Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
United Kingdom Lodgings
Clearly, this is, by no means, a comprehensive guide to accommodation in the UK. Instead it's some of the places I've stayed in the past few years.
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There are clearly more comprehensive guides available elsewhere on the internet, however this guide may give some suggestions of places to stay or, more importantly, avoid if you are considering visiting a particular location. Wstablishments are given a subjective rating out of five
In some instances the establishment has replied to my comments, where this has happened I have include, for fairness, their response.
I don't like dividing the country into irrelevant areas but for ease of listing I've broken the reviews into the regions of England, Scotland and Wales.
Within each of these arbitrary regions the listings are, more or less, listed north to south.
England
Newiggin, Northumberland
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No 21 5/5
No 21 is a guest house in the delightful coastal town of Newbiggin
Don’t be put off by the external appearance of No 21.
Externally the building looks drab and uninspiring – internally it is anything but.
The great experience begins with the friendly welcome from Ian and Jan who immediately make you feel at home.
The room is anything but drab and dreary. First of all it’s large, fresh, bright and airy, the sort of room you could happily stay in all day if it was lashing down with rain outside.
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The bed was comfortable and there was a comfortable sofa if you just wanted to kick your shoes off and watch TV.
The B&B is close to the seafront but in a quiet location. Approaching the promenade from the B&B you do a double take as you come down the steps – I’ll say no more as I don’t want to spoil the effect.
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The B&B is also a short walk from the town centre where there are several restaurants.
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When we thought it could not get any better we came for breakfast. Many B&B’s let themselves down by going for the cheapest ingredients – not so here – we both agreed this is the best cooked breakfast we’ve had in a long time, cooked to order by Ian, using premium ingredients – no value sausages here thankfully.
Newbiggin is a good base for exploring the delights of Northumbria and when we return to the area we will definitely be booking in here again.
Hotel response:
Thank you for your review. Guest satisfaction is very important to us so we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us. We look forward to welcoming you again at Number 21. Kind Regards Ian & Janice.
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Ashington
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Premier Inn 4½/5
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This was my first stay in a Premier Inn and I have to say I was half expecting cheap and nasty. Instead it was cheap and very good value.
The room is a standard budget hotel design but perfect for an overnight stop. The room had the biggest TV screen I have seen in a UK hotel. A major plus was there was also a power socket by the bed, which is very rare in a budget hotel.
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The corporate purple colours were not brilliant but that is being picky. The bed was extremely comfortable and seemed new and there was a choice of pillows.
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I was looking forward to testing their good nights sleep guaranteed policy but have to admit I actually had the best nights sleep I've had in a hotel in a long time.
The hotel is in a quiet location near a lake, which suits me fine.
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There is a Brewers Fare pub attached which doubles as a restaurant which I used for dinner and breakfast.
I'm the first to admit I'm not a great lover of pub grub but having been up since 05:00 I didn't fancy venturing out to find a proper restaurant. For what it is, i.e. pub grub, the food was adequate and fitted the bill and was reasonably priced. As is often the case with pubs the best value meal options are geared towards couples with special offers if buying two meals - this penalises the solo traveller.
Breakfast was a different story, not the cheapest, but a superb range of food with any hot food "cooked to order" and it seemed to be. The scrambled eggs didn't look as though they had been sitting around for hours and the food was hot. The only minor gripe is the large selection of teas available did not include Earl Grey.
As I said my first ever stay at a Premier Inn and it will be interesting to see if I just happened to be lucky with this hotel or if this reflects the standard of the brand. If the latter then I will use Premier Inn more often.
Shap Wells, Cumbria
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Shap Wells Hotel 4/5
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This hotel is like stepping back in time.
Forget modern, characterless hotels, this is like going back to the 1970's ... or earlier and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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There are some downsides - like old fashioned keys which you have to leave at reception when you go out, which is OK until you return and either there is nobody on reception to give you your key or there is an obnoxious fellow guess arguing they are entitled to a free upgrade - after 10 minutes I interrupted to ask for my key, if I hadn't I would probably have still been standing there 20 minutes later.
The hotel seems to be staffed by faithful old retainers, not lighting fast service but it adds to the charm.
