Aussie’s brutal TripAdvisor review torn apart
An incredible smackdown has occurred on TripAdvisor, and it relates to an Aussie tourist’s view of an Irish restaurant and its owner.
The Aussie forgot his jacket, which contained a pair of glasses, in the venue, and claimed the manager lacked integrity when he failed to immediately return his lost items after he called and asked the manager to do so. He agreed to foot the bill for the cost of postage, and that was that.
Until the tourist – Graham from Sydney – decided it had been long enough, and with no sign of his belongings, took to TripAdvisor to leave a scathing review, titled, “HONESTY NOT DELIVERED”.
But the manager of upmarket restaurant Eala Bhán, in the Irish town of Sligo, Anthony Gray, was having none of it, and slapped back at the review with his own retort.
Gray’s response included everything from listing his many other priorities that come ahead of posting Graham’s jacket (children, managing restaurants, etc.), to quoting a famous poet and calling his jacket a crime against fashion.
Read the original review from Graham, and Anthony Gray’s comeback, below:
Graham wrote:
“My wife and I were visiting Sligo from Australia & Restaurant Eala Bhan was recommended to us for evening Dining. Based on that recommendation, we decided to Dine there on the only evening we were staying in Sligo.
“The food was quite reasonable, however we were extremely disappointed to find that the operator lacked integrity. This comment is based on the fact that I accidentally left my Wind Breaker with Eye glasses in pocket.
“We only discovered this when we arrived at our next destination, so rang and spoke to the Restaurant Manager (Anthony Gray) who confirmed that the jacket was with them.
“Based on his agreement to forward the Jacket to me, I e-mailed details of my Credit Card to cover all costs to return the garment to me.
“When it did not arrive within a week or so, I re-emailed twice with no response. my wife and I have since returned to Australia, short of one Jacket and one pair of glasses.
“Bottom line is Food might be O.K. But integrity is seriously lacking.”
The manager, Anthony Gray, responded with:
“Dear Graham,
“I never usually respond to reviews but have made a exception in your case. We are delighted you enjoyed your meal at multi award winning restaurant here in Sligo serving the finest local sourced ingredients on the very edge of the beautiful Wild Atlantic Way!
“I apologise that you forgot your jacket and glasses while dining with us.
“I apologise that I had not immediately sent your belongings back to Australia. I should have done a Joe ninety on it and hot tailed it up to the local post office and made your jacket a priority but unfortunately these things don’t always happen the way you may have planed.
“I mean I’m only trying to run 2 restaurants in the middle of summer while my manager whom I’m delighted to say is 6 months pregnant but unfortunately is suffering God bless her wee soul and out of work resting which i insisted on!!!
“Having 3 children myself under the age of 10 running around the house like gladiators and tearing to pieces while not going to bed on time, rising like ninjas at dawn I am what you might say just a little tired and a tad busy.
“I should have pushed this way up my priority list but forgot and while all of this is going I’m very busy busting a gut here and in the UK promoting my beloved Sligo.
“Why do I do this? I love my town, I love it’s people, I love every tourist that graces this beautiful part of the world and provides me and my staff with a living.
“People make mistakes and forget things just like you did with your possessions. But to come on TripAdvisor and review me about my lack of postal skills honesty and integrity beggars belief considering I never laid my mince pies eyes on you !
“I mean you are butchering my name insofar as my forgetfulness yet it was your forgetfulness that has us here!!!! POT KETTLE BLACK ( Google it).
“Finally I just checked the weather forecast in your part of sunny Australia and I reckon you will be fairly safe insofar as your lack of windbreaker……jaysus it’s roasting in your spot boi!! You lucky duck!!!
“Your possessions are en route you will be glad to know!!! and as far as my honesty is concerned I’m not even going to charge your credit card for the post furthermore the next time you visit the beautiful Emerald Isle and my County I’ll bring you shopping locally for a new Wind breaker as far i see its a bit of a crime against fashion.
“Next time you feel like writing a review for a restaurant try to remember us for our qualities which we provide in the abundance of good locally sourced food wine, atmosphere at least that’s what we hear consistently from our customers.
