The location of this hotel is fabulous, however disappointing is the 1970s chalet style extension tacked onto the back of the hotel. The main building is full of character with a lot of original features, but the additional rooms desperately need updating.

In our first room, the bed was sloping severely, upon inspection the casters were missing from one side of the bed, making that side 3 inches lower, the TV, did not work, severly bad reception and the furniture, carpets and bed cover were threadbare in places. There was no duvet, but a blanket and heavy bed cover, which I did not find particularly hygenic.

Customer service was very good, however, no quibbles, we were moved to the room next door
again, the TV did not work and the room looked extremely sad. The view from our room was very nice, overlooking the gardens, tea and coffee available and plenty of hot water for our showers. Bathroom fitments were hanging off the wall, in fact the towel rail fell off when a towel was placed on it.

We had breakfast booked, this was nice and varied, however it was buffet style and not particularly hot by the time we ate.

Overall we enjoyed our stay, and for the money it was ok. However I have stayed in a much cheaper large well known chain, where the rooms have been so much better.

We stayed at the Winchester Royal for the second year in a row.
Having stayed previously in the main building, this time we were in the newer part of the building, in a 'garden room'. The room, although adequate in size, did not have the same feel as the older hotel rooms. The room was a times cold, with no heating in the bathroom.

That said, we still enjoyed our stay and were informed of a forthcoming refurbishment in Spring 2012.

Very close to all the main sites. Excellent breakfast (served weekdays/buffet weekends).

My wife booked the hotel and reserved a premier room (room 103) as it was our wedding anniversary. I could not determine why it was a premier room, it overlooked the front of the reception and the view from the window was the flat roof full of cigarette butts. Looking at the other reviews its been said before, the hotel needs a lick of paint, new carpets and furniture. Carpet on the stairs was threadbare and in places taped down to stop you catching your feet a real safety hazard. There were tea and coffee making facilities but when I looked for a plug for the kettle by moving the tablethere was no plug just loads of tissues and paper behind the table needs a good clean. Also glass on the carpet from a broken fire exit sign on the inside of the door. We could have complained but things like this should have been picked up at least by the room staff. The hotel does have two car parks but when we arrived at 14:00 all were full, the reason being even though you check out in the morning the car park pass does not expire until midnight on your departure date so everyone leaves the car in the car park and goes into town. Surely better if the car park pass expires at midday on your departure date and this would free up spaces. On a positive note the hotel is very central to Winchester, I would stay again but only if it is refurbished.

On the face of it, this hotel was great. There wasn't anything you'd want to write and complain about. If they asked you: "did you enjoy your stay" you'd say "yes". The problem is, they didn't ask me that. That was the final one of the many, many little things that were wrong that made what could be a fabulous hotel into an average one...and the 3 stars is only there because the customer service was good.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm not a hotel snob. I don't require the absolute lap of luxury, nor do I expect anything extravagant in terms of customer service. However, for the price that was paid (especially as it was on a business account) this hotel really needs to make a bit more effort.

The location is great, the customer service professional, the bed comfortable and the food warm. Really, that's what matters. However, little things always niggle and, as they start piling up, they become a giant niggle.

- The quality of the rooms
The wallpaper, which would have been out of date 10 years ago, in my room was peeling in at least four places
I only shower, thank god, as the bath was chipped in many places
Chipped tiles in the bathroom had been clumsily filled with grout/pollyfilla
The toilet roll holder came off everytime you pulled a sheet
The extractor fan, that was a bit dirty, didn't clear the steam. In fact, when I had finished my shower, shaved, gone for breakfast and come back, it still hadn't cleared it
The soap dispenser in the bath looked like it had been dispensing for longer that I've been alive
The room was heated by one electric heater in an obscure corner. This made it difficuilt to control the temperature. I like my room colder rather than warmer, so I was fine, but many would not have been

- Houskeeping
There was no decaffeinated or herbal drinks in the rooms.
There were no plugs other than one to plug in a kettle. Thank god I carry a multi socket
The welcome guide looked like it had been typed on an electric typewriter at some point in the late 80s. The fire instructions the same.
The bath, toilet and sink themselves were clean, but there was hair on the floor and the side by the washbasin

-Breakfast
There was no butter on my table, or a number of tables around me. As I (and another gentleman) got up to look for some, no one seemed to notice
The vegetarian cooked breakfast items are limited. This doesn't matter, as the wider choice is so good, but it's worth noting.

There were some good points:

Everything was accessible - I didn't have to spend ages on flights of stairs, or confusing landings. It was easy to find places.
The staff were all really friendly. They were never grumpy and always happy to help (though sometimes you had to ask, rather than being asked)
The cold breakfast choice was probably the largest I've seen at a hotel. the quality of the food was excellent.

So, would I stay here again? Yes. Would I reccomend it? Depends on the price. Would I say it is anything other than a bed for the night? Probably not.