The rooms were very hot even with the radiators turned off, so hot we had to have the window open despite temperatures being below zero, although the sound of the river outside the room as relaxing.
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It has to be said the hotel is certainly geared towards the coach party customer - not really my scene.
We were there for the New Year House Party break and it was OK. The food was acceptable but portions on the small side. It wasn't particularly hot but not cold either. There were choices but a wider choice would have been good but with the numbers being catered for the lack of choice is understandable.
Breakfast was good and being a buffet you had more control over portion size although getting tea or coffee was a challenge - on the final day it eventually arrived as we finished eating.
There is what I would describe as standard coach party entertainment laid on. A reasonably good singer on the first night, even though she was hampered by a sore throat and a race night on the third night, which was a good laugh, not helped by equipment failure.
New Years Eve saw a "gala meal" to be honest not much different than the other days, again very small portions, especially for the starters. The entertainment was a ceilidh band - out first experience of such an "entertainment" and I must admit probably our last experience.
The hotel is at the end of a very long private drive and we, fortunately, managed to avoid the snow, which I imagine could be a problem.
The setting is lovely and I imagine it would be fabulous when the weather is better.
Would I stay here again?
Possibly but I would check first to see if any coach parties were booked in ...... if there were I would avoid the place, otherwise I would return but would have my dinners out.
Brompton, Northallerton
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The Village Inn 4/5
A nice modern, well appointed motel type establishment.
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Rooms are clean and modern and an excellent shower (which is a bonus as most hotel showers are appalling)
Staff were friendly and if the breakfast is anything to go by the food is excellent (it was interesting to note the restaurant was full in the evening - so clearly popular)
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The only option they may consider to improve things is to have telephones in the bedrooms as the mobile phone signal (O2) was appalling.
I would stay there again.
Scarborough
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St Michael’s Guest House 4/5
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Jan and Ed make you feel welcome without being overbearing and nothing seems to be too much trouble for them.
The welcome cup of tea was appreciated, it makes you feel at home. Even though I had booked a single room I was given a family room which was very pleasantly decorated, spotlessly clean and the bed was very comfortable. With a double bed and a bunk bed it wasn't overly spacious but it's unlikely you would want to be spending all day in the room anyway.
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The wi-fi (always important for me) is fast and reliable.
The breakfast is legendary and it is enough to see you through the day.
All in all a great place to stay, exceptional value for money and one of those rare places I would stay at again.
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The location is good, just a five minute stroll from North Bay and about a 10-15 minute stroll from the town centre.
Parking is on the street and there is a parking disc scheme with three hours free parking after 09:00 Mon - Sat and after 12:00 Sunday. This may be a problem if you are staying for a few days as you would need to relocate your car after the three hours.
Hotel response:
Thank you for all your lovely comments, we are so glad you enjoyed your stay with us, but we would just like to clarify that when guests stay with us free parking permits are issued for the length of the stay so the car can stay parked there for the length of the stay if the guest so wishes.
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Bridlington
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Spa Holiday Apartments 4/5
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Although primarily a self-catering apartment hotel, I stayed in the "normal" single room, which was more spacious than many single rooms in hotels. The single room has tea and coffee making facilities but not other catering facilities, although that was advised when booking so is not an issue.
Because the hotel is geared towards self catering there are no breakfast facilities but being a short walk from the town centre and seafront there are plenty of options nearby.
The room was en-suite with a shower although it was very low pressure and the water had to run for a while before it was hot. Annoyingly there was no mirror in the bathroom which made shaving a tad hit or miss.
Parking is on street and free and I had no problem finding a space, although it was off-season, I'm not sure how easy it would be in peak season.
I had the usual East Coast seaside experience of the seagull "dawn chorus" around 06:00 but that isn't really the hotels fault - just a hazard of the location.
The advertised check-in times are only 16:00 - 18:00 but I ran them in advance to say I would not be arriving until later and it was not a problem. I was unable to get hold of the landlady in the morning though, despite trying for an hour before giving up.
The room was good value for money and the hotel is in a good location.
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Lancaster
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The Mill At Conder Green 4/5
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The hotel is outside Lancaster but for us that was a bonus as it is in a lovely quiet setting with a lovely view from the room.
