The X^6 and I were in a hotel for Christmas, spending some of Mum's
inheritance on a rare special treat, thinking, for that price, we would
be pampered, and Mum would approve!

Not so really.

They were short staffed throughout. Obviously not paying enuff.

There was an absence of jollity, except from us.

The food was very smally portions served on big plates in fancy lickle
piles. And most of it was pretty tasteless.

My Christmas Dinner consisted of a lump of pulled beef, that had a fancy
name) on top of a couple of spoonfuls of mash, veggies were three mangy
looking sprouts that had seen better days, and a 'wrap' of about three
stringy veggie thingies, that took a lot of chewing and were a mouthful
at most, each.

Gotta a better Christmas Dinner last year in the local pub!

The sweet was okay, but obviously bought in.

Christmas Day evening meal consisted of tomato soup (ex tinned) and
sandwiches. Guess what Boxing Day evening meal consisted of? Yup.
Exactly the same, reheated.

But, the room was nice, breakfasts were excellent* and the staff that
were there were very polite and helpful.

The extensive grounds (complete with a lake and helipad) were ideal for
scootererer exploration.

But at close on £900 for four days. Wouldnay do that again!

Didn't even have a Santa and we heard the same tape of Christmas muzak
about ten times! If I hear Gaudete again before next year, I will have
to write to Maddy and cancel the date she promised me 50 years ago!

https://www.classiclodges.co.uk/bagden-hall/ Avoid, except maybe B&B!

*About a dozen choices, and all well cooked, plus cereals, yoghurts etc.
etc.

If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
cruise instead!

Tone

On Wed, 27 Dec 2023 14:42:14 +0000, Hymermut <tone@email.com> wrote:

>The X^6 and I were in a hotel for Christmas, spending some of Mum's
>inheritance on a rare special treat, thinking, for that price, we would
>be pampered, and Mum would approve!
>
>Not so really.
>
>They were short staffed throughout. Obviously not paying enuff.
>
>There was an absence of jollity, except from us.
>
>The food was very smally portions served on big plates in fancy lickle
>piles. And most of it was pretty tasteless.
>
>My Christmas Dinner consisted of a lump of pulled beef, that had a fancy
>name) on top of a couple of spoonfuls of mash, veggies were three mangy
>looking sprouts that had seen better days, and a 'wrap' of about three
>stringy veggie thingies, that took a lot of chewing and were a mouthful
>at most, each.
>
>Gotta a better Christmas Dinner last year in the local pub!
>
>The sweet was okay, but obviously bought in.
>
>Christmas Day evening meal consisted of tomato soup (ex tinned) and
>sandwiches. Guess what Boxing Day evening meal consisted of? Yup.
>Exactly the same, reheated.
>
>But, the room was nice, breakfasts were excellent* and the staff that
>were there were very polite and helpful.
>
>The extensive grounds (complete with a lake and helipad) were ideal for
>scootererer exploration.
>
>But at close on £900 for four days. Wouldnay do that again!
>
>Didn't even have a Santa and we heard the same tape of Christmas muzak
>about ten times! If I hear Gaudete again before next year, I will have
>to write to Maddy and cancel the date she promised me 50 years ago!
>
>https://www.classiclodges.co.uk/bagden-hall/ Avoid, except maybe B&B!
>
>*About a dozen choices, and all well cooked, plus cereals, yoghurts etc.
>etc.
>
>If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
>cruise instead!
>
>Tone
>
>

Sorry to hear - I've once or twice been to posh eateries -
with their tiny posh meals -
- on the big plate - it tends to puzzle me.

At first I thought your tab was quite posh-ish but then
I checked our nearby posh-place

https://www.langdonhall.ca/

... ~ $ 1000. per night, and I suspect that the menu
doesn't have prices ...
It's where the Holywood types stay when they're in town.
John T.

Hymermut wrote:

> If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
> cruise instead!

similar service with added plague?

On 27/12/2023 14:42, Hymermut wrote:
> The X^6 and I were in a hotel for Christmas, spending some of Mum's
> inheritance on a rare special treat, thinking, for that price, we would
> be pampered, and Mum would approve!
>
> Not so really.
< snip>
> If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
> cruise instead!
>
> Tone

Sorry to hear the hotel didn't live up to (understandable at the price)
expectations.

My son made all the Christmas food; roast beef, parsnips, carrots,
,green beans, roast potatoes and a gravy. Felt sick(ish) after eating
it all(there was desert but I couldn't face it) . Basically collapsed on
the couch in a food coma. Still managed to eat some sweeties [1] later on.

Just had a thought, we have four or five Brussels sprout plants in the
back garden, each with twenty to thirty sprouts on them. however we
didn't have any sprouts, right that's it 'am in the cream puff' now.

