The Hotel TerraVina Blog

The General Public still manage to delight, surprise and annoy (on occasion). Hotel TerraVina explains why…

As I have written on numerous previous occasions, here at TerraVina we are very fortunate to be blessed with lovely guests, most of whom keep returning to us time after time. We love welcoming them back, we greet them as friends and some of them have in fact become just those… proper friends, when the relationship transcends beyond a very friendly client/guest interaction. In a nutshell we love people, we hugely appreciate the guests who visit us and we try hard to look after everyone in a relaxed, friendly and warm manner.

However, now and then (and very rarely), we have to deal with some who are a little “prickly”. They may be guests who have not been to us before and are not sure what to expect, so are not quite so relaxed on their arrival, guests who have had a bad day and are stressed, or feel out of sorts, or guests who simply don’t like us- we understand we will not be to everyone’s liking  and that sometimes we won’t be able to win people over and so will probably not have the opportunity of welcoming them back- as hoteliers we accept this fact and are thankful that is only a minority… however, the really challenging ones are those that arrive happy and seemingly relaxed, but then become unreasonable or difficult as their time with us progresses. When it is due to something we have done wrong, then hands up, guilty as charged and we will try our utmost to rectify the problem and hope that the end result still remains a positive experience for all concerned, but there are times when we simply cannot please everyone and then I have come to the conclusion that after all of our best efforts have been tried, it is probably more sensible to admit defeat.

In the time we have owned hotels, (not far off 20 years) there have been a handful of such times when guests and the general public have amazed us by their demands, tantrums and comments…… people are fascinating and as such that is what keeps being a hotelier such an exciting, unpredictable and positively challenging profession and of course there is so much scope for a book!

Thus just a word of cautionary advice for anyone thinking of becoming a hotelier, for all the fantastic guests you will have through the door, be aware that there will be some who complain that there are no Christmas carols playing in the restaurant, not enough Christmas decorations or ones that are to their liking, no carpet on the floor of the restaurant, that they hate the colour of your front door, that it is the hotel’s fault that the guests in the room next door are noisy, that a baby is crying, that their high heels (and trousers that are too long) caused them to slip on the floor, that the guests sitting on the table next to them/across the room from them are having a good time and are laughing too loudly, that it rained during their stay, that we should have known they had a food allergy, or an allergy to feathers in their pillows, even though they forgot to mention it during their stay and so the list goes on…. indeed people and their personalities are fascinating, challenging and you just never know what they are going to spring on you next!  That’s what makes being a hotelier so exciting and keeps each day fresh and inspiring.

I admit there are some days when I dream that if I ever do another business I will not deal with people (not quite sure what business it could be)… but then of course life would be so dull and I would hate it; and I would miss all of the lovely guests that we are blessed with. Look out for our regular e shots and newsletters that we email to you all as there are some super offers and always news of what’s going on here to keep you updated.

Till next week

Nx

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From: Nina's Blog
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Gerard Basset, Hotel TerraVina and the Wall Street Journal, all in the same breath…

As many of you are aware here at TerraVina, we are very proud of Gerard and all of his achievements. The “icing on the cake” after a fantastic win in 2010 was his award of an OBE in 2011, for Services to Hospitality. Despite the gloomy start to 2012, (why is January such a horrible month?) GB has done it again and scored another fantastic achievement… this time a full page in the Wall Street Journal.

Without wanting to boast, we have been very fortunate to have been written about in many National newspapers and some International ones too. Hotel du Vin was widely reported on, Hotel TerraVina has been written about hugely too and almost every newspaper, with the exception of the News of the World has included either the hotel or Gerard within their pages, (I am relieved he was never front page of the News of the World that’s for sure!), but to be written about in the Wall Street Journal really is rather special.

Will Lyons, the journalist who wrote the piece is a very incisive man… he got GB completely and the article reads very well and you can just imagine Gerard saying exactly the words that have been written , in exactly the manner that they flow from the page… thus GB has managed to do it again, make us all still more proud of him, his achievements and his inspiring determination….. Very well done on such a great feature, in such a special publication.

Unfortunately, I am not able to include a link, as copyright laws are very strict, but for anyone wanting to read the feature, it was in Friday 10th Feb edition and is available to view freely on Wall Street Journals’ own website, or via numerous mentions on Twitter.

Till next week

Nx

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Hotel TerraVina posts an extra special additional blog post this week……

Usually, I only post a blog once a week, but due to the snow, the economy, the Eurozone, the crisis and horrors that are taking place in Syria and so much other doom and gloom, I suspect that many people have lost their “mojo” as we start out in 2012… well a friend sent me this video clip last night and urged me to bother to open it and watch. I did and what I watched was truly heartwarming and left me with a positive glow, so I felt I had to share it… watch in wonder and prepare to be truly touched by the power of nature, the magic of trust and friendship and a connection between animals and humans.

