Macdonald Hotels & Resorts
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Employee Reviews
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Great learning experience
Front Office Manager (Current Employee) – United Kingdom – 18 February 2019
It is a great company to progress in the industry you love as well as learning all about hotels and their different departments. There is loads of opportunities for cross training in the different areas.
Pros
Team
Cons
Very demanding
The worst employer I have had
F&B Assistant (Former Employee) – Oxford – 14 February 2019
I worked during a couple of months for the Randolph in Oxford as a waiter.
Where should I start explaining about what I found there...
First of all, they have a serious staffing problem. Not only they don't have enough workers during most of the days, but they keep cutting hours of the ones that are already there. I started as a full timer and when I realized I wasn't having hardly 30 hours per week.
The managers I had the bad luck to deal with were super rude and had absolutely no respect for the employees, no matter how hard you try to be excellent at your job, they will always find some negative thing to point out. To sum up, they also messed with my tax number and when I contacted the managers to fix this problem they just did nothing.
In addition, and this is due their politics or cutting hours to everyone, the back of the house was just FILTHY. We were trying to keep things as tidy as clean as we could but with the lack of time it was just impossible. It was just very embarrassing to work there.
Another funny thing is that the staff lunch was not available to everyone (besides the food was just terrible), and most of the days we were forced to eat leftovers from the service. Another funny thing is that we had a big note saying how forbidden it was for the staff to have our coffees from the restaurant coffee machine, but at the same time the coffee machine in the most depressing cantine ever was broken.
To finish my review, I must also mention that balancing my personal and working life was just impossible. Before I signed my contract I agreed with the manager in more... charge of the rotas that I would have at least a weekend off per month, but surprise! Guess what happenned at the end... And the couple of times I tried to ask for a Sunday off the answer was just NO. Same for trying to plan my holidays. They were not even giving me consecutive days off most of the weeks.
I was slowly falling into a depression, as in this place they were killing my spirit. Seldom times in my life I have felt as miserable as during the months working for the Randolph.
I couldnt be happier of leaving this awful company. less
Where should I start explaining about what I found there...
First of all, they have a serious staffing problem. Not only they don't have enough workers during most of the days, but they keep cutting hours of the ones that are already there. I started as a full timer and when I realized I wasn't having hardly 30 hours per week.
The managers I had the bad luck to deal with were super rude and had absolutely no respect for the employees, no matter how hard you try to be excellent at your job, they will always find some negative thing to point out. To sum up, they also messed with my tax number and when I contacted the managers to fix this problem they just did nothing.
In addition, and this is due their politics or cutting hours to everyone, the back of the house was just FILTHY. We were trying to keep things as tidy as clean as we could but with the lack of time it was just impossible. It was just very embarrassing to work there.
Another funny thing is that the staff lunch was not available to everyone (besides the food was just terrible), and most of the days we were forced to eat leftovers from the service. Another funny thing is that we had a big note saying how forbidden it was for the staff to have our coffees from the restaurant coffee machine, but at the same time the coffee machine in the most depressing cantine ever was broken.
To finish my review, I must also mention that balancing my personal and working life was just impossible. Before I signed my contract I agreed with the manager in more... charge of the rotas that I would have at least a weekend off per month, but surprise! Guess what happenned at the end... And the couple of times I tried to ask for a Sunday off the answer was just NO. Same for trying to plan my holidays. They were not even giving me consecutive days off most of the weeks.
I was slowly falling into a depression, as in this place they were killing my spirit. Seldom times in my life I have felt as miserable as during the months working for the Randolph.
I couldnt be happier of leaving this awful company. less
Pros
It was easy to get promotions due to the high turnover
Cons
Everything else
Not great company to work with
Former operation manager (Former Employee) – Scotland – 13 February 2019
Poor management & all about numbers rather customer or staff, not good company to work with,poor management Company never managed to pay staff right amount were always short with wages wouldn’t recommend anyone to work for Macdonald group
Pros
Chips and beans if chef had good day maybe pasta
Cons
Very long hours
Basic pay, long hours
Trainee Manager (Former Employee) – bottle – 13 February 2019
Worked full time for a couple of years in a hotel. Little room for growth and the company doesn't pay particular pay to their employees abusing the high turnover. Required to do some very long hours on a 0h contract and minimum wage.
