A bride-to-be whose dream wedding to her football star sweetheart was thrown into disarray by the closure of Ardoe House has lashed out at “upsetting” treatment from its new owners.
The hotel in Blairs will open its doors again later this month under new management after going into administration last year while under the control of the Mercure hotel chain.
Perth-based firm 7 Hospitality Management (7H), which has taken over the running of the historic venue, pledged to honour bookings made under the previous regime.
They suggested emails sent to those complaining about a lack of contact had perhaps gone into a “junk” folder.
However, following the news that the 19th-century Deeside hotel will be revived, some who had events such as weddings booked raised concerns they had yet to be contacted.
Some were due to visit the hotel as early as this weekend, and many had already paid out large sums before the previous management hit financial trouble.
Couples found out on social media
Karla Rae was due to marry her fiancé Clark Robertson, this Saturday.
Mr Robertson currently plays for Rotherham United but started his career at Pittodrie from 2009 to 2015 and there has been speculation he is considering a return to the Dons.
Karla told us the first she heard of the reopening was via social media.
The couple had already had to reschedule their big day due to the pandemic and pushed it back again to next June at another venue as a result of the closure.
“In November we woke up to vast amounts of tags and screenshots of the news Ardoe house had gone into liquidation,” Karla, 31, said.
“Several of our family members tried to contact Ardoe to get any sort of information we could as obviously we had paid money towards our wedding, and wanted to know if the wedding would go ahead.”
Karla revealed the first she and 27-year-old Clark had heard about Ardoe reopening was when the news was published on Tuesday morning.
“We are so disappointed in the treatment we have received from Ardoe and to see they have events pencilled in was an upsetting shock,” she added.
Several other people took to social media to voice their frustrations, with some complaining they had “not heard a cheep” from Ardoe House until it announced its reopening earlier this week.
Vicky Ross said: “We had our wedding booked for April last year. Moved date due to Covid to March this year only for the Ardoe to go into liquidation in November.
“We are now getting married at a different venue the day before the Ardoe opens. Wonder if deposits will be refunded Ardoe House Hotel & Spa?”
‘Positive response’ to reopening news
Hotel manager Chris Hodgens said: “We are delighted with the positive response we have received upon breaking the news that Ardoe House Hotel & Spa will shortly reopen.
“Prior to releasing this news, we contacted all those on our booking database to make them aware and to restart their plans.
“Each booking – including weddings – has been offered the chance to rebook their original date, reschedule their event or receive a credit against any deposit made, which can be used for future bookings at the hotel.
“We have been made aware that in some cases, our email may have made its way into a junk folder.
“So to that end, we would ask anyone with a prior booking who feels they have not received a communication from us, to check their Junk folder, where our email will be waiting for them. Alternatively, we can be contacted direct at info@ardoehousehotel.co.uk”