Bluenose Lodge

We were charged nearly $300 including tax and the minimum tip, and the food didn’t come close to justifying it. The sandwiches tasted like they’d been made the day before and were on stale bread. The scones were flat, dry, and not fresh, the macarons tasted like frozen Costco ones, and the listed sugar cookies never arrived. One dessert seemed to be broken sponge cake with lemon cream and fruit on top; the other was lemon cream in a tart with fruit on top. I’m still stunned management thought this was acceptable. What happened with the food allergy was especially concerning. I’d said both when booking and again in person that my mom has a seafood allergy and asked for no fish. Still, four salmon sandwiches were squished in among the others. They replaced Mom’s sandwiches after we pointed it out, but that shouldn’t have happened with the allergy clearly noted. I’d called ahead to ask whether my boys, ages four and six, could share an afternoon tea because they’re young and picky eaters. I was told yes. But after we sat down and ordered drinks, I asked for one tea to share and the waitress said, “I knew you were going to ask that. I checked with the manager and he said no.” She said she’d check again, then brought four full teas within minutes. It didn’t feel as if anyone intended to honor what I’d been told on the phone. I felt trapped between making a scene and upsetting my mom on Mother’s Day, or paying almost $100 extra for two children’s teas they barely touched. One child ate almost nothing, and no alternative was offered. The rule was simply that everyone had to pay full price. When the waitress said, “I have kids myself,” it only made things feel worse, as if she knew how unreasonable it was but would enforce it anyway. The room was almost empty, yet we were seated beside the only other occupied table in a huge space. There were only three tables in use total. I’ve had afternoon tea at many restaurants and hotels, and it usually feels special, welcoming, and delicious. This felt transactional and careless, as if making money mattered more than the experience. I left feeling pressured, unheard, and taken advantage of. I hope management thinks about how this was handled. Hospitality should make people feel cared for, and this left me feeling the opposite.