photo : Damo Ward
Feedback from Derren, who visited Chalet Lowonahill in mid-March was generally very good. But he did note some issues that gave us more than a little cause for concern.
Keeping the Park and Chalet Clean
Almdorf Kreischberg near Stadl an der Mur, Styria, is a privately owned and run holiday park. It has only been completed in recent years and chalet owners are still working together to ensure that it runs smoothly and guests have an enjoyable holiday. But we still have issues to address from time to time as Derren observed:
…however (and speaking honestly with constructive feedback) the chalet was not as clean as you may have thought with Peter (in your words) being meticulous i.e., on arrival there was a christmas tree left outside the front door which didn’t give a good impression, rubbish was left in one of the bins, fruit left in a bowl that was beyond edible and overall without listing in full the kitchen, breakfast room and seating all showed signs of our previous guests. so much so that (wife) had to vacuum the whole area and wipe down the work surfaces and dining table.
moving upstairs none of the beds were made up on arrival and while this is only a small point after a long day travelling something we could have done without. and there was an issue with the linen – one bed sheet and two pillow cases had to be changed because they had dirty marks and not welcoming.
yet once we overcome these initial teething problems and on a more positive note the chalet was very accommodating and served our needs very well (in fact it was excellent).
The issues identified by Derren are indeed cause for concern and should not happen. They spoil the holiday for guests, which is what all chalet owners try hard to avoid. But it may be worth noting:
- Christmas tree and rubbish – sadly this seems to be a case of the few spoiling things for the majority. All guests are advised before their holiday that the Chalet Manager has limited time to change and clean linen and that their help is needed to ensure the chalet is left clean and tidy for the incoming guests. This includes disposing of all waste appropriately (including Christmas Trees!) and leaving the chalet as they would wish to see it when they arrive. It would seem that the guests before Derren and his family did not heed what was asked of them
- inedible fruit – our attempt to leave a welcoming gift for our guests backfired. We’ll try to think of something different for the future
- beds not being made – this was probably my fault. Guests are asked at the time of booking to confirm not just the number of beds they need making up, but also in what combination where there are fewer than 8 people using the chalet. Ordinarily I would inform the Chalet Manager as soon as the guests tell me. I must have omitted to pass on the information and could only apologise to Derren and the Chalet Manager for this oversight
- marks on the linen - the Chalet Manager, was most concerned to learn that Laundry had not been as clean as he demands from the cleaners he uses. We could think of only one way for this situation to have arisen – the linen may have caught the side of the laundry delivery van when lifted out to be taken into the chalet. We could only apologise to Derren and ask the delivery van drivers to take more care in future. But accidents happen occasionally – even in Austria!.
Just thought – Chalet Lowonahill didn’t have a Christmas Tree!
Chalet Lowoanhill is an all-season, rustic style holiday home in Styria. It’s the ideal place for you to discover the delights of all 9 provinces of Austria. To find out more, simply click here.
