Vegan Food in a Hotel

[Jill]

Hello! My Comapny is sending me to Leeds for a few months and is paying for me to live in hotels. My first hotel, despite being a 4 star, doesn't seem to understand the concept of being Vegan. Anyone else been in this situation?

[Cloudy]

Hello! My Comapny is sending me to Leeds for a few months and is paying for me to live in hotels. My first hotel, despite being a 4 star, doesn't seem to understand the concept of being Vegan. Anyone else been in this situation?

You could always eat out, sure old Kevster knows a few places!

[Glen]

The hotel is paying for the food, expensive to eat out every night for three months lol!

[littleTigercub]

I am sure that, if you stay there for several months, the hotel will earn enough money on you to justify going that extra length to provide with what you ask for.

littleTigercub

[John]

You could probably keep enough food items in your room for breakfasts and lunches but it seems like you might have to eat out for dinners. Hopefully, you will be able to get some vegan food out of the hotel kitchen.

[Mystic]

I have one word for eating with no cooking facilities (assuming that you at least have a toaster and microwave)...

BBOT

(Baked beans on toast :p )

[ConsciousCuisine]

Hello! My Comapny is sending me to Leeds for a few months and is paying for me to live in hotels. My first hotel, despite being a 4 star, doesn't seem to understand the concept of being Vegan. Anyone else been in this situation?


Yes! I had a situation recently where my sweetie and I were at a Conference and included in it was a luncheon. Being the savvy vegan I am, I phoned the hotel 10 days ahead of time to explain my dietary needs and see what could be done to accomodate me. I spoke with several people, explaining to all of them that I could have *no* animal products (blah blah blah...you know the rest) and asked them if they could provide a suitable meal in lieu of the cold cuts/potato salad/macaroni salad/mini cheesecakes/truffles and so on.

I'll make a long story short- I was assured we would receive a lovely salad with artichoke hearts, balsamic viniagrette, a pasta dish and a fresh mixed berries platter. Sounded nice! I asked for a bit of beans thrown in (for calories, fat and protein to sustain us).

When everyone began eating lunch, we went up to find a plate of raw vegetables waiting for us. Red and green bell peppers, broccoli, spring peas and carrots. That's it. :( I don't eat any of those veggies raw except carrots; the others aren't digestable!

After speaking with 3 people who didn't understand English and 2 who did but were asses, we got the Chef himself. He claimed to have not heard anything about our requests and the arrangements we were promised. :mad:

He was pleasant enough and asked us what he could do for us- we told him some steamed veggies would be great, some beans (chickpeas or kidney beans for protein, since everyone else was eating cold cuts!) and nothing with animal products! He went away muttering about marinara sauce and we waited. He brought back some steamed veggies and a bit of barley cooked in V-8 (veggie-tomato juice). So much for beans! There was NO seasoning, oil or flavor. The entire plate had 300 calories, seriously...this was supposed to sustain us for 8 hours while everyone else gorged themselves on cheeses, flesh and rich sugary foods???

The one time I didn't bring back up food (since I had made such good arrangements -or so I thought-) we end up with bland, sickly, low-nutrition and calorie food. Oh well! Serves me right for believing that anyone will do what they say they will, especially when it comes to food!

Good luck. I wish I had a positive story to share :(

[tails4wagging]

Send a few ideas to the hotels before you get there. They then can take that as a learning tool!!!. Or take a recipe book with you.

When I went on hols in 1995 to Barbados (I was veggie then) the hotel seemed to think I could survive on omelettes each evening!!!.
So I baught a carribbean veg, cookbook and took it into the hotels kitchen, the girl who took charge of cooking for me, enjoyed the experiance so much she came out every evening to ask me what I thought. When my hols was finished the hotel went out and got the book to keep!!

Tell the Hotel(s) that if they could accommadate you with a vegan diet you would be happy to endorse it with the vegan soc,.

[snaffler]

Have you thought about chaging the Hotel you are going to ?