[1] Purloined from son's stocking (though he is 29 I still filled him a
stocking . [have to keep some family traditions going])[2].

[2] Filled a stocking for elder son's wife too, her family doesn't do
stockings she had never had one before.

On Wed, 27 Dec 2023 15:58:55 +0000
soup <invalid@invalid.com> wrote:

> Just had a thought, we have four or five Brussels sprout plants in the
> back garden, each with twenty to thirty sprouts on them. however we

Have you had a frost yet ?

> didn't have any sprouts, right that's it 'am in the cream puff' now.

If not best leave them until you do.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/
Host: Beautiful Theory meet Inconvenient Fact
Obit: Beautiful Theory died today of factual inconsistency

In article <20231227162034.817af8cc1c6024c4a96d1518@eircom.net>, Ahem A
Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> on Wed, 27 Dec 2023 at 16:20:34 awoke
Nicholas from his slumbers and wrote
>On Wed, 27 Dec 2023 15:58:55 +0000
>soup <invalid@invalid.com> wrote:
>
>> Just had a thought, we have four or five Brussels sprout plants in the
>> back garden, each with twenty to thirty sprouts on them. however we
>
> Have you had a frost yet ?
>
>> didn't have any sprouts, right that's it 'am in the cream puff' now.
>
> If not best leave them until you do.
>
Best leave them, maybe the rabbits/rats have no taste!
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 27-Dec-23 14:42, Hymermut wrote:
> The X^6 and I were in a hotel for Christmas, spending some of Mum's
> inheritance on a rare special treat, thinking, for that price, we would
> be pampered, and Mum would approve!
>
> Not so really.
>
> They were short staffed throughout. Obviously not paying enuff.
>
> There was an absence of jollity, except from us.
>
> The food was very smally portions served on big plates in fancy lickle
> piles. And most of it was pretty tasteless.
>
> My Christmas Dinner consisted of a lump of pulled beef, that had a fancy
> name) on top of a couple of spoonfuls of mash, veggies were three mangy
> looking sprouts that had seen better days, and a 'wrap' of about three
> stringy veggie thingies, that took a lot of chewing and were a mouthful
> at most, each.
>
> Gotta a better Christmas Dinner last year in the local pub!
>
> The sweet was okay, but obviously bought in.
>
> Christmas Day evening meal consisted of tomato soup (ex tinned) and
> sandwiches. Guess what Boxing Day evening meal consisted of? Yup.
> Exactly the same, reheated.
>
> But, the room was nice, breakfasts were excellent* and the staff that
> were there were very polite and helpful.
>
> The extensive grounds (complete with a lake and helipad) were ideal for
> scootererer exploration.
>
> But at close on £900 for four days. Wouldnay do that again!
>
> Didn't even have a Santa and we heard the same tape of Christmas muzak
> about ten times! If I hear Gaudete again before next year, I will have
> to write to Maddy and cancel the date she promised me 50 years ago!
>
> https://www.classiclodges.co.uk/bagden-hall/   Avoid, except maybe B&B!
>
> *About a dozen choices, and all well cooked, plus cereals, yoghurts etc.
> etc.
>
> If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
> cruise instead!

I had rellies (actually an uncle and his girlfriend) who always did a
Tinsel & Turkey Christmas in a hotel, and always enjoyed it.
The trick seemed to be to do it in the run up to Christmas - not at
Christmas - so they're fully staffed & the head chef isn't off on
his/her holidays leaving the apprentices to run the kitchen whilst off
their heads on whatever booze they can get their hands on.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 27/12/2023 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> I had rellies (actually an uncle and his girlfriend) who always did a
> Tinsel & Turkey Christmas in a hotel, and always enjoyed it.
> The trick seemed to be to do it in the run up to Christmas - not at
> Christmas - so they're fully staffed & the head chef isn't off on
> his/her holidays leaving the apprentices to run the kitchen whilst off
> their heads on whatever booze they can get their hands on.

Aaah. Good thinking! Taa.

