Rip off Ireland at the Galway races

[Livelinelistener]

Did anyone hear that redneck hotelier from Salthill on the Liveline show today ?

He really made my blood boil. He was trying to justify charging €8 for a pint during the races on the basis that they only made €4 on each one.

Bleddy cheek.

 

[maate]

laughs

It was a hoax call,that hotel has been closed for years..
it was a good one though,he did'nt like familes-they wrecked rooms,would charge you on the car you drove-a merc means more dosh,paying time and a half to staff during race week..i especially liked the heavy breathing at the beginning

 

[legend99]

..

Genuine stuf from Cork Week in Crosshaven. Sandwiches were above 6 euro I think. Tea/Coffee 3-4 euro. And this was for stuff you got to have in marquees/walking around etc...

 

[dooley]

Galway races rip-off

The Galway races is one HUGE rip-off. My family used to run a B and B within 5 miles of Ballybrit and every race-week we would be booked out weeks in advance. Genuine tourists we would advise to get the hell out of Galway ( the entire county
east of Oughterard ) and try elsewhere. The race punters would pay double the normal rates if we were allowed to charge it. We never had any problem filling our own and every neighbours house with willing accommodation seekers for Race week and Arts festival week...all big spenders.
One guy we used to keep used to go to the races in the morning, the dogs in the evening and the poker games in the Great Southern all night.....it's not for the faint hearted.

 

[Maate]

laughs

From the Independent today

A HOAX caller hoodwinked RTE's Derek Davis on live radio by claiming that his Galway hotel was charging €8 a pint during race week.

The caller who identified himself as "John" said he was from the Stella Maris Hotel in Salthill.

He told Derek Davis on 'Liveline' that the hotel put up its prices to cash-in on race week.

He said: "Of course we put up our money. We've only three months of the year to make money. The prices are up outside.

"My prices last week were €150 for bed and breakfast, they are now €280. We have staff to pay. They are not going to work for peanuts. I pay them time-and-a-half.

"Three months of the year is a very short time. We pay very high taxes. It's a very short season here in Salthill, you have to hit the iron while it's hot. Stella Maris Hotel in Salthill is probably one of the best hotels in Ireland. We have hot sea water baths, we have a leisure centre, we have a swimming pool.

"John" then went on to tell Derek that he increased the price of a pint for race week.

"We have the sun here all the time in Salthill and I put up my price for a pint to €8 for race week. That's the situation.

"You are in nice surroundings, you are overlooking Galway Bay. We cater for up-market clients."

He told Derek that the hotel was "a four-star hotel." "John" went on to justify his supposed price of €8 a pint.

"It's like South Beach in Miami in Florida. It's $200 a night for a hotel in South Beach without breakfast."

Derek asked "John": "Is this a hoax call? " and "John" replied: "No, absolutely not. I'm being serious. We use our own discretion in race week."

"Are you sure this isn't a wind-up?" Derek asked him again and "John" replied: "Not at all, the Stella Maris Hotel is well known."

Derek said:"I have a phone call from a taxi driver who says the Stella Maris Hotel has been closed for many years."

And "John" said: "Yes, that's correct we closed for renovations a couple of years ago.

"When you are in Salthill again come in and see us. You will be very welcome to have a hot sea water bath."