Also being remote there is no traffic noise - indeed almost the only noise with the windows open was the water in the lock outside the room.
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I said almost with the noise - and this next comment is no reflection on the hotel - but our slumber was woken very early (06:30) on the Saturday morning by the patter of two sets of toddlers feet running, or stomping, around in the room above us - a noise that continued for over an hour and a half.
Why can't parents be bothered to control their children - especially when in a hotel.
The room itself was very spacious with a huge bed - possibly a super king.
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The food in the evening was excellent - certainly amongst the best we have sampled in a pub environment in many a long time and the waiting staff were efficient and courteous. the food was also excellent value for money.
Indeed all the staff were welcoming, friendly and helpful.
Breakfast was OK - the sausages were only just cooked enough - it is interesting to not that almost everyone left their sausage. On the second day I went for the smoked haddock and that was an absolute delight - proper smoked haddock not the yellow dyed variety.
The only negative, which being a business trip was a negative, was both the Ethernet in the room and the wi-fi in the bar were not working properly.
However the positives outweigh any minor negatives and this hotel is on the small list of establishments I would happily visit again
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St Anne's
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Best Western Plus 4/5
Situated on the seafront at St Anne's the hotel is in a nice quiet location and it has a reasonable size car park.
The welcome was excellent with a very friendly, helpful lady on the front desk.
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The room (123) wasn't particularly large but we only wanted it for sleeping so not really an issue. I loved the bed as it had a really firm mattress although others may find it too firm.
We had breakfast at the hotel which offered a good choice although the quality was only OK - my suspicion was the scrambled eggs had been microwaved or had sat around for some time as they were very dry and the toast was overdone.
Location wise it it far enough away from Blackpool to avoid the excesses of the town but is a pleasant half hour walk from the town if you want to visit - a taxi back from the Pleasure Beach end of Blackpool is about £10
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All in all good value for money and I would stay again.
Hotel response:
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Lovely to hear you had a warm welcome here at the hotel and that you enjoyed your stay with us overall. I will look into the scrambled egg situation and see if there are any improvements that can be made.
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Glad you will choose to stay with us again, we look forward to welcoming you back.
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Trafford
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Trafford Hall Hotel 1/5
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To begin with the positives. The hotel is in a handy location, outside the City centre but with plenty of free parking. There is a tram stop within 2-3 minutes walk which will take you into the City centre in about 10 minutes.
As many have also pointed out the staff are excellent and friendly.
The beds were nice an firm
The negatives. The hotel is very dated and the decor is almost depressing. There was more gaffer tape than carpet in some public areas..
We were in what should have been room 13 but the hotel decided to call it 12A (why do some hotels succumb to superstitious twaddle?) It was a large room and it had a window - unfortunately the window was facing another window just six feet away - so a) no privacy and b) virtually no natural daylight coming into the room.
There was a knack, which took several attempts to master, in flushing the toilet. However the Fawlty Towers moment came with the shower. With it turned on full, the water flow varied between a trickle and nothing at all - in the end I settled for a strip wash at the basin and even that was a bore as the water wasn't much warmer than tepid.
Yes the hotel was cheap, £29 for the night, but it was disappointing. Just about adequate for an overnight stopover but nothing more.
Warrington
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Paddington House Hotel 0/5
From the outset I have to say this hotel was booked for me and the booking was for four nights.
The first problem occurred at check-in when I was asked how I wanted to pay, which was a surprise as the hotel should have been prepaid. I have to say the chap on the front desk was helpful and he gave me the keys of the room whilst the matter was sorted out with the person who booked the hotel and the agency.
The trip up to the room was interesting as the lift was like something from the 1930's with manual sliding doors.
The room wasn't particularly big and it was filthy. Stains on the carpet and one of the bedside tables had cigarette burns along the edge.
Luckily I was on my own as one side of the bed, my preferred side, was unusable - as you laid down you could fell the springs digging into you. The other side of the bed wasn't particularly comfortable but was just about bearable.
You could also hear any movement in the adjacent rooms but, luckily they both had single occupancy so I didn't have to endure any nocturnal noises.
I had to set off early next morning so didn't try breakfast.
