Having not heard of the Mini Explorers Club before I popped over to their website to have a look.
The blurb read:
"Here at Carlton, we look after your children as if they're our own, encouraging them to play outside and get dirty in our safe and very experienced hands. They will enjoy the healthiest of foods, fueling their minds and bodies and allowing Mum and Dad some precious guilt free 'me time' to relax in one of our exclusive Spa's or simply enjoy an uninterrupted romantic meal together."
and then went on
"With our exclusive Mini Explorers Kids Club, fuelled with healthy food & ready for outdoor fun, you can expect;
- On check-in each child will receive a Mini Explorer pack including a Carlton Children's Passport, a Swim Bag and Note Book
- Kids Club open up to 9 hours daily, some evenings until 10pm
- All meals are healthy & tasty leaving your kids bursting with energy
- Electronic games are against our ethos
- Relax during Meal Times or enjoy our Spa or Leisure clubs knowing your little ones are having the time of their lives
- Mini Explorers play outside and go on Healthy fun adventures
- Friendly, fun & helpful Mini Explorer staff
- A wide variety of games & competitions to take part in using their imagination and further developing their social skills including Hopscotch, Laughter Yoga, Talent Show, Arts & Crafts, Face Painting, Treasure Hunt, Movie Nights, Make & Bake and many more."
Well that certainly sounded too good to miss, so we keenly agreed to come along. We joined them on Saturday 2nd June for an overnight stay including a visit to the Zoo on the Sunday.
Reception:
Check-in was busy when we arrived, and with a wedding party gathering in the lobby and only one girl on reception we felt it best to check ourselves in and leave the kids special check in until later when things had calmed down. Unfortunately there remained a constant queue at reception over the afternoon so we ended up joining it in order to get their explorer pack. The kids seemed pretty pleased with them (except the grumpy one on the left..)
Rooms:
In the meantime we had gone up to our room to settle in. Being a family of five we had expected either one very large family room or two interconnecting rooms that were being advertised around the lobby. Unfortunately we got neither.
We had been given two rooms opposite each other at the end of a long corridor. Not ideal when you have one suitcase between you, and three children who constantly want to switch rooms. The rooms were both spacious and very comfortable but the constant knocking of doors and swapping of clothes and toiletries between the rooms took away from that somewhat. We ended up wedging both doors open with a bin, but not before the three year old got trapped in the corridor in his pants...
We also obviously had to split up for the night with one adult in each room.
Mini Explorers Kids Club and Hotel Restaurant:
We also asked different staff on a number of occasions what the 'kids club' was all about and what we could expect. Unfortunately nobody really seemed to have an answer, although we were assured each time that the children would get their dinner there. Eventually we were told that it would run from 7.30 - 8.30 that evening whilst myself and my husband enjoyed dinner in the restaurant. Lovely.
When we arrived back to reception at 7.30pm there still seemed to be confusion about what was actually happening. A very lovely girl was taken from working behind the bar and it was announced that she would be running the kids club - in a conference room down the hall. With the childrens usual dinner time being 6 o'clock they were getting hungry so I checked once again that they would be getting dinner and was assured they would.
So off they went.
And into the restaurant we went to make the most of our hour of peace.
Except that they weren't expecting us. The restaurant manager was called and asked us if we could come back at 8pm because 'there's a coach tour in - and it's all about the coach tour right now...'.
Right.
After our brief explanation that the kids club was only on for an hour (he didn't seem to know anything about it) he agreed to seat us at the 7.30 time that we had been told by the hotel to arrive at. Another miscommunication it would seem.
Twenty minutes then passed before a drink arrived. Like reception the restaurant seemed understaffed.
My husband had pate to start and it was 8.30 when our dinner finally arrived. We checked that the children could be left where they were and continued with our meal. Both the starter and the steaks that we both ordered were exceptional, with my husband stating it was the best steak he had eaten in years. High praise indeed.
Although why the clearly talented chef allowed this to go out as the accompaniment is anyone's guess.
At 9.15 I went to collect the children. There were about five or six other children (as well as our three) between the ages of about 3 and 10 being minded by the one young member of staff. I have no idea if she held any qualifications in this area but she was sweet and kind and had done her best to entertain a gang of other peoples children in one room. There was colouring, some games, hoola hoops, a football and a telly in the room, but it was chaotic to say the least.
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| The conference room - 'Before' pic. |
Shockingly I was told that they hadn't yet been fed but 'it was on it's way'. It was 9.30pm now.
We went up to the bedroom asking for the food to be sent up but after another 5 minutes of all three of them crying because they were so hungry I went down to reception to ask for some bread and butter whilst they were waiting. We went to the restaurant and as I stood waiting I was told it would be out in a moment.
