Hotel Hell – Series Premiere – Recap – Juniper Hill Inn, Part 1

by Amy Hyun
August 14, 2012 at 4:05 am

In the series premiere of Hotel Hell, “Juniper Hill Inn, Part 1,” Gordon Ramsay pays a visit to Juniper Hill Inn—which is located in Windsor, Vermont. The owners of the hotel, Robert Dean II and Ari, are failing to pay their staff. Their hotel is in serious financial trouble as they are losing a whopping $200,000 a year. After Gordon Ramsay shows up to Juniper Hill Inn, the underpaid staff finally gain the courage to speak up about their concerns.

Tour of Juniper Hill Inn:

Robert and Ari have locked the front entrance of the hotel because they claim that “the snow kills people.” Gordon Ramsay entered the building through the back entrance. At the beginning of the episode, Robert gave Ramsay a tour of the hotel.

I’ve compiled a small checklist for Juniper Hill Inn:

Easiness of entrance: Very Poor – guests should be able to enter through the front door
Common Area/Lobby: Poor – antiques and paintings have cluttered the common area.
Bar: Moderate – it was supposed to be a receptionist desk, but they turned it into a bar.
Guest Rooms: Very Poor – they have a plumbing issue, so the rooms smell like raw sewage.
Dining Rooms: Good – Teddy Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge dined at Juniper Hill Inn!

As I was watching this episode… I thought, “Robert could definitely sell all these paintings and antiques… so that he could pay his staff on time.”

It’s Lunch Time! Gordon Ramsay’s Hungry:

Juniper Hill Inn is closed for lunch. Ramsay was obviously shocked at the fact, but told Robert to make him some lunch anyway. One of the staff members, Barbara Walker, immediately vented her frustrations to Ramsay saying that her last paycheck was a measly $48. I don’t understand how Barbara was able to live off of a $48 paycheck. You have got to be kidding me. AND, Robert only pays Barbara $6,000 a year.

The price of a three-course meal at Juniper Hill Inn is a whopping $79. Robert has overpriced everything (i.e. bedrooms, food) at Juniper Hill Inn because he only allows for the “appropriate people” to stay at the hotel. Obviously disgusted by Robert’s horrific statement, Gordon Ramsay berates him… “Appropriate people? What a snob. Where do you think you are? The Ritz?”

Robert revealed another shocking secret: he and his partner, Ari, live in a motor-coach (an RV) that cost them $100,000.

Later in the episode, Ramsay ordered crab cakes, a rack of lamb, and a chocolate peanut butter cake. The portion sizes were excruciatingly small. The crab cakes were soapy, the lamb was raw, and the cake wasn’t home-made—it was store-bought. Giulian Jones, the head chef at Juniper Hill Inn, revealed that he is only being payed $400 a week.

The Staff Spills the Beans:

When Giulian confronted Robert about his concerns and frustrations, Robert spoke gibberish. Robert doesn’t understand the severity of the hotel situation (i.e. financial issues, plumbing issues, poor quality food).

The estate manager at Juniper Hill Inn, Ryan, gave Ramsay a tour of the basement, the office, the storage units, and the pigs. The pigs live indoors; but, Robert and Ari live outdoors in a motor-coach. Ryan also vented his frustrations, stating that he hasn’t been paid in a month.

Juniper Hill Inn is also lacking basic supplies—like, pieces of paper.

Ramsay Invites Guests to Dinner:

Towards the end of the episode, we learn that Juniper Hill Inn doesn’t charge for beverages, and they don’t really keep tabs on all of their tables. After watching this scene, it doesn’t surprise me that they are in severe financial debt. I think they need to learn organization skills because everything is just in disarray & out-of-control.

Also, the foie gras salad was hard as a rock. It was burnt to a crisp. According to Gordon Ramsay, it looked like a “beef jerky salad.”