Manxdene Private Hotel
http://www.yorkshirevisitor.com/exec/122514/12219/PROFILE=
Caters for vegans

You Could contact
http://www.leedsveg.co.uk/

They should be able to help you more

Jays

[Jill]

Thank you all for your advice. I have had two different hotels and two very different results. My first hotel, Wood Hall, was wonderful. The chef was brilliant and did me three course vegan meals. I was there two days and had tomato and baby veg salad, mushroom risotto and fresh fruit salad (pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, physallis) and on the second day, spicy tomato soup, an aubergine dish with lots of baby veg followed by another fresh fruit salad of blackberries, redcurrants, grapes, blueberries and kiwi).

The second hotel was a Novotel. I rang them and they asked me to e-mail them with my requirements. Despite this, they didn't have a clue! I ended up just choosing from the menu. I asked for a vegetable dish without the sauce. It came with the sauce and a message from the Chef saying that there was no butter in the sauce, it was Flora.

Different hotel again next week as Wood Hall was fully booked. I am going to try and pursuade my boss to book there again but it is expensive.

[tails4wagging]

You should now post your recommendation of Wood Hall to the Vegan soc, and tell the Hotel.

When you speak in future about booking, tell them if they do a vegan dish for you, you will recommend it.

Where is Wood Hall hotel?.

[Jill]

Wood Hall Hotel and Spa, Linton. http://www.handpicked.co.uk/woodhall/WoodHall.php.

Have to say that I had excellent food in Leeds Ramada Jarvis last week. The chefs came to see me each meal to discuss what I wanted. Pity the bedrooms were in need of attention!

[Est]

Reviving an old thread - help needed!

I'm attending a course in Ilkley on Sat 27th and Sun 28th Sep. Last time I stayed over with one of my brothers as they both live in Leeds, but it's not convenient this time.

I've found a veggie cafe in Ilkley for lunch on Sat and can no doubt buy food from the supermarket on Sun. And I'm sure there's lots of nice restaurants for dinner in Leeds!

But I'm not having much luck with somewhere to stay that will understand veganism. Can anyone recommend a vegan (or vegan friendly) hotel, B&B or guesthouse in or near Leeds? Ideally about 30 mins from Ilkley as I've got to get there and back each day, and the course is really intensive and tiring.

Thanks for any help :)

[Sarah_]

Definitely. I WORK in a hotel and the employee dining room isn't exactly stock full of vegan delights. I usually end up getting a huge salad with olives, mushrooms, tomato, jalapeno, pepperoncini, and broc and then some fries. For the first few days they had an artichoke/tomato thing but it's gone, and you can't even trust the veggies to not have butter all over them.
I've been thinking of taking my lunch, or at least some beans to go with everything. I suggest you stock up on food yourself to eat, grocery wise, seeing as how you don't have to pay for the room or anything. Ask the hotel to lend you a fridge and store your goodies in there.

[harpy]

Can anyone recommend a vegan (or vegan friendly) hotel, B&B or guesthouse in or near Leeds? Ideally about 30 mins from Ilkley as I've got to get there and back each day, and the course is really intensive and tiring.

Have you found anywhere yet, Est? There seems to be one in Bradford

http://www.ivyguesthousebradford.com/index.asp

...not sure if that's within 30 mins of Ilkley though.

Must admit I often stay in "regular" B&B/hotels and make do with whatever dusty old fruit etc they have knocking around at breakfast time, or else make my own arrangements for breakfast.

[Est]

Thanks Sarah and Harpy :)

I tried a B&B in Ilkley that said it was vegan friendly, but they are booked up (I've left it a bit late, to be fair!)

They passed on my number to another B&B in Ilkley who are happy for me to sort out my own breakfast and just provide me with a bed :D Little do they know I'll be taking over their kitchen fridge. Mwahahahaha :D

[harpy]

Sounds like an excellent arrangement - you may end up cooking for the other B&B guests though, once they realise your food is nicer than theirs ;)

[Est]

Good plan Harpy! I will convert Ilkley, one dinner plate at a time... :D