Knightsbrook - our very bad experience

jonnybravo

I just wanted to share our bad experience with Knightsbrook yesterday. We had a provisional booking with Knightsbrook, just had to confirm with Church and then was planning to put down deposit with Knightsbrook on Monday all going well. But got a call yesterday to say they had released our booking because we asked inappropriate questions!! Can't believe it, I'm absolutely shocked, so confused and so disappointed in them as had read so many fab reviews about the hotel and my gf loved the place.

Basically they don't want us because we mentioned NAMA to them. Had heard during the week that they were in Nama so looked up internet for advice on what to do as obviously was very nervous about definitely booking with them then if that was true. ALL the forums I read had people saying speak to the Wedding co-ordinator if the hotel is in NAMA and get reassurance - ask about the hotel being profitable etc. Had also noticed during the week when looking at T&C that there payment terms were more demanding than other hotels we had been to see so wondered was this because of NAMA.

So during out meeting yesterday with the Wedding co-ordinator we asked the following questions:
1. Were the stricter payment terms because they were in NAMA (to which we were told that Knightsbrook was not in NAMA...confirmed later that this was not true)
2. Was the hotel doing well, was it profitable
3. Did they have much of a budget going forward for renovations/repairs and maintenance (our thinking here was that if a Hotel is in NAMA they might not have as much cash free to keep the hotel up to the same standard it is today).

From reading other forums I don't think any of the above is unreasonable in todays climate esp as had just heard about them being in NAMA and gf was freaking out a bit about it but we both needed reassurance before paying deposit. Left our meeting with the coordinator with the view that once Church came back to us to confirm date and if Knightsbrook would accomadate our request for having speeches before the meal we would pay deposit either today or Monday.

3 hours after our meeting got a call to say the Wedding co-ordinator had spoken to the General Manager about our meeting, he felt our questions were inappropriate to ask a member of staff and that our booking was released. I'm still in shock over their reaction.

Sorry for the people who have already booked there reading this - I'm sure you'll still have a lovely day as long as you don't mention NAMA to anybody. But feel that the people who have not yet booked there should be aware of this, as I wish I had known before even looking there. I think their reaction is very strange but I'm not going to list the conclusions I've come to.

We are spending so much money on our Wedding Days by booking a hotel, I don't think it's too much to ask that we can speak with a Wedding co-ordinator about how the hotel is doing to satisfy ourselves it's still going to be open in 1.5 years. Have to now start looking at more hotels now so we are back to squareone. Anyone ever heard of anything similar ever happening before?

The Church confirmed our date to us also...so looks like we have a church but no venue now

amdublin

That seems mad?! I am sure loads of other people ask that

tinkerbell

I actually read your same post earlier on either weddingsonline.ie or mrs2be.ie (can't remember which one you posted on). OP, sounds like you dodged a bullet there. If that's the way they behave when someone asks them if their hotel is viable when putting down a wedding deposit, then clearly they must not have the confidence in their hotel to keep running. I'd be very wary of a NAMA hotel who didn't want to answer those questions.

Chin up, it's their loss. There are much nicer hotels out there.

Diddler1977

I think you had a lucky escape.

The GM and Wedding Planner sound so unprofessional. To tell you that they had a discussion about what you asked and then to tell you that they thought you asked inappropriate questions. As a customer you should never have been told the above.

If they didn't want to have your wedding in their hotel they should have just told you that the date was no longer available.

They sound very rude and not very professional.

Borderfox

Very strange behaviour but as said above its their loss

clint_silver

this sounds very strange, Have you told knightsbrook of this post so they can come on give their version of events? Would only be fair to send them a link to your posts here and on other sites.

A negative post online for any vendor of any type can affect business.

note: Ive no link to knightsbrook and I'm not doubting what happened as you say it, just they may have a different version of events, set of rules for this kind of thing, set of circumstances.

Moonbeam

I remember looking at hotels and of them telling us that they were legally required to tell us that they were in receivership, knightsbrook never told us that they were.

