I appreciate that having enjoyed a substantial internet saving we may not have received the best accomodation, but if I had paid the going rate I would not have been happy.
The exterior of the building is very impressive, resembling grand Bath architecture and the location is excellent with lovely seafront views and ample free parking in the spacious grounds. Inside, things start to go downhill. The large bar to the right of reception is unwelcoming with unpleasant lighting and the small bar iself looks like it comes from MFI. We had one evening drink and left only three other people in the bar. Upstairs, the floors creaked as we walked the narrow corridor to our room which was spacious and clean but was 25 years out of date. Dated furnishings, another wardrobe of the MFI variety and the shower over the bath was poor. Cooked breakfast was good but the whole place badly needs a makeover. Who are they catering for? Foreign tourists or elderly people?

In all, very disappointing. Very tired and needs money spent on a complete internal makeover. A shame really as it should be great.

I visited with my family at the weekend, using a voucher which I'd been sent online from a money saving website. We stayed for two nights for £99 including bed and breakfast. Fistly, the hotel from the outside is very grand and in a perfect location. On booking and on arrival we found the staff to be very curtious and they gave our 2 year old daughter a lot of attention.

Our room (a family room) was a good size with a stunning sea view. Binoculars were provided too which was a nice touch. The room was well laid out, almost like an apartment. We had a main lounge area with a bedroom off it, and a separate room with two single beds in for the children. The decor, as others have said, was drab in areas and there was indeed wall paper peeling from the walls. Our double bed was huge - until we realised that it was in fact two single beds pushed together! There was a generous supply of tea, coffee and biscuits and ample towels for all of us. Having read previous reviews I paid particular attention to the cleanliness of the room and was pleased to see that it wasn't dusty enough to write my name in!

On the first night we opted to eat in the restaurant. It was pretty empty and lacking an atmosphere, and the background instumental music was awful! The food however was fine, and the staff attentive. The childrens menu was compiled using Microsoft clip art and really didn't do the restaurant justice. Again, in the morning, the breakfast menu was presented in the same style,. The choice of cold breakfast was limiting. It would have been nice to see fresh berries and bananas and perhaps some pots of yogurt rather than just Greek yogurt. The cooked breakfast was very average and the toast on both days was cold. We even asked for more toast but it never came...

Our toddler was desperate to check out the swimming pool but this was a disappointing experience. The pool itself, although small was clean and the pool room had a nice feel. The changing rooms however were inadequate. There was a shower, a toilet and a few pegs to hang clothes on. There was one "cubicle" which was actually just a curtained corner. My partner had taken our daughter into the mens changing room with him and was none to impressed that he had no choice but to undress her in a roomful of men. This really needs attention as we felt this was completely unacceptable.


On the last day of our stay we returned to our room to discover our room was unlocked; the cleaners obviously hadn't checked that the door was locked properly when they left. This was alarming, especially given that we had a number of valuables in our room- although, this is not the point. I did report this to reception and was offered an apology...

Overall we enjoyed our stay and found the hotel and staff to be pleasant. With some updating and modernisation this could be a real gem. Its 4* rating is definitely awarded for the facilities rather than its luxury, but nonetheless less, the hotel does the job.

I have stayed here 4 times on Business and had a great stay every time. I have stayed in different rooms each time and they have all been well presented. All the staff are very helpful and professional. Great check in and check out and great restaurant staff I would recommend this hotel to friends and family and look forward to staying here again. I have used the gym and the indoor pool and these are good facilities. The view is great from the sea facing rooms and it is only a short 10- 15 min walk into town but it is a little hilly but that is great exercise after dinner.

A wonderful hotel. Superb staff who were always friendly and attentive. The food was Michelin standard with a choice of dishes to suit anyone.
The setting was memorarable and the history of the building only adds to the experience.

Stewart Henderson