Enjoy

Nx

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Hotel TerraVina stops a moment to notice what we sometimes take for granted…

If anyone asked if I am good at noticing details, I would say I certainly am. I see all sorts, all around me and I‘d like to think I understand the importance of details. But, as I write this week’s blog I am sitting gazing out onto the open forest and actually I realize that I don’t notice as many details as I should. I am listening and I can hear the birds’ song. I am watching and I am amused by the squirrels frolicking, the ponies munching and the cows ambling along the lane. A fox has got his time clock muddled and has just run across the lane in front of a car which was driving slowly enough to ensure he made a quick getaway into a neighbouring hedge. The leaves are fluttering on the ground….. I admit, I don’t usually notice such details as I don’t usually sit and gaze quietly out of the windows, making the excuse that I am too busy e mailing, writing marketing plans, blogging, tweeting and just generally being (appearing) busy.

However, this morning I am making an effort… I notice that Marie, one of our super receptionists answers the phone with a smile in her voice, she is super friendly to our checking out guests and nothing is too much trouble for her. The team interact positively with each other and seem genuinely to be happy in each other’s company…. Maybe it’s not just the choice of orange as the hotel’s décor; there does seem to be a “glow” about the place, which overtime I have stopped noticing, but the guests often remark on…. today I notice.

I have been “noticing” more than just details… on a recent course the facilitator listed down a whole host of reasons to visit the New Forest… I hadn’t realized there is so much to do… well at least I thought I did, but actually when you stop to really think, we are so fortunate to live and work in such a fantastic area… it is steeped in history, has a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy and we have the forest and the sea right on our doorstep… we are very lucky indeed and as from today I will try very hard to appreciate, notice and relish what the forest has to offer and with that in mind, I will have to add another task onto my To do List…….creating newly updated local pages onto the website, so watch this space, http://www.hotelterravina.co.uk/out_and_about.asp

Till next week

Nx

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Hotel TerraVina goes back to school and then to prison!

Back to school…

It has been an interesting week thus far and it is only Tuesday. I have been on a course to learn all about the finer details of Facebook, Twitter, blogging and social media in general. I learnt so many facts about Google, Algorithims, (really, I promise it is a word!) and Search Engine Optimisation that my head was fit to burst by the end of the course. It was all very interesting, hugely thought provoking and all in all a great training day, but I am very pleased I am not still at school, as so much learning in one day really did make my brain hurt… maybe I am just out of practice. Many thanks to Intergage for putting the course together, the NFTA for organizing it and to Careys Manor Hotel for playing host so well.

Whilst on the subject of school, Romané, (our son), has been busy with exams and scholarships in anticipation for his next school… we just heard to today that he has passed his entrance exams with flying colours and has been awarded a place at his chosen school- we have just got to wait a little longer for the outcome of the scholarship exam. We are very proud of him and he is pleased as punch…. Well done Romy!

And so for the 2nd part of this weeks adventures…..

Gerard went to prison (again)

Some of you may remember a previous blog post when I mentioned that GB and I had visited Highdown Prison in Surrey, which is the only prison in the UK to have a restaurant which is open to the public, The Clink and where they are doing an admirable job in trying to ensure that prisoners gain qualifications that will help them on their release and hopefully ensure that they do not re-offend. On this visit GB was taking a training session, where he was explaining all about wine and how to open it, pour and serve it, which wines accompany which foods best and generally the finer points of wine service. Of course alcohol is forbidden within the prison, so the session made good use of non alcoholic wines. The students were very interested, attentive and asked lots of questions- it was a great experience for both they and GB and the work that Al, Chris, Vic and the team are doing should be applauded.

Just a quick reminder about our extra special Michelin event at the end of February, beginning of March- places are very limited and are selling fast so please do book soon if you fancy a really special food and wine treat. http://www.hotelterravina.co.uk/SpecialeventwithMichelinstarredchefAlanMurchison.asp

Till next week

Nx

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News Flash… an exciting event at Hotel TerraVina

I rarely use this blog as a direct marketing platform for the hotel as I think we have the website, Facebook and Twitter to make use of for such activities… however just now and then I break my own rules and this week is one such occasion. We have a very special event to promote and I wanted to ensure that as many people as possible get to hear about it… thus for this week only I will use the blog as a marketing tool and platform to mention something very special that is taking place at the hotel- thus are you sitting comfortably? Then I will begin…..

The 10 in 8 Group joins forces with World Champion Sommelier.