Another 5 minutes passed and with it my patience. I marched to the kitchens to be told the 'rolls had just come out of the freezer and were just going in the oven'. Arrghhhh!
After stern words I left with a small plate of brown soda bread and returned to the room where thankfully their dinner had arrived. It was 9.45pm.
And what was this 'healthiest of foods, fuelling their minds and bodies' that they had finally been given?
Well chicken nuggets and chips of course.
I was beyond furious with the shambolic nature of how the kids club had been organised and that all those children were left until almost 10 o'clock at night to get their dinner. Completely unacceptable.
The Zoo and the Mini Explorer Team:
The next morning was a fresh start and after a nice breakfast we were to head off to the Zoo to meet the Mini Explorer Team and Mascot, pick up our lunch and enjoy the animals.
Unfortunately the day was rainy and blustery. As we arrived we saw the Carlton team trying to set up their gazebo, so I introduced myself and said we would come back to them later when they were ready.
We did a quick trip the whole way around the zoo and despite the conditions thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Having made our way around we went back up to the Explorers Team to see what was occuring and pick up our packed lunches. Other than the mascot roaming about I'm still not really sure what they were there for.
I had a brief chat and told them about some of the problems before I took my leave - asking for the lunch bags before I went.
You'll never guess what.
No lunches.
It seems the Carlton Group were determined not to feed my children!
The instructions had clearly stated that the lunches would be available from the team at the Zoo, but the team at the Zoo said that the Hotel was supposed to supply them.
Another example of a lack of communication between different teams within the Carlton group. If this was how it was set up for someone they knew was coming to review the hotel and it's kids club I dread to think what others might experience.
As it stands we did have a good time, despite - but certainly not because of - the Mini Explorers Club.
From my experience there is no way I could recommend the club to another parent and no way I would entrust my children to the Carlton Group again.
If Carlton Group are serious about what they are offering on their website they need to make some big and rapid changes - because as it stands at the moment it smacks of false advertising :
- On check-in each child will receive a Mini Explorer pack including a Carlton Children's Passport, a Swim Bag and Note Book - YES
- Kids Club open up to 9 hours daily, some evenings until 10pm - NO
- All meals are healthy & tasty leaving your kids bursting with energy - NO
- Electronic games are against our ethos - ?
- Relax during Meal Times or enjoy our Spa or Leisure clubs knowing your little ones are having the time of their lives - NO
- Mini Explorers play outside and go on Healthy fun adventures NO - no information given about this.
- Friendly, fun & helpful Mini Explorer staff - YES, but only one member of staff who also had to supervise toilet visits during which the other children were left alone.
- A wide variety of games & competitions to take part in using their imagination and further developing their social skills including Hopscotch, Laughter Yoga, Talent Show, Arts & Crafts, Face Painting, Treasure Hunt, Movie Nights, Make & Bake and many more - NO
It gives me no joy to publish such a negative review but unfortunately there were far too many issues during our stay to overlook.
Disclosure: The Carlton Group provided me and my family with accommodation at The Carlton Hotel, Blanchardstown, meals and Zoo passes. All opinions are my own based on my experience.
Update (06/06/12):
The Head of Sales and Marketing at Carlton has been in contact to assure me that they are taking this matter very seriously and a full investigation will follow.
Here is their initial response:
"Thank you for
taking my call this morning and your time involved in regards to your recent
visit to Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown. As explained I am completely shocked at
your review and I have scheduled an immediate meeting today with the General
Manager and the Operations Director to investigate the situation fully. All our
Mini Explorers Staff and Management have been fully trained on the Mini
Explorers Standard Operating Procedures including customer care, safety &
security, all operational duties and we run regular audits to ensure that all
aspects are fully adhered to.
We will
revert to you again after our full investigation and immediate action plan and
thank you again for taking the time to give us your feedback."
Jean O
Connell
Director of
Sales & Marketing
Further Update (07/06/12):
Jean O Connell
Further Update (07/06/12):
From Carlton Hotels:
"Following a
full investigation yesterday, I can acknowledge that last weekend there was a
severe internal breakdown in communications with this unit in regards to implementing
our Mini Explorer Club . After further and thorough investigations, we
can confirm this was the only hotel that this happened in. All of the other
Mini Explorers Clubs took place as per our Mini Explorers standards and
procedures as advertised. An immediate and extensive Operational plan is
currently being reintroduced to this hotel as well as increased mystery audits
checks across the group.
I can only
again sincerely apologise to you and your family for last weekend. As discussed
I would like to have you and your family return to this hotel, or any other
Carlton Hotel that runs the Mini Explorer Club, at a time that is convenient to
you, so that your family can fully experience what our Mini Explorer Club is
all about as it is quite exciting and unique to the Irish market place.
We
appreciate and Thank you and your family again for your time and detailed
constructive feedback."
Jean O Connell
