Dining on holiday in hotel..... - General Holiday Enquiries, Hints and Tips, Holiday Forums

Dining on holiday in hotel.....

2007-09-28 12:29:55

Hi,

Just come back from my holiday to Greece (Zante) and it was wonderful but the only thing that narked us was that in the evenings for dinner you had an allocated table which you shared with 2 other couples.......... There was not even any chance to be moved as there were no free tables and no tables for just 2. Breakfast you could sit where you liked (just as well as if the boyfriend has not has his morning cup of tea he is like a growling bear!)

We were lucky that the other two couples were friendly and pleasant but we would have prefered to dine on our own. We are quite sociable and like to chat with people but this was our hard earned holiday and we just wanted some time to ourselves alone away from shifts, work etc.

We were half board (we wanted B&B but that is all we could get) but had planned to eat out for about half of the time so ended up eating out more than originally planned which was a shame as the food was nice but food out was even nicer!

My parents go on quite a few cruises and they say the brochures state that the dining arrangements are either shared tables or not depending on the boat/cruise etc.

Has anyone else come across this? Next holiday will be B&B!

sydney

2007-09-28 12:52:57

Yes, we had this when we went to Majorca.

We too wanted B&B only but could only have half board.

One of the things that really annoyed us was that they had two sittings and you were told which one you were going to have, and under no circumstances could you change it.

We sometimes found ourselves having to lurk outside the dining room sometimes for up to 45 minutes until the previous diners had finished. Part of the reason for this is that we noticed that a lot of the diners did not have just a starter, main course and dessert, but because they had already paid for their meal, they got up for seconds or even thirds. Sometimes, therefore, by the time the second sitters got to their table, there wasn't so much to choose from.

We ate out a lot because of this.

Breakfast was ok as you could sit wherever you wanted to.

SandC

2007-09-28 13:07:40

Yes I experienced this in Malta, but then it was a very cheapo holiday and hotel for that matter. The couple we sat with were very pleasant but like yourselves it's nice to have a choice and holidays are far more conducive to getting chatting at the bar rather than be forced to at dinner.

It's good to point out to people that they might want to try and check up on dinner arrangements before they make a booking as this sort of thing didn't occur to us before then.

I would closely check if I were going half board again the number of rooms in the hotel against the number of restaurants and whether meals are done in sittings or whether you can come and go as you wish.

JimnLiz

2007-09-28 13:52:48

This happened to us in Majorca many years ago. We were put with 2 young single girls. They were very nice, pretty girls who were enjoying the Magaluf nightlife so we very rarely saw them at the evening meal. Think this was quite the norm back then as we spoke to tourists from other hotels and they were the same. Was abit off putting until we got to know the girls.

Glynis HT Admin

2007-09-28 13:57:08

Don't think I'd be too keen on that arrangement. What if the people you are sitting with have poor table manners - I can't stand people who 'clack' when they eat so it would drive me to distraction if I had to 'listen' to them whilst eating my dinner :cry:

jennyfrank

2007-09-28 14:15:49

We are actually very gregarious, but hate sharing a table with strangers, as we do like to chat with each other whilst eating. Fortunately, where we stay the tables are not shared, but last winter a couple came and stood at our table every evening and the ****** woman yakked on for ages - actually talking about nothing but herself - whilst her poor husband stood silently there with a little patient smile on his face clutching his rapidly cooling dinner. I could have screamed, because I just wasn't capable of ignoring her, but had to stop eating and look at her - whilst MY dinner got cold. (Frank kept his head down and ate!) It was the longest 2 weeks we have ever experienced! Frank has decided that if she appears this winter, he will quietly tell her that we do like to eat in peace -- but I bet he doesn't! Neither of us are as thick skinned as she clearly is. Ah! well ..................... Jenny x

lynwestie

2007-09-28 14:50:09

Ive never experienced this before But must confess we would hate it. As you say we are not unsociable but prefer to decide who we choose to be sociable with and when. If I ever book a hotel with those arrangements I would fear for my life as my hubby would murder me and he can talk for England:(

. Actually now I come to think of it ,it would probably be our poor table chums that ended up with the cold dinner and glazed expression :rofl

