“Let down by a stay here with an unusable hot tub and terrible aftercare from Sykes, so hope others don’t experience the same.”
All the research I’ve done since say a fresh hot tub shouldn’t be foaming heavily (with videos provided to Sykes) BEFORE anyone uses it, particularly with a smell of wet dog when the foam dries.
Such a shame for an otherwise lovey lodge with higher end fixtures and fittings. However this spoiled the weekends 40th birthday celebrations. No offer of any form of reimbursement just told “contracts with the owner” and to “go to small claims court”.
Thank you for your comments. I am genuinely sorry that you felt disappointed, but I would like to clarify the facts for the benefit of future guests.
After you contacted me regarding the water, I attended the property twice to investigate your concerns. On both occasions, I tested the hot tub water in your presence, and the chlorine and pH levels were exactly within the correct safety range. In fact, the chlorine was already near the upper limit, which is why I explained to you that adding more would not be safe and could cause skin irritation especially when you had children with you.
The foam you noticed was not caused by poor maintenance but is a common issue resulting from residues of shampoos, shower gels, or washing detergents left in swimwear. This is why signage at the property advises guests to shower before entering the tub. An anti-foam solution is also provided at the lodge for guest use if this occurs which you was fully aware of.
The hot tub was fully serviced and sanitised by myself on the Friday morning before your arrival in the afternoon and was in normal condition. I also confirmed that dogs are not permitted at the property, so there was no possibility of animal contamination or smelling of wet dog like you said which i certainly could not smell.
I have over 15 years of experience maintaining hot tubs and take great pride in ensuring they are cleaned, tested, and maintained daily. This is reflected in the many positive reviews for both this lodge and our neighbouring property Routhorpe House check the reviews yourself.
Finally, you were offered a discount as a goodwill gesture should you wish to book again, so it is not accurate to say that Sykes Cottages provided poor aftercare. Every effort was made to assist you promptly and professionally throughout your stay and after.
Best regards.
Carl
Property Owner
