Hotel where staff saved guest's life gets rated 'terrible' on TripAdvisor by family member

A hotel that saved a guest's life was then rated 'terrible' on TripAdvisor. Photo / Telegraph

Staff at a country hotel were shocked when they saved the life of a wedding guest only to be rated "terrible" on TripAdvisor.

A quick-thinking barman at the Carrington Arms near Milton Keynes leapt to the rescue of a young woman who was having a heart attack and managed to keep her alive until an air ambulance arrived.

He and his colleagues quickly became the subject of glowing praise from most of the ill woman's family - except one.

Staff later noticed that the guest had gone on the review site to complain about the hotel because of a disagreement over a £16 (NZ$28) breakfast.

An exasperated Peter Dodman, who part-owns the establishment, said TripAdvisor had become the bane of the hotel industry's existence.

"She died twice during the ordeal," he said.

"She passed out in the hall and our staff rushed over, cleared the room, and revived her.

"What do we have to do to get a good review?" Dodman told the Telegraph the guest had unwittingly booked a £60 (NZ$106) "without breakfast" room and then objected vociferously to being charged for the morning meal. He added: "I was disgusted about it.

"We as an industry do not like TripAdvisor because we don't think it's a true representation."

Dodman later complained himself to the review site, but said he got nowhere.

TripAdvisor director of partnerships Gwenael Merlin told the Morning Advertiser that how a pub handles a problem can help soothe a situation.

He said: "The best way to handle them is to respond promptly, say thank you for feedback (even it it's bad), be original in your response and highlight the positives."

Photo / Telegraph

Other TripAdvisor complaints faced by pubs and hotels include one review which ridiculed a menu as "pretentious" because it described its mashed potatoes as "crushed".