We can put up with sharing a big table with fellow guests at breakfast when staying in at a small guest house but sharing the same table with the same people every evening reminds me of when I was a child and they used to have these arrangements in holiday camps. my mum even has holiday snaps to prove it . :rofl

lyn

Tishtosh

2007-09-28 15:06:57

That would be a nightmare for us, and like everyone else we're not unsociable, but there is a limit and that would be ours! And that 2nd sitting malarky would drive us mad. :evil:

ellie_meg

2007-09-28 15:10:27

luckily ive never experienced this either but would also dislike it,knowing my luck i would end up next to someone slurping his food etc lol, i think these dining arrangements should be clearly stated when booking the hotel, then its up to you to decide if youre happy with these arrangements or not

jennyfrank

2007-09-28 15:25:40

Many years ago I read a very interesting article about the odd quirks of the English. Amongst other things, it stated that, although we can be the friendliest people in the world, we are also the most private. This could be noted in everyday life, e.g. If an English person got on a bus with several people on, they would automatically look for an empty seat, whilst many other nationalities would sit on the nearest seat and chat away happily. In my case, this is certainly true - and to be honest, if the bus had lots of empty seats and someone got on and sat next to me, I would be wondering why! :hmmm

Having said that, I am the first to move my bag if the bus starts to fill up - and, despite being 64, am still the first to stand up for pregnant ladies, mums with babies and 'old' people!! I guess that it is all down to protecting our personal space. Jenny x

Lazying by the pool

2007-09-28 15:57:13

Glad you all agree with me and its not just us being miserable! :lol:

It is something worth checking up with for everybody if doing HB.

My next holiday is defo going to be B&B!

One of the couples we sat with were very harmless but did talk an awful lot (about rubbish!) and we did start to try and avoid them....... to no success! he he!

jennyfrank

2007-09-28 16:05:15

Hi lazing, if someone is determined to find you, they will. We moved tables frequently to try to avoid our stalker, but she always found us. "Ah! - there you are!" she'd shriek and my heart would plummet :cry:

Jenny x

Aslemma

2007-09-28 16:23:13

Twice in Tunisia I've been asked to share a table with an English man who lived permanently in the hotel. The first time I suffered in silence, just trying to make polite conversation whilst he ran down the country and the locals amongst whom he'd chosen to live. The following year he was at my table again. I stood it as long as I could then one evening said to my waiter "I'll be down a little later tomorrow as I don't wish to share with this gentleman again so I will let him have his dinner first." The waiter came to see me outside and apologised - apparently they couldn't stand him either but thought that I would be able to cope with him. :roll:

jojouk

2007-09-28 17:19:07

We had shared tables when we were in Majorca at Xmas last year and i hated it.I am not unsociable but sometimes just want some peace and quiet and not feel i have to engage in conversation if i dont want to.Luckily they were a decent couple who didnt rabbit to much.
In Tunisia last year we didnt exactly share a table but they were all that close it felt like it :shock:

and we were surrounded by bad mannered Germans who watched(not just watched stared) every mouthful we took.

starry

2007-09-28 17:30:50

What a nightmare! Friends had to share on a cruise, and they were a family of 4 - not sure anybody would want to share with us and the kids

Last month I went to a long service award for OH and we were put on a table of 8. It was a complete nightmare! One man kept knocking back the wine and running everything down - it completely ruined the evening!
OH said I am too polite (he just got up and went to get dessert).

Bad enough having one evening spoilt, but not a 2 week holiday!

Edited by starry 2007-09-28 18:31:08

shell

2007-09-28 18:26:15

I haven't experienced this personally but I know my Dad stayed in a hotel in Majorca about 3 years ago and he was allocated a table each evening shared with other hotel guest's, he didn't mind too much as he was holidaying alone so he enjoyed the company but not sure what the people he was sharing the table with thought of him :lol:

cyberspacekadette

2007-09-28 19:02:00

We had this arrangement once at a hotel in Lloret a few years ago, we were all-inclusive so we had to spend lunch as well as dinner with the same family at the same table, with the same view for the whole week. They were a very nice family and we got on well, but it would have been nice to have our mealtimes to ourselves. During the holiday we made friends with some other people with whom we spent most of our days and evenings, it would have been nice to be able to swap our table arrangements to sit with our new friends, but this was not possible.

Debbie

2007-09-28 19:23:57

Ohhhh we must have always been lucky. Never experienced this in any hotel where we have stayed.

When crusing last year we were given the option as to whether or not we wanted to have a dining table just for us four or to share

We just opted for the small table alone

MarkJ

2007-09-28 19:41:00

This would be my worst nightmare. I would pack my bags and demand to be moved to another hotel. Sorry, but "forced" socialising is not my thing. Too much politics going on in workplaces enough, only to be made to be friendly with people you might not necessarily like.

Mark

Jay Trip

2007-09-28 20:11:35

post subject

The only hotel I have experienced this dining arrangement was at the Merton Hotel in Jersey.It was an enormous dining room and when we were shown to our table,which was the furthest from the door,we found we had to share the table with another couple.They were from "the other end of the country" and looked down their noses at us all week!.We just ignored them after a few days and just got on with our meals.Luckily a couple who we had made friends with were sitting on the next table but we were not allowed to swap!

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