Missing In Action!!

This last week has passed in a whirl of work, conference and travelling! It started last Monday when I miscalculated the start day of the UNISON conference in Bournemouth. I went to work Monday with loads to do and suddenly realised mid afternoon that  was supposed to be in Bournemouth that night and not the following morning. That's what happens when you don't get time to read the paperwork and assume you know what is happening. So I finally headed off for Bournemouth at around 7pm after having my hair cut (which had been prearranged!!!) The journey down was great no hold ups even on the M25, so it was good luck that I accidentally forgot!!

When I found the hotel, I was impressed with the location which was two minutes from the Conference Centre and there was plenty of parking. I felt like this was going to be a good choice on those two things alone!!! So I checked in and that's when it started to go down hill. The reception area was dated and not in a nice way, the carpet was thread bare and despite boasting a lift, sadly it wasn't in my part of the building, so I lugged my bags up three flights of stairs. I got to my room and the first thing I noticed on entering it was a musty damp smell plus the obligatory two iron shaped burns on the thread bare carpet!! The bathroom was spacious with a spa bath with a shower over it. It was a lovely shade of 1970's green, that matched the green mould growing on the shower seal. The next morning I realised the only way I would be able to use that spa bath was if I has started to run it on my arrival Monday night.

Still my room was spacious, I had three beds to choose from, so after dinner I went back with the intention of watching a bit of telly, I had a free view box and a big ancient telly, but sadly the only way to switch it on was via the remote control, which didn't work, I checked and there were no batteries in it !!!

I asked the lady on reception and she said they hadn't go any spare ones, I'd have to wait until the next day. So I had an early night!!!!

My colleague Mark, had the room next door, it was certainly different. He had the Honeymoon suite, a luxurious four poster bed, complete with lacy curtains, he had a balcony and a sofa, a telly that worked but best of all a HUGE circular spa bath in the corner of the room!!!! It was massive, with steps up into it. There was also a shower over the top and on closer inspection it was the only shower, the tiny toilet had only a loo and hand basin. Poor Mark said it was quite an exposed way to shower and he suffered from the same water pressure that I had!!

So the good things to report - Sea view, comfortable bed and nice breakfast.

They eventually replaced the batteries in the changers, but then forgot to make up my room, so the one towel I had in the room was wet.  On the third night we had a bad storm, with rain lashing the windows, I could hear dripping and the next morning there was a puddle of water by the telly, narrowly missing my suitcase!! I mentioned it at reception (it was now obvious why there was a damp smell) and I received the best excuse ever, well madam it has been quite dry of late so the roof has shrunk and when it rains again it leaks!!! Brilliant excuse.

So if you are looking for a place not to stay in Bournemouth, avoid The Bournemouth International Hotel!!!!