I try to outsmart the virus.

[drron]

So with the computer giving up this report will only be completed when home. But will take a few pictures with the phone to give some feedback.
I would forget Hayman Island as an upmarket holiday. Posted from the restaurant where we have waited for over an hour and no food. Waited 45 minutes for our wine.

 

[kookaburra75]

So with the computer giving up this report will only be completed when home. But will take a few pictures with the phone to give some feedback.
I would forget Hayman Island as an upmarket holiday. Posted from the restaurant where we have waited for over an hour and no food. Waited 45 minutes for our wine.

You are too polite. I would have (or at least Mrs K would have heavily suggested), taken over the bar after a ten minute wait for the wine.

 

[drron]

Well Mrsdrron has an appointment with the F&B manager in the morning. I hope he knows what he is in for.

 

[kookaburra75]

That's not going to end well. At least you can provide medical assistance if required - or interested

 

[Pushka]

Well Mrsdrron has an appointment with the F&B manager in the morning. I hope he knows what he is in for.

You know it will be the Covid excuse don't you? Weirdly it seems to have a polar opposite effect on prices.

 

[Major]

I have friends arriving tomorrow. I hope Mrsdrron has the place sorted by then.

 

[drron]

Here is last night's dinner. Fried rice arriving 40 minutes before any other food. Then Mrsdrron's fish dish which she ordered without chilli. And my crispy Fried whole reef fish arriving 1 hour after the first appearance of the Fried rice.



We had some interesting friends for dinner.

 

[MARTINE]

@drron - Thanks for this very helpful information …with pockets bulging from refunds Hayman was being thrown up as one of my potential leave in 24 hrs notice when Vic gets out of lockdown in 2025 options.. black line through this one .. can’t wait to hear the outcome of Mrsdrron chat .. keep us updated

 

[drron]

Well the F&B manager didn't turn up at breakfast but got to see him afterwards. He did see the problem and although he came up with the Covid excuse he did tell us why. Last year when Covid first started they lost most of their regular staff. When business returned they could not get local staff as most were on jobkeeper. Most of the staff they could get were foreign fruit pickers who couldn't afford to get home. The best of those are still here.

Come June those staff from Victoria or NSW went home when they could so admitted they have a problem with training.
We will get looked after but I also asked him to find the couple sitting next to us last night who are here with their 5 month old and who left after 2 hours without getting any food.

 

[MARTINE]

Well the F&B manager didn't turn up at breakfast but got to see him afterwards. He did see the problem and although he came up with the Covid excuse he did tell us why. Last year when Covid first started they lost most of their regular staff. When business returned they could not get local staff as most were on jobkeeper. Most of the staff they could get were foreign fruit pickers who couldn't afford to get home. The best of those are still here.

Come June those staff from Victoria or NSW went home when they could so admitted they have a problem with training.
We will get looked after but I also asked him to find the couple sitting next to us last night who are here with their 5 month old and who left after 2 hours without getting any food.

Thankyou.. I suspect trained staff scarcity = poor service = better staff leaving = even worse service .. rinse.. spin.. repeat….
will play out for at least a year… the travellers paradox .. we want to support our tourism but there’s a limit to how much cough service we will sustain (if we even got to the places to experience it).
I would personally donate to a ’ fund ‘ that bonded/supported quality people who want to do this work and could travel as essential workers.
I know this a privilege but there are so many hospitality workers who have great skills

 

[MARTINE]

Thankyou.. I suspect trained staff scarcity = poor service = better staff leaving = even worse service .. rinse.. spin.. repeat….
will play out for at least a year… the travellers paradox .. we want to support our tourism but there’s a limit to how much cough service we will sustain (if we even got to the places to experience it).
I would personally donate to a ’ fund ‘ that bonded/supported quality people who want to do this work and could travel as essential workers.
I know this a privilege but there are so many hospitality workers who have great skills

.. sorry too early … and have lost their jobs who would be interested.
I fail to see how men in shorts playing football are any more essential

Excuse this stream of consciousness as I have a lot of lockdown curfew down time and hidays to think about .. or is that ‘no-lidays’

 

[Daver6]

Well the F&B manager didn't turn up at breakfast but got to see him afterwards. He did see the problem and although he came up with the Covid excuse he did tell us why. Last year when Covid first started they lost most of their regular staff. When business returned they could not get local staff as most were on jobkeeper. Most of the staff they could get were foreign fruit pickers who couldn't afford to get home. The best of those are still here.