<Note to self>

<Make note to self about booking in a week or so early next year.>

Tone

On Wed, 27 Dec 2023 22:01:34 +0000, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:

>On 27-Dec-23 14:42, Hymermut wrote:
>> The X^6 and I were in a hotel for Christmas, spending some of Mum's
>> inheritance on a rare special treat, thinking, for that price, we would
>> be pampered, and Mum would approve!
>>
>> Not so really.
>>
>> They were short staffed throughout. Obviously not paying enuff.
>>
>> There was an absence of jollity, except from us.
>>
>> The food was very smally portions served on big plates in fancy lickle
>> piles. And most of it was pretty tasteless.
>>
>> My Christmas Dinner consisted of a lump of pulled beef, that had a fancy
>> name) on top of a couple of spoonfuls of mash, veggies were three mangy
>> looking sprouts that had seen better days, and a 'wrap' of about three
>> stringy veggie thingies, that took a lot of chewing and were a mouthful
>> at most, each.
>>
>> Gotta a better Christmas Dinner last year in the local pub!
>>
>> The sweet was okay, but obviously bought in.
>>
>> Christmas Day evening meal consisted of tomato soup (ex tinned) and
>> sandwiches. Guess what Boxing Day evening meal consisted of? Yup.
>> Exactly the same, reheated.
>>
>> But, the room was nice, breakfasts were excellent* and the staff that
>> were there were very polite and helpful.
>>
>> The extensive grounds (complete with a lake and helipad) were ideal for
>> scootererer exploration.
>>
>> But at close on £900 for four days. Wouldnay do that again!
>>
>> Didn't even have a Santa and we heard the same tape of Christmas muzak
>> about ten times! If I hear Gaudete again before next year, I will have
>> to write to Maddy and cancel the date she promised me 50 years ago!
>>
>> https://www.classiclodges.co.uk/bagden-hall/   Avoid, except maybe B&B!
>>
>> *About a dozen choices, and all well cooked, plus cereals, yoghurts etc.
>> etc.
>>
>> If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
>> cruise instead!
>
>I had rellies (actually an uncle and his girlfriend) who always did a
>Tinsel & Turkey Christmas in a hotel, and always enjoyed it.
>The trick seemed to be to do it in the run up to Christmas - not at
>Christmas - so they're fully staffed & the head chef isn't off on
>his/her holidays leaving the apprentices to run the kitchen whilst off
>their heads on whatever booze they can get their hands on.
>

Going back about 45 years Niagara Falls offered really
excellent New Years deals - the World Famous tourist town
was almost a ghost town in winter.
.. the Casino ended that.
John T.

On 27/12/2023 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:

leaving the apprentices to run the kitchen whilst off
> their heads on whatever booze they can get their hands on.

I remember one New Year (Jan 1st [double time and a day in lieu]).
I was working in an hotel kitchen and it was like that EVERYONE was
pissed even the duty manager (so not just the apprentices). Good job we
were only doing a brunch (10am~12pm[VERY restricted menu]) rather than a
full service.

I finished work at 11pm the previous day had celebrated the bells at
some club in Stockbridge then with no-sleep started work at the hotel at
8am. Ah was much younger and fitter then, my body could cope with such
abuse ,nowadays nah.
Edinburgh, Scotland.
>

Well I cannot say, but several people I know did this at some place near Box
hill and loved it. Not being a foodie, I never bothered, but did do a
Christmas pud in custard bought from Sainsbury's.
Brian

--

--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Hymermut" <tone@email.com> wrote in message
news:umhd46$3ui2j$5@dont-email.me...
> The X^6 and I were in a hotel for Christmas, spending some of Mum's
> inheritance on a rare special treat, thinking, for that price, we would be
> pampered, and Mum would approve!
>
> Not so really.
>
> They were short staffed throughout. Obviously not paying enuff.
>
> There was an absence of jollity, except from us.
>
> The food was very smally portions served on big plates in fancy lickle
> piles. And most of it was pretty tasteless.
>
> My Christmas Dinner consisted of a lump of pulled beef, that had a fancy
> name) on top of a couple of spoonfuls of mash, veggies were three mangy
> looking sprouts that had seen better days, and a 'wrap' of about three
> stringy veggie thingies, that took a lot of chewing and were a mouthful at
> most, each.
>
> Gotta a better Christmas Dinner last year in the local pub!
>
> The sweet was okay, but obviously bought in.
>
> Christmas Day evening meal consisted of tomato soup (ex tinned) and
> sandwiches. Guess what Boxing Day evening meal consisted of? Yup. Exactly
> the same, reheated.
>
> But, the room was nice, breakfasts were excellent* and the staff that were
> there were very polite and helpful.
>
> The extensive grounds (complete with a lake and helipad) were ideal for
> scootererer exploration.
>
> But at close on �900 for four days. Wouldnay do that again!
>
> Didn't even have a Santa and we heard the same tape of Christmas muzak
> about ten times! If I hear Gaudete again before next year, I will have to
> write to Maddy and cancel the date she promised me 50 years ago!
>
> https://www.classiclodges.co.uk/bagden-hall/ Avoid, except maybe B&B!
>
> *About a dozen choices, and all well cooked, plus cereals, yoghurts etc.
> etc.
>
> If we make it to next year, and there's any dosh left, might go on a
> cruise instead!
>
> Tone
>
>
>