Gatica

what a bunch of stupid eejits... Sorry you didn't get the venue you wanted and especially in such an unprofessional manner.
If you want you can show them your thread, but it's their own business to keep on top of their publicity. What they should be doing is actually giving a good impression of their hotel to their customers, which is how many hotels get good referrals in the first place. If I'm up that way, won't be giving them my business.

jonnybravo

To be honest I'm still shocked at how they treated us. I rang the General Manager and told him we had asked the exact same questions in all the hotels we'd been to but he just fobbed me off saying it was inappropriate to ask a member of staff those questions. I just said the wedding coordinator is supposed to be the hotels representative. It's just all so strange.

I'm just glad we weren't months down the road and asked about it then and got this reaction because we'd be in a lot worse of a position then.

Sleepy

Being in NAMA doesn't necessarily mean the hotel are in trouble: the banks had to hand all loans over a certain threshold over when they transferred the loan assets to the agency so there would be plenty of profitable businesses that are "in NAMA" alongside the absolute crud.

That said, given their attitude to some reasonable questions I'd join the "their loss" camp. From what I saw of your post on WOL, some posters there are suggesting other venues in the same area that have better reputations and lower prices so definitely a bullet dodged imho!

jonnybravo

Diddler1977 wrote: »

I think you had a lucky escape.

The GM and Wedding Planner sound so unprofessional. To tell you that they had a discussion about what you asked and then to tell you that they thought you asked inappropriate questions. As a customer you should never have been told the above.

If they didn't want to have your wedding in their hotel they should have just told you that the date was no longer available.

They sound very rude and not very professional.

They couldn't tell us the date was no longer available as we had it provisionally booked. If they wanted rid of us what they should have done was just say that we couldn't have our speeches before the meal and then we would have probably gone elsewhere as we had said that to her that this was something we didn't want to negotiate on.

suzins89

That is very strange and unfortunate!
When your paying for something so expensive you should be able to ask whatever questions you want to ask.
Hope you find another great venue anyway!

jonnybravo

suzins89 wrote: »

That is very strange and unfortunate!
When your paying for something so expensive you should be able to ask whatever questions you want to ask.
Hope you find another great venue anyway!

Thanks. Going looking at places this weekend so fingers crossed!

Diddler1977

jonnybravo wrote: »

They couldn't tell us the date was no longer available as we had it provisionally booked. If they wanted rid of us what they should have done was just say that we couldn't have our speeches before the meal and then we would have probably gone elsewhere as we had said that to her that this was something we didn't want to negotiate on.

They could have just told you that they couldn't keep your booking as a mistake had been made and they already had a wedding on that day.

I think it was very rude and unprofessional to tell you that you were asking inappropriate questions.

theg81der

Stayed there about 2 months ago had a gift voucher and I think you got a lucky escape. I was so unimpressed with every aspect with this hotel. My room had a giant crack up the wall and everything seemes to be poorly maintained. I was really suprised after reading good reviews but obviously something changed.

jonnybravo

theg81der wrote: »

Stayed there about 2 months ago had a gift voucher and I think you got a lucky escape. I was so unimpressed with every aspect with this hotel. My room had a giant crack up the wall and everything seemes to be poorly maintained. I was really suprised after reading good reviews but obviously something changed.

My gf actually noticed cracks on the wall on the way up to the ballroom too. I wouldn't notice anything unless it was stuck in my face!!

niallam

Knightsbrook never went into receivership and aren't in NAMA.

Gatica

Then I don't understand their shame in answering the questions as to their profitability.

banshee_bones

Sounds rather crazy alright, in these times with hotels and venues shutting down all around the country I think your questions were quite sensible. I asked my wedding venue and they were happy to reassure us that they were financially viable and were not in any kind of distress. Another bride I know who went with a hotel that was in recievership had a very positive experience and actually since the hotel has gone into recievership it's doing better than ever with regard to wedding bookings. Anyway I think you dodged a bullet as others have said!

jonnybravo

niallam wrote: »

Knightsbrook never went into receivership and aren't in NAMA.

They're not in receivership but the General Manager confirmed they were in NAMA. Didn't bother me if they were in receivership or in NAMA as long as they were going to stay open and stay putting money into the upkeep of the hotel.