
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Tom Cannavan said:
Not in this case, but in general I gurdgingly accept that hospitality, travel and leisure is going to raise prices and firm up terms and conditions after the horrendous 2 years many have had. But this is indeed showing contempt for a customer I'd say.

Apropos of the above, the first holiday we had cancelled in 2020 was a planned 15 April nights on the west coast USA. We finally rearranged for September this year and some of the price rises are breathtaking. I'd kept all the original 2020 bookings on file and whilst most rises are relatively minor - 10% or 15% more on hotels for example - we had hired a 4x4 for 15 days in 2020 for a total cost of £389. At the moment, the cheapest economy car for 20 days (we extended the trip) is coming in at just over £1500! I'm obviously holding off in the hope that these are just early prices and they'll fall nearer the time. Otherwise we might be buying one when we arrive instead :)
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Have you tried Turo?
 
Tom Cannavan said:
Not in this case, but in general I gurdgingly accept that hospitality, travel and leisure is going to raise prices and firm up terms and conditions after the horrendous 2 years many have had. But this is indeed showing contempt for a customer I'd say.

Apropos of the above, the first holiday we had cancelled in 2020 was a planned 15 April nights on the west coast USA. We finally rearranged for September this year and some of the price rises are breathtaking. I'd kept all the original 2020 bookings on file and whilst most rises are relatively minor - 10% or 15% more on hotels for example - we had hired a 4x4 for 15 days in 2020 for a total cost of £389. At the moment, the cheapest economy car for 20 days (we extended the trip) is coming in at just over £1500! I'm obviously holding off in the hope that these are just early prices and they'll fall nearer the time. Otherwise we might be buying one when we arrive instead :)
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Yes car hire is the one that really seems to have ballooned. Currently pricing for the Roussillon and its about 3 times 3 years ago
 
So sorry to hear this Tom. And yes if you think about it from the other way if you'd cancelled I am sure they would not be at all accommodating. Gleneagles would certainly fit the bill. OTT in design and style but why not! They also have such magnificent grounds for a stroll, as well as a wonderful spa. Each time I've been they have bent over backwards to help out and make our stay feel special, even putting up with me arriving with my rucksack and ice axes dangling around after getting the bus down from Torridon! For the money you'd save get yourself a nice massage or two.
 
A good few years ago, I fell out with L'Enclume after some computer-says-no-ery just like you experienced (though in my case it was just eating). I have the MD's email if you want to take it further, but frankly I'd just go elsewhere (I've not been back since the above event; previously I'd gone probably 10 times a year from the year it first opened).

On the other hand, it is difficult now, particularly for hospitality. Though this sounds to be a problem of their own making, not the plague or staff shortages (well, not directly staff shortages). Wonder if it's poor training of the person lumbered with making all the phone calls

If you still fancy the Lakes, I'd recommend The Samling (best meal in the Lakes for years, albeit pre-plague), Gilpin and Forest Side.
Other immediate thoughts would be: Angel at Hetton, Hambleton Hall, Gravetye Manor, Hjem, Northcote
 
Nothing to add really. It's really poor and damaging to their reputation.
I had a bad experience not too long ago at Troisgros and the response was piss poor. All five of us were left unhappy and told plenty of people about it. It's one thing for a low end establishment to be struggling and thus cause unnecessary disappointment. But l'Enclume (and Troisgros) most certainly are not low end. I'd send them a link to this thread!!
 
Wow, that is an appalling and shortsighted customer service approach.

I recall writing a letter to Northcote years ago about something that wasn’t right during lunch. I pointed out that we had driven over from the Wirral to the restaurant for lunch and essentially the service was surly and indifferent, despite the food being excellent. We received a letter from Nigel apologising, he was aware of service issues that weekend, and he would like us to come back for dinner, stay overnight in a room and enjoy a bottle of champagne as his guests. Fantastic.
 
Alex Lake said:
Even middle management can be overly stuck in their ways. I'd give it a shot, certainly before going very public with it. They obviously don't know who you are! ;-)
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I was going to say something along those lines, but I wasn't sure if it was a particularly NZ type of humour. Over here it is considered quite humorous to say "do you know who I am?", based on a couple of high profile examples.
 
Alex Lake said:
Do you think that message just came from a junior member of staff? Might it be worth asking for it to be escalated?
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Exactly. I think I would ask "If it is out of your control, I want to speak to someone who has control".

Edit: Just read more earlier comments. If you don't want to go now anyway, you could negotiate a forumite discount by way of compensation :)
 
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Tom Cannavan said:
Alex, have you used Turo? Certainly looks a lot, lot cheaper than the rental companies. Need to know more about insurance, etc. though so will keep looking
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Read the T's and C's carefully.

I took the "premium" insurance option that they offer when hiring a car many moons ago (in fact I drove it up to the Monte Bello vineyard!), and some undesirable decided to key the entire length of it while it was in my possession. The owner was relatively relaxed, we both took the point of view that Turo would take care of it, however it transpired I was on the hook for a $1000 excess. My own fault in part for not being more diligent in looking at the terms - I was used to ordinary hire car firms where the most expensive option == excess waiver, but I was quite shocked at just how high.

In general though, it was a very useful service and I would bet that the offering has evolved quite a lot since then. This was around 5 years ago. Other than the (very unlucky) outcome, it was as a whole pretty efficient.
 
Kevin Courtney said:
Over here it is considered quite humorous to say "do you know who I am?", based on a couple of high profile examples.
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I remember working on a high profile construction project a number of years ago.

We recieved a particularly pompous phone call from someone who then said " do you know who I am?". The guy at our end said "no, do you know who I am?" Upon receiving the answer no he loudly told him to F off and slamed the phone down.

Still proud he had the nerve.
 
Richard Lodeman said:
I remember working on a high profile construction project a number of years ago.

We recieved a particularly pompous phone call from someone who then said " do you know who I am?". The guy at our end said "no, do you know who I am?" Upon receiving the answer no he loudly told him to F off and slamed the phone down.

Still proud he had the nerve.
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I heard an incredibly similar story from a friend once that I was going to relate here - thanks for saving me the effort!
 
The version I grew up with was of the students sitting their examination and being told to stop writing. All did, except one. The invigilator asked them again to stop, and again, but that last one didn't. They asked them another time and still the final student wrote. Eventually the invigilator packed up all the tests and said to the remaining student that their paper would not be marked.

"Have you any idea who I am?" asked the final student, picking up his papers.

"No, and I don't care."

"Then that's Ok," said the student, shoving his papers into the midst of the pile the examiner held.

Nigel P will be silently quoting the Peter Cook version of this whilst reading this thread.
 
Many years ago my brother worked on the door of a private members' club in London.

One night a well-oiled Hugh Grant (at the height of his fame but not a member) turned up in the company of two young ladies (not members either) and blithely requested admission. My brother politely reminded HG and his companions that entry was restricted to club members and their guests. HG then huffily resorted to "Do you know who I am?", to which my brother airily responded "Yes, and that's precisely why you're not coming in."

I believe management eventually convinced my brother that standards could be relaxed temporarily...
 
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