Gerard Basset’s Hotel TerraVina

The 10 in 8 Fine Dining Group has joined forces with World Champion Sommelier Gerard Basset to offer guests an incomparable world class food and wine experience. The partnership has arisen as a result of the longstanding friendship between Alan and Gerard. To launch the 2012 partnership, Murchison and Basset will be creating three days of unique food and wine events, from the 29th February to 2nd March 2012, at Basset’s award-winning boutique hotel.

Hotel TerraVina in The New Forest. The exclusive menu will be created and cooked at each event by Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison and his team and the wine selected and paired to Alan’s menu by Basset. Hotel TerraVina’s award-winning head sommelier, Laura Rhys, (Master Sommelier and UK Sommelier of the Year, 2009) will be hosting and introducing the wines at each service. It is hoped that these events will be the first in a series in the new partnership.

So that’s the press release details and here are some quotes from both Alan and Gerard respectively:

Alan:  ‘We are thrilled to be working with not only a great friend but one of the most skilled and respected figures in the hospitality industry, who shares our values in service, quality and excellence. We are so pleased to be able to offer our guests a incomparable food and wine experience in such a perfect setting as Hotel TerraVina.”

And Gerard says: “I am delighted to work with Alan, whom I have known for over 10 years and to introduce our guests to his truly remarkable food. I’m also very excited at the prospect of further educating not only our guests but the “Foodies” who regularly visit the 10 in 8 Group’s restaurants. This is the beginning of a very exciting partnership.”

As for me and the rest of the team… we are very excited at the prospect of holding this 3 day event here at TerraVina… it’s been a long time since I worked in a Michelin starred environment, (it feels like a 100 years some days!), but it will be a real treat for us to host such a special event. Suzi, Neil, Laura and all of the team are looking forward to the event and we do hope to welcome plenty of our regulars to sample Alan’s delicious tasting menu, complete with Gerard and Laura’s specially selected wines… this event will take place in our private dining room, the Rutherford Bench, which will be transformed for the 3 day event into a Michelin style restaurant and our own more laid back and relaxed restaurant will still be open for those who would prefer to dine TerraVina style.

We hope to see you all soon… if you would like further details please give me a call on 02380 293 784

‘Till next week

Nx

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Hotel TerraVina takes a trip down memory lane at a recent wine event in Brighton…

Gerard and I have rarely returned to any of the Hotel du Vin hotels since we sold them in 2004. However, last night we ventured back to Brighton HDV as Gerard was invited to be a co-guest speaker with his great friend and fellow World Champion Sommelier, the 1992 winner Philippe Faure-Brac. Philippe and Gerard see one another quite often as they are both board members of the ASI committee (International Sommelier Association), and so they often meet in far flung locations to discuss future sommelier activities and competitions. However, the association nearer to home and at Brighton HDV came about as Mona, the head sommelier of the Brighton HDV had previously worked in Paris with Philippe and she thought it would be a great idea to invite two world champions, and bring them together in the hotel that had a connection between all three of them; Mona because she works there currently, Gerard because he co-founded it and Philippe because he knows both Mona and Gerard well. Continue reading

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A week away in France and tales of poor service… Hotel TerraVina muses on standards

Having taken five days off to visit Gerard’s family in France, we have returned home with a mixed view of a country that was once at the forefront of gastronomy and service. For a number of years I have personally felt that there has been a decline in the standards of customer service that you experience in France… I have a saying that in many shops and restaurants they are more pleased to bid you “Goodbye” than greet you with a “Hello”….. in other words they cannot wait to see the back of their customers. Of course this is not the case everywhere, (as this week away has proved), but in the majority and it doesn’t matter at what level, be it a shop, a café, a brasserie or a deluxe restaurant, in many instances the French staff do not seem to be proud of their profession, nor do they seem as though they want to work and they have an arrogance and a negative attitude towards offering service. Continue reading

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Happy New Year from Hotel TerraVina

From Gerard and I and all here at TerraVina, we would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope that you all enjoyed a lovely Christmas. We had a busy and fun time with two sittings for Christmas day lunch which went brilliantly, with lovely guests and then a super duper New Year celebration, again with fantastic guests, almost all of whom had visited before and ensured that we all saw 2012 arrive in great style and fun. Continue reading

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The magic of children and Christmas

I am back to being able to stand up straight; my neck pains have disappeared, all thanks to the magic hands of my fantastic NLP chiropractor, Guy Blomfield, who is the most amazing chap and through personal recommendations now looks after almost half of the hotel team and puts us back together again when all the aches and pains get too bad… Thank you, Guy, I’m not sure how you do it, but you are a ‘miracle man’. Continue reading

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