When I arrived back at the hotel for my second night, tired after a long day, I walked into the room to find it exactly as I had left it. The room had not been cleaned, the bed had not been made.
Next morning I checked out, two days early, nobody even bothered to ask why I was leaving early - perhaps they're so used to people leaving early they don't give it a second thought.
What else is there - no hot drinks whilst I was there, the kettle was rank and dirty.
I had to strip wash rather than shower as the shower was a pathetic trickle and quite frankly looking at the filth of the rest of the room I was frightened I might catch something.
Sheets were so thin they were transparent and they had as much grey as white.
All in all a horrible hotel and one I wouldn't send my worse enemy to stay here.
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Chester
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Mercure Chester Abbots Well 3½/5
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I stayed here for a week whilst in the area on a course. Check-in was friendly and efficient.
The room was fine, clean and with a desk. Bathroom was good - the shower was hot and reasonably powerful but like most hotels the head didn't detach from the wall.
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Breakfast was reasonable with a good hot buffet, although the choice didn't vary each day the food was of reasonable quality - although it would have been nice to have the choice of scrambled eggs in addition to the supplied fried ones.
There is also a cold breakfast buffet but the choice was very limited
Evening meals were a little on the pricey side and were a little disappointing. I had an evening meal twice. The first time my main course appeared within about 30 seconds of my starter plate being removed - and that was removed pretty quickly after I had finished it ..... which suggests the main course had been prepared already and was sitting around.
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This suspicion was confirmed the second time I ate in the restaurant this time there was a decent gap between my finishing my starter and the main course arriving - however it was immediately clear the main course had been sitting around for some time as it was very dry, as happens when food is kept under a heat lamp.
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However the biggest gripe and hence only three stars is the price of drinks.
OK I accept drinks in a hotel are very rarely cheap and, in a way I only have myself to blame, however I ordered a double gin of the day plus a tonic only to be charged £18 for the privilege. That is ridiculous - I even put out a challenge on social media for people to guess how much I was charged and the nearest guess was £12. I really don't know how they can justify charging £7.50, plus £3 for the tonic.
By the way, the photo makes the hotel look better than it really is.
This is the pathetic, non-response from the hotel:-
Many Thanks for taking the time to review us at the Mercure Chester Abbots Well.
Unfortunately today is my first day but I did not want you to think your review had been ignored.
Although I am unable to honestly respond to previous reviews I can assure you they will be read, actioned and shared with the team.
Once again many thanks for taking the time to review us.
Crewe
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Waverley Hotel 4/5
Let's get things into perspective here this is not The Ritz or some resort hotel overlooking a sandy bay. It is a small, privately owned hotel, in Crewe.
The welcome, from the man I presume to be the owner, was friendly and efficient.
Even though I was travelling on my own I had booked a double room, mainly because from previous experience I find single rooms are small and poky, tucked away in the far reaches of the hotel.
Although it was a double room – I am glad I was on my own as the room was small and the bed was very small for a double – ideal if you are still in the close passionate stage of a relationship, not good if you like some space to yourself. It would have been claustrophobic had there been two of us.
The room was adequate, the TV had Freeview, although it was not a flat screen.
The bathroom was sparse, with little shelving and the shower was just a trickle, the water was very hot though.
The hotel restaurant has a limited choice and I must admit had I not been so tired I would probably have ventured out to eat. I settled for the chilli, which was acceptable and certainly edible and for the price (£4.95) one couldn’t really quibble.
Breakfast was OK although the cooked option was one rasher of bacon, one sausage, beans, eggs and tinned tomato (I declined the mushrooms).
As I said in the beginning it is not The Ritz but for the price (£39) it was acceptable and OK for a one night stopover. The location is handy and there is free parking.
Birmingham
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Copthorne 4½/5
The hotel is located in what is effectively the middle of a building site as part of the regeneration of Birmingham City Centre.
On check-in we were given a free upgrade in a club room on, and I quote the receptionist, "the quiet side" of the hotel. Indeed the room was quite but I would describe it as standard not club.
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The room was warm so we had to sleep with the window open which did mean traffic noise all night but that didn't worry us too much.
The lifts are slow and taking the stairs can be convoluted - the ones near the lifts don't go all the way down to the ground floor.
