Disappointing Stay
Disappointing Stay – Certainly Not Worth the Money
We left feeling generally dissatisfied with our stay. For a hotel charging these sorts of prices, we expected a much higher standard of accommodation, service and attention to detail.
Parking was our first frustration. At £40 per night, the car park was neither secure nor particularly convenient. Although the hotel was only a five-minute walk away, actually driving to the car park involved a lengthy journey through the congested town centre. At that price, I would expect something considerably better.
We had booked a Junior Suite and naturally expected a decent room with at least a reasonable view. Unfortunately, the windows were positioned so high that all we could see were a few rooftops. There was also no walk-in shower, just a shower over the bath. Perhaps our expectations were too high, but when paying extra for a suite, you expect a few luxuries. On the positive side, the bed was comfortable and the room was clean.
The check-in experience was disappointing. We arrived at midday, knowing that official check-in wasn't until 4pm. Our room wasn't ready, which was perfectly understandable, so we left our bags and spent three hours wandering around town. When we returned at 3pm, it still wasn't ready. Whilst I appreciate check-in was officially 4pm, the hotel knew we were waiting around, and a little effort to accommodate us earlier would have been appreciated.
Housekeeping was another frustration. On both Saturday and Sunday, our room wasn't serviced until the afternoon. This made us feel uncomfortable spending time in the room, as we never knew when housekeeping might arrive. Surely rooms should be cleaned earlier in the day so guests can enjoy the accommodation they've paid for?
Breakfast was extremely poor value. We decided to have breakfast at the hotel on our first morning and were charged £40 for what was essentially a very ordinary full English. The bacon was overcooked, and the poached eggs were closer to hard-boiled. We've had far better breakfasts in local cafés for a fraction of the price. Needless to say, we didn't bother eating there again.
However, the biggest insult came at checkout. On reviewing our bill, I discovered three additional service charges totalling over £60. When I queried these, I was told they were for cleaning our room!
I asked for the charges to be removed, which they were, but was then informed that they were discretionary and that the money went directly to the housekeepers.
Frankly, I find this ridiculous. If a hotel is charging premium prices for its rooms, guests should not be expected to pay additional discretionary charges for basic housekeeping. Cleaning rooms is a fundamental part of running a hotel, not an optional extra. If the hotel wants its housekeeping staff to earn more, perhaps it should pay them better rather than quietly adding charges to guests' bills.
There were some positives. The room was clean, and the bed was comfortable. Unfortunately, these are basic expectations rather than reasons to recommend a supposedly premium hotel.
Overall, the experience simply didn't justify the cost. Between the overpriced parking, disappointing suite, poor breakfast, inconvenient housekeeping and questionable service charges, we left feeling that the hotel was far more interested in charging premium prices than delivering a premium experience.
Would we stay again? Absolutely not. There are far better ways to spend this sort of money.