But you do get free lunch and dinner...
But you do get free lunch and dinner...
Payroll shocking
Sales Executive (Former Employee) – Scotland – 6 February 2019
Started working for Macdonald hotels during Christmas period. Sent off all my paperwork to payroll but have been emergency taxed throughout my contract, in the end I had to contact the HMRC to sort out tax code myself. I now need to wait until April to get a refund from tax office.
New manager was extremely poor, promising to find a new job for me once my contract ran out, but not able to confirm until my last day of work! He was also unable to let the company know I had left, so although I have now started a new job, I need to wait another month for my P45. He was generally very unprofessional, unable to acknowledge staff, not sure if this was because I was a woman or just in a lower role than him.
I was very lucky working with some fantastic people in the sales office but I am delighted to have left this business.
New manager was extremely poor, promising to find a new job for me once my contract ran out, but not able to confirm until my last day of work! He was also unable to let the company know I had left, so although I have now started a new job, I need to wait another month for my P45. He was generally very unprofessional, unable to acknowledge staff, not sure if this was because I was a woman or just in a lower role than him.
I was very lucky working with some fantastic people in the sales office but I am delighted to have left this business.
Pros
Free lunches
Cons
Payroll problems, unprofessional management, awful pay
Macdonald Hotels - biggest joke in hospitality trade.
Staff (Former Employee) – Aviemore, Highland – 4 February 2019
I worked at the Aviemore resort for almost a year. I was never given proper training, there seemed to be no training plan for anything. The managers rarely get involved and help out the staff. The staff turnover is incredibly high - even by hotel standards. They employ direct from Eastern Europe and many of the staff speak very little English. The restaurants are shambolic and meals take forever to come out, there are no proper systems in place.
The staff accommodation is disgusting, no WiFi or phone signal.... The management will give you empty promise after empty promise. HR don't care and are lazy.
Money is the main focus of the company and they do not care about staff or about whether guests are likely to return. If you mention 'Macdonald hotels' to anyone in the hospitality industry they'll laugh in your face because it's known for being a Mickey Mouse company. Just take a look at the reviews on TripAdvisor... One star rating after one star rating - these aren't fake. Stay away. You've been warned.
The staff accommodation is disgusting, no WiFi or phone signal.... The management will give you empty promise after empty promise. HR don't care and are lazy.
Money is the main focus of the company and they do not care about staff or about whether guests are likely to return. If you mention 'Macdonald hotels' to anyone in the hospitality industry they'll laugh in your face because it's known for being a Mickey Mouse company. Just take a look at the reviews on TripAdvisor... One star rating after one star rating - these aren't fake. Stay away. You've been warned.
Pros
Everyone laughs at Macdonald hotels
Cons
Too many to mention
Positive and friendly
Housekeeping (Former Employee) – Aviemore – 31 January 2019
It was a nice experience, even when employed by agency. The management helped our team from Inverness get to work everyday by sending one of their staff member to pick us up with their Range Rover! This saved me and my co-workers a lot of problems and money. We were allowed to take a 30 minutes break at the buffet which fed us well and gave a time to rest. The cooperation with other members was organised and smooth. It was good to be there.
Pros
Free lunches
Cons
Not at all
Appalling
Spa Therapist (Former Employee) – Windermere, Cumbria – 20 January 2019
Treat with no respect. Poor wages. Worked back to back with clients with no time in between. Refused to pay wages owed. Poor facilities for staff use, no care for them what so ever, all about the money they make.