The hotel is centrally located for visiting centre of the City.
Breakfast is adequate and a typical hotel buffet - a word of advice, pay in advance when you check in and it's £3 per-person cheaper, at full price I would say it wasn't worth the money.
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The hotel is OK for a one nighter, but not longer and I'm not sure I would be too keen about a room on the building site side of the hotel.
Hotel Response:
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Many thanks for your time and feedback after your recent stay with us, it is appreciated. Glad you found our location good for your needs, we are very central. Apologies though for all the developments works taking place in the city centre, just about every hotel is affected with various development works taking place just now.
Glad you were able to take advantage of the breakfast offer.
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London
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Thistle City, Barbican 2/5
This hotel is billed as a four star, most three star establishments we have stayed in have been better.
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The room was terribly small, almost claustrophobic ,with very little room to move around. Indeed when I used the desk the only way my wife could cross the room was by climbing over the bed.
There was no soundproofing. Our stay was on New Years Eve and those in the room next door returned to their room at 03:15 with friends. Let's just say the walls were so thin we knew every detail of the emotional turmoil one of the women was going through.
Although advertised as being Thistle City Barbican ,it is away from the Barbican Centre in a more run down area. Indeed it was so lively that in the middle of the emotional events next door we were distracted by a mass brawl in the street (this was at 03:50).
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Due to the number of guests we had to take breakfast in the overspill area. Breakfast was a buffet but there was no toast available.
In summary our experience with Thistle Hotels have been good up to now but this one was a great disappointment.
Bradford On Avon, Wiltshire
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The Barge Inn 4/5
Basically a canal side pub with rooms, with the added bonus of Bradford on Avon being a stunningly beautiful town.
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There is a separate entrance to reach the rooms, which have names rather than numbers, so finding your room can be tricky.
Bearing in mind the pub is a traditional Cotswold stone building, it's a pleasant surprise to find the rooms are spacious and modern, indeed with more room than many hotels I've stayed in.
The stairs to the rooms are relatively steep, so may be tricky for those with mobility restrictions.
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A hearty, freshly cooked breakfast is available and the restaurant has a good range of quality food, although booking may be recommended especially if the weather is poor as there is limited space in the main restaurant. On the other hand if the weather is fine there are tables alongside the canal.
I've stayed here a couple of times now, which is probably a good recommendation in itself.
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Bristol
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The Beeches 3/5
Although described as a country hotel it is basically in the middle of an industrial estate and the local roads are an absolute nightmare during peak periods ..... having said that the hotel is quiet.
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I was left with the impression the owners are more interested in the conferencing aspect and having the hotel as a place for delegates to stay.
Check-in was slightly surreal as "reception" is an office off the main hallway and when I arrived, around 18:00 it was deserted with no means of attracting attention.
It was 10 minutes before someone actually appeared to check me in.
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The room was adequate, on the second floor - be aware there is no lift.
Breakfast was reasonably good, albeit totally self service.
Staff were generally indifferent and there appear to be no staff on-site after 22:30, after which time the front door is locked.
Basingstoke
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Little Park Farm, Stratfield Mortimer 5/5
An absolutely delightful experience and a real home from home.
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Serena and Simon are a lovely couple and you really do feel as if you are sharing their family home - it's even a delight to hear the very occasional squabbles between their three delightful and well behaved children.
The main guest rooms are in an attic conversion - just mind your head as the headroom can be a little bit low sometimes. There is a communal area for the guests with really comfy sofas and a kitchenette with a fridge and microwave, which means you can self-cater to a limited extent. Really useful if, like me, your day starts before breakfast and I was able to have some cereal.
My only regret is not finding this place sooner and having to endure Travelodge / Days Inn blandness for the two previous weeks - this place is the antithesis of chain hotels.
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Yes it could be tricky to find but follow the directions Serena sends you in advance and you will not go wrong.
For eating out there is a great selection of pubs / restaurants within a 15 minute drive - just do what I did and go for a random drive and see what you find - if you're less adventurous just ask Serena or Simon for ideas.
Sutton Scotney
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Days Inn, Northbound 1/5
I have to say this hotel is disappointing.
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It's your basic lodge type hotel and the room itself was OK, if not a little tired.
