Sid T.
Google
This could be a lovely hotel. All of the staff were friendly and welcoming, and the evening meal was excellent — I had the lamb and my wife had the cod, and both dishes were beautifully cooked and full of flavour. The room was spacious and had some great features, including a large, comfortable bed and a rain shower. We also enjoyed the time we spent in the hot tub.
However, there were several areas that really let the hotel down.
The spa was the biggest disappointment. It did not feel clean. The male changing room was poorly maintained — you are essentially getting changed in the toilet area, and there were no hooks for towels. It also had an unpleasant smell. The female changing room was also unclean, and the shower was reportedly covered in pubic hair.
Within the spa itself, one of the showers had no hot water. This meant people were moving between the steam room, sauna and hot tub without rinsing off. We informed staff, who apologised, but there was no alternative offered and the issue wasn’t resolved while we were there. Robes and towels also felt rough and very worn, and could definitely do with replacing.
We understand the hotel is a castle, but it was cold throughout the building. We ended up eating our evening meal wearing our coats. Again, the food quality and service at dinner were excellent — it’s just a shame the temperature detracted from the experience.
In our room, the pillows had visible coffee stains that had been turned over to hide them. We didn’t notice until late at night (around 12:30am), so we mentioned it at reception when checking out. Unfortunately, the gentleman at reception didn’t apologise or seem particularly concerned.
Breakfast was also disappointing. We booked the 10am slot (the last sitting) and were reassured at check-in that there would be plenty available. However, much of the food had run out or looked dried up. There was no yoghurt, very little left for a cooked breakfast, and even the apple juice was empty. After such a great evening meal, breakfast was a let-down.
Overall, this hotel feels like it was once a classy and impressive place, but now seems tired and worn. The staff generally provide very good customer service, but cleanliness and hygiene — particularly in the spa and the room — were well below standard. If you visit, I would recommend bringing jumpers and coats for dinner and when walking around the building.