Come June those staff from Victoria or NSW went home when they could so admitted they have a problem with training.
We will get looked after but I also asked him to find the couple sitting next to us last night who are here with their 5 month old and who left after 2 hours without getting any food.

Here is the problem I have with this response. They've explained why they have the problem. They know they have a problem. But that shouldn't be the customer's problem. Now I haven't looked at their website, but I'm sure it mentions things like luxury, all your needs taken care of, good service etc. Now if the swimming pool was going to be out of action for a period of time I'm sure this would be noted on the website (and maybe prices even adjusted accordingly). Given luxury and good service are known to management to be missing, this should also be noted on the website and prices adjusted accordingly.

 

[MARTINE]

Here is the problem I have with this response. They've explained why they have the problem. They know they have a problem. But that shouldn't be the customer's problem. Now I haven't looked at their website, but I'm sure it mentions things like luxury, all your needs taken care of, good service etc. Now if the swimming pool was going to be out of action for a period of time I'm sure this would be noted on the website (and maybe prices even adjusted accordingly). Given luxury and good service are known to management to be missing, this should also be noted on the website and prices adjusted accordingly.

Fully agree
@drron maybe could offer to wash his own dishes and get comp accomodation!

 

[drron]

There was a lot more detail than in my summary. Some of the problems are also with the guests. We were provided with information on arrival re restaurants and that only one would be open each night so please book so the place can run as efficiently as possible. However less than half do that. We do but there are some pretty entitled people here.

He did appreciate the feedback as we could identify just where the problem was. The situation won't be easy to fix but the things he said suggested he had a plan.

 

[Daver6]

There was a lot more detail than in my summary. Some of the problems are also with the guests. We were provided with information on arrival re restaurants and that only one would be open each night so please book so the place can run as efficiently as possible. However less than half do that. We do but there are some pretty entitled people here.

He did appreciate the feedback as we could identify just where the problem was. The situation won't be easy to fix but the things he said suggested he had a plan.

But therein is part of the problem. People have paid a lot of money and only find out on arrival that only one restaurant is open each night and that they should book in advance. Part of the appeal of a luxury resort is to not to have to plan. To just take it as it comes and decide on the night where and when you'll eat. So I can understand why people might feel a bit entitled, although that never excuses poor behaviour.

 

[Pushka]

But therein is part of the problem. People have paid a lot of money and only find out on arrival that only one restaurant is open each night and that they should book in advance. Part of the appeal of a luxury resort is to not to have to plan. To just take it as it comes and decide on the night where and when you'll eat. So I can understand why people might feel a bit entitled, although that never excuses poor behaviour.

Hayman was operating like that well before Covid. It was very frustrating getting a booking when we were there 5 years ago. And couldn’t get one before 9pm on the day we arrived as we didn’t know that was the plan.

Honesty drron, the Covid excuse is a very convenient one.

 

[drron]

Though with my confirmation email it did say not all restaurants would be open. As I said at the start we were on a points stay which had not been available prior to a week before our stay. Others we talked to though were on full rates.

At lunch we had another of the foreigners still here. From Washington DC.Arrived in early February 2020 and started here 12 months ago. Was very good too.

But we certainly, even before last night, had decided we wouldn't return.Saffire and the Southern Ocean Lodge were better value.

 

[VPS]

I looked at current prices and for that price I'd want a lot more than what it sounds like they're offering

 

[drron]

Well tonight's dinner was what it should be like. Good food and very good service. Though we did hear from a couple of the staff that all restaurant staff had a meeting today with the F&B manager about the problems of last night.

So the food.



And the visitors.

 

[MARTINE]

Well tonight's dinner was what it should be like. Good food and very good service. Though we did hear from a couple of the staff that all restaurant staff had a meeting today with the F&B manager about the problems of last night.

So the food.
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And the visitors.
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Is this outdoors? Not keen in indoor wildlife in restaurants….