Best apprenticeship I could have asked for
Demi Chef de Partie (Former Employee) – Marlow, Buckinghamshire – 22 December 2018
great team, great work ethic, helped me grow as a chef and even helped me to skip commis and straight to Demi after my apprenticeship, was like a second family
Pros
second family
Cons
long hours but worth it
Bad expirience
Housekeeper/Cleaner (Current Employee) – Woodstock – 21 December 2018
Bad management, less workers than hotel needs. Also bad conditions for life and work balance. Bad paied job, really hardwork, which woman cannot do like lifting really haevy bags (cause hotel mis also loundry porter)
Pros
Free lunches
Cons
No more than 1 day off
Learnt A lot
Assistant Conference and Banqueting Manager (Current Employee) – Oxford, UK – 30 November 2018
I learnt a lot within the hotel, how to maintain the upkeep and run each F&B outlet within the hotel throughout the 3 years working here. The people and guests are lovely and friendly, especially making everybody feel welcome. Everybody that works hard, gets a lot from it, in respects to learning new things.
Terrible
Receptionist (Former Employee) – Chester – 15 November 2018
worst hotel group I have ever worked for. Promise the earth bit that’s where it stops. They really don’t care and would expect you to do a triple shift every day.
Pros
Free food not always edible or hot but food
Cons
Never given time to eat the above, no breaks
Beautiful properties
Manager (Former Employee) – England – 15 November 2018
Beautiful hotels. Family run business. Free staff food. Uniform provided. Good discounts, great people to work with. Always busy if you work hard you get pride awards.
Pros
good staff rates
Cons
usual long hours in this type of role
Avoid! the negative reviews are real!
Waiter and Bartender (Former Employee) – Tarporley, Cheshire – 13 November 2018
Poor management, bullying staff, no team and a lot of miscommunication due to all staff being foreign. Hardest part of the job is putting up with management. Most enjoyable part is the lunch break (if you're lucky enough to get one). A typical day at work includes doing everyone else work. Avoid.
Pros
Sometimes we get a nice break, not breakfast or dinner left overs.
Cons
Everything
Good place to work
Commis Chef (Former Employee) – Manchester Central – 21 October 2018
Good place to work staff and management are friendly and helpful if you have a problem management fixed it staff meals are provided which is always a bonus and just a great experience to work fo such a large company
Pros
Free staff meals
Cons
Long hours, low pay
They don't pay you
Breakfast Chef (Former Employee) – Penrith, Cumbria – 11 October 2018
Worked at Leeming House Hotel for a few days over 3 months ago and have only received a small fraction of the wages owed to me. I have spent endless hours on the phone and computer. I have been ignored and fobbed off by the manager. There are thousands of better jobs in the Lake District, don't work here
Pros
Can't think of any
Cons
Don't pay you
No set hours and understaffed
House keeping assistant (Former Employee) – Pitcaple – 8 October 2018
Worked there for 4months and it was fun to begin with then it all went down hill.. our head housekeeper got layed off so ment we had no authority and no plan to replace them..Understaffed so we were over worked. Rota was always done last minute on a Thursday. Dont work here if you want weekends off!
Pros
Made friends
Cons
Poor management
stay away
Employee (Current Employee) – Lake District National Park – 5 October 2018
broken promises
under staffed
management have no idea, happy to hide behind everyone else until the sh£t has hit the fan
40 hour week what a joke,
cant sort wages out
suppliers are dreadful
no sense of right and wrong
under staffed
management have no idea, happy to hide behind everyone else until the sh£t has hit the fan
40 hour week what a joke,
cant sort wages out
suppliers are dreadful
no sense of right and wrong
Pros
leaving
Cons
everything
The place where you learn to work in a stressful job.
Chef de Partie (Current Employee) – Grasmere, Cumbria – 4 October 2018
This company allowed me to try something new. and change the profile. In this company I raised my English level. And it's 2 UK company where I worked and I learned a lot about English.
Amazing Team
Receptionist (Current Employee) – Edinburgh – 12 September 2018
This job is the best example of multitasking. A typical day at work would be described as fast paced. I am still learning, however, the most enjoyable part of the job is to see all the happy guests.