“So eventually when it cools down in Australia and you put on your Wind breaker on think of your honesty Irish restauranteur who’s full of integrity but you never met and who knows you may even break into a smile and give your face a holiday until then keep her lit.
“WE MAKE OUT OF THE QUARREL WITH OTHERS,
RHETORIC, BUT OF THE QUARREL WITH OURSELVES
POETRY………….. W.B YEATS
Regards and Good day Mate
Anthony Gray.”
Wow, that was intense.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
Qantas cops $100m penalty with passengers to get $20m back over cancelled flights
Qantas cops a $100m civil penalty, passengers to get back $20m over cancelled flights to resolve ACCC court battle.
Search underway for missing cruiser of Sydney Heads
Carnival Cruise Lines have confirmed a search is underway for a passenger who went overboard P&O Cruises Pacific Adventure about 20 kilometres off the Sydney Heads this morning. Pacific Adventure was due to dock at Sydney Harbour at 6 am this morning but is now searching the waters after a man went overboard around 4:15 am. One […]
Wendy Wu Tours ‘Wonderlust Sale’ offers the wonders of the world for less
Wendy Wu Tours opens the month of May with some very special deals across its most sought-after destinations. From Japan, China and South Korea to Southeast Asia, Central Asia and across India and Latin America, the ‘Wonderlust Sale’ sees all destinations on sale. The ‘Wonderlust Sale’ is an offer too good to resist with incredible […]
Booking.com launches AI Trip Planner in Australia and New Zealand
Booking.com has announced its AI Trip Planner (Beta) is now available for travellers in Australia and New Zealand, the first markets to launch in Asia Pacific. Until now, AI Trip Planner was only available for US and UK travellers after it was launched in the Booking.com app in June last year. Built using Booking.com’s existing […]
Voyages celebrates 40 years at Uluru with two new immersive experiences
No plans for celebrating your 40th this year? Here's a hot tip from us.
SkyDeck: The inflight entertainment you could never have imagined
Forget those external cameras you can live stream while in the air... With SkyDeck you can check it out for yourself.
Second Boeing whistleblower dies of ‘mystery infection’
Joshua Dean died from a fast-growing mystery infection on Tuesday.
Aussie winners of American Airlines ‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ announced
Show me the money! For the winners, Sell Your Way to the USA was worth getting involved in.
ANZCRO celebrates 30th with special edition of iconic New Zealand Book
Choice bro! ANZCRO celebrates its 30th with a special edition of its iconic New Zealand Book. Chur!
Room to move at Cairns Harbourside Hotel with ‘spacious’ new family package
Moody teens can eat two-minute noodles while younger brothers and sisters get to eat free with mum and dad. Win, win!
A&K unveils lavish around the world wildlife adventure in private jet
The kind of holiday that if you need to ask the cost, you probably can't afford it.
Flight Centre and Reforest hit one million trees target early
Nice one Flight Centre, we think you've earned an early Friday knockoff.
New cruise options spearhead stacked APT 2025 program
Just in case you thought you were running out of cruise itineraries, APT's here with a fresh batch.
Travel Weekly announces a new team to helm Australia’s No.1 travel trade title
Some shameless self-promotion from us, but we thought you needed to know who's bringing you the news.
IHG reveals plans for Brisbane’s first Kimpton in 2028
Just another reason to book that trip to Brisvegas. But don't jump the gun, it's not open until 2028.
Cruiseabout’s first store in five years opens in Perth
Perth gets a break from being behind the rest of the country with the addition of the first Cruiseabout store.
ATAS complaints process acknowledges non-economic loss
A High Court case win over 'disappointment and distress' on a cruise gone wrong prompts ATIA complaints change.
Cunard previews new Queen Anne
Yep, this one does exactly what it says on the tin.
Bunnik Tours unveils latest expansion to Iceland
Just as the Icelandic vikings did many years ago, Bunnik is expanding into new territories.
Australia’s first glamping retreat turns 25
25th anniversary gifts usually come in silver. Ours comes in the way of a news story.
Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun
If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]
Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs
Turnbull hints her new role will see her staying in the tourism and hospitality industry and who can blame her?
DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign
If agents can put the foot down quick enough and get involved, there are some great prizes to be won.
Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern
Unlike those dodgy scam phone calls you're getting more and more of, there's no strings attached to this deal.
Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips
Can you call it a sober holiday if you enjoy a few glasses of red on the flight? We think yes.
Travel DAZE Exec Agenda REVEALED: top execs to speak on airline competition
As the industry reels from Bonza's implosion, it is more important than ever to ask the big questions.
TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips
The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]
Skroo says Rex will need deep pockets to fill lost Bonza slots
The door is open for Rex, and anyone else who wants to launch a regional Aussie airline...
Sno’n’Ski Holidays unveils 2025 mega famil to Colorado!
Let the games begin - this is certainly not a famil that you will want to miss!
Walk Japan launches Kyoto: Mountains to the sea walking tour
There are two types of people, one who enjoys walking on holiday and another who enjoys sipping Mojitos by the pool.
Which destination had a 48% boost in bookings following 10 MILLION TikTok views?
Here's a clue: it's not Malabar Beach.
Asher Telford appointed General Manager of SeaLink Whitsundays
Telford has plenty of reasons to smile after SeaLink doubles down and makes him GM after buying his tourism operation.
Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak
Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]
Hilton Expands Presence in North Queensland with the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Townsville
Heading to a North Queensland Cowboys clash? Hilton Garden Inn Townsville is set to open, but not until 2026.
Rail Europe ANZ: making dream journeys come true
Rail Europe's running a lottery! You're not going to win millions, but you might just snag a free holiday.
UPDATE: Bonza hole deepens as administrators investigate financial affairs
Administrators dig deeper as struggling airline unlikely to be revived.
As an Irish/Aussie citizen who works in Australian Tourism I have to say ‘Good on ya boyo’ for this reply.
I am bored to tears of being threatened with bad Trip Advisor reviews by people who can often be rude, demanding, illogical guests who take up so much time that other guests/priorities/staff sometimes get neglected.
Yes, please review your experiences, Good or Bad. Have you ever noticed its
more common for people to write negative posts and never positive ones. I don’t take much heed of people with 1 negative review under their belt. Let me see the Good and the bad. However, the customer must remember that the managers/owners can respond with the truth/whole story. They can point out everything that was done to rectify a situation and make your stay a happy memorable one that they often omit in said review so as to make their experience resembling more of a stay in Bates Motel/Fawlty Towers. (Speaking from personal experience).
I can only speak for myself here, I don’t get out of bed each day to do a half assed job and be rude to strangers. I love making people laugh/happy. I strive to go above and beyond for each and every customer I encounter. I commit to leaving my personal issues at the door yet will get shouted at and lambasted, by angry and agro guests because, insert something that has no connection to myself: missed flight, lost luggage, jet lag, being broke, Act of God, Missed alarm, weather. Yes it sucks that these things have occurred but guess what? I didn’t do it.
Humans need to realise that manners are free and will get you a long way. Unnecessary rudeness on the other hand, not so far.
‘Hey Rude people! When was the last time you were upgraded/given a discount/freebie after being] rude to service providers? Exactly. Never!
I don’t know about those people but I’ll keep the perks of having manners. I’ll continue choosing to speak personally to the owner/manager/staff to Thank them and let them know I had a great time. I’ll also continue to speak in person to owners/managers/staff if I am unhappy with something. I won’t pretend threaten them with a bad review or claim everything is OK to their face and then let it fester so that when I get home I use Trip Advisor as a vessel to vent my frustration when it could have been sorted out in person. Less stress, more success!
There have been a few of these Trip Advisor replies lately from Ireland. I think,if & when necessary these kind of replies from owner/managers/staff need to continue so that maybe one day everyone would use their manners and the world would be a happier, less stressed, rushed place.
Rant over.
…… always remember to hit back is human… to ignore, divine..