In early November 2014 I had to go to York on business. It is a beautiful city and so I decided to take the rest of the family. After my meeting, in the late afternoon and as the light started to fade, we went for a wander round a section of the city walls.
There was nobody around. It was just us and the gargoyles.
Dusk fell and we went back to our hotel. I can’t say we had the best night, not least because there was a feint smell of drains which pervaded our sleep. It permeated our nostrils and crept to our core, causing us to toss and turn in our troubled slumber. The hotel we had booked was a member of an international chain. As such, we expected a certain level of general cleanliness. We didn’t expect (or much appreciate for that matter) this smell, nor whatever it was we found dangling from the underside of the taps the next morning.
I have no idea what it was, but you will probably make a few unappetising guesses that match the guesses we made. I took some loo roll and carefully pulled the dangly monstrosity from its roost. I took it down to the front desk and presented the grizzly mess to the concierge.
Due note was taken, profuse apologies given, and an immediate discount to our room offered. This was all appreciated, and I also appreciate that from time to time these things happen.
Still.
I would have preferred not to have found it in the first place.
Yuk.
Points in this post (copy and paste the co-ordinates into Google Earth):
- Gargoyles on York’s City Walls: N 53° 57.7689W 001° 04.713
Trip Statistics:
- Date of Visit: 2 November 2014
The Coastal Path 
Very well written.
Thank you!
Ouh, what a horrible experience. At least, the customer care did a good job by offering you a refund.
Well it was actually about a third of a refund, but they did look very apologetic. I’ve stayed there since and am pleased to report that they appear to have cleaned up their act.
It’s always good to hear that at least refunds are working and the problems are served to some degree. That’s the first step to a good customer experience!
Uh oh. Saw this way too soon after a meal… What letter does the ‘international chain’ begin with? Just for future reference!!!! RH
Oh RH I’m not sure I can possibly say. Hmmm. Think of a number. Any number of 1 or more. Times it by 9. Then add the digits of whatever number you end up with together to get another number. Keep doing this until you end up with a single number. Subtract 1 from that number. Now, A=1, B=2, C=3, etc. You have your letter. I should say I have since stayed at this hotel again and had no complaints whatsoever!
Yuk is right – ewwww.
I’m glad they tried to make it up to you.
Loved the puzzle you gave RH, except that
I found 111 hotels in the UK that start with
that letter lol!
Oh well if you liked that puzzle do it again, but this time when you get your single number deduct 5. Then A=1, B=2, etc as normal. Think of a country beginning with your letter. Then think of an animal beginning with the second letter of that country. Then think of the colour of that animal.
I bet everyone you do that to will think of exactly the same thing as you in which case you can then astound them by saying, “Now tell me why are you thinking of…”
… Except I was thinking pink while everyone else was thinking gray lol!
I’m not sure what emoticon replicates the face I’m making right now – or if one even exists.