Staying five nights, the room wasn't cleaned after the first night. The hotel was quite noisy and with the comings and goings in the room opposite I can only guess what was going on - suffice to say the room was occupied by a female and the many visitors were male.
Access to the hotel is not good as it can only be accessed from the A34 northbound. This means if approaching from the north you have an 8 mile round trip to reach the hotel.
There are about ten parking spaces for the 31 room hotel, so once these are taken you need to park in the main services car park - quite a trek if carrying luggage.
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The services themselves are disappointing with a Costa which seems to be open very limited hours, a WH Smith which closes at 20:00, leaving only a McDonalds if you want on-site hot food.
There are some decent pubs in driving distance but with the limited access it's a convoluted drive.
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Gatwick Airport
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Hilton, South Terminal 4½/5
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A typical airport hotel but incredibly convenient if flying from the South Terminal as the hotel is connected to the terminal by a covered walkway.
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Like most airport hotels it is not cheap, however the convenience is worth the extra cost.
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The rooms are functional, rather than luxurious but is that a problem as it's effectively a transit hotel.
The main restaurant offers a buffet as well as an á la carte menu, again not cheap but good quality food, with most people seeming to opt for the buffet.
I've used this hotel several times especially if I have an early or I have a flight arriving late at night and the terminal connectivity makes it a no brainer compared with off airport hotels.
Bournemouth
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The Chine Hotel 3½/5
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When we arrived and saw how large the hotel was our head dropped as we tend to find the bigger the hotel the less pleasant the experience.
How wrong we were .... from the check-in lady, to the bar staff and the staff at breakfast all the members of staff we encountered were friendly and helpful (incidentally all the ones we met seemed to be eastern European)
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The check-in lady directed us to a lift which was quite a route march to reach but when we found it the lift was a delightful cage style life, reminiscent of those found in old Parisian hotels - a real gem.
Finding our room was difficult but after another route march we found it, only to discover it was at the top of the stairs immediately by reception - so it would have been easier to carry the bags up the stairs.
The room was, on arrival, very hot - not sure why the heating was on on a sunny day but throwing the window open soon bought it down to a reasonable level.
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The disadvantage of sleeping with the window open was being above the entrance to the hotel it was, at times, noisy.
We didn't fancy a full meal but settled for a burger and sandwich in the bar - both were excellent quality (the burger was miles better than you get in fast food restaurants) but the prices charged for them made your eyes water and wallet scream.
The biggest surprise was breakfast - with the combination of buffet breakfast and a large hotel our expectations were, frankly, low. How wrong we were. The food was hot but not dried out - indeed the scrambled eggs were creamy and nigh on as good as the ones I make at home and not a microwave in sight.
All in all a good hotel and whilst the cost of the room itself was great value for money they lose a star for the "sauna" temperature in the bedroom on arrival, the cost of the bar snacks, limited on-site parking and not very brilliant pillows.
Southampton
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Days Inn, Rownhams Services Westbound 3½/5
We were just looking for somewhere to rest our heads before an early ferry crossing the next morning and to be honest I wasn't expecting much.
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We were very pleasantly surprised.
From the very friendly welcoming receptionist, to the clean building and room and one of the most comfortable hotel beds (albeit a bit high) I've slept in for a long time, there is little to fault.
Being picky the only food options are the typically overpriced food outlets at the attached motorway services but there are plenty of reasonably priced eateries in the vicinity or even in the City, less than a ten minute drive away.
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We had a room in the front and there was some background noise from the motorway but certainly not enough to interrupt sleep.
Ibis Budget 1/5
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The cell, sorry room, was very basic - functional more than practical.
It hadn't even been cleaned particularly well - clearly the previous occupant had been there for a party, as there was glitter all over the place (and down the corridors) - whilst I appreciate glitter can be really difficult to clean up I would have expected a better attempt.
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Having the shower opening into the room was somewhat novel - you certainly need to be sharing a room with someone you are on fairly intimate terms with.
Check-in was somewhat haphazard - I had done online check-in to save time, the principle being you just arrive and pick up your keys - the keys were not ready, which seems to negate the process.
Luckily I paid for my parking in cash on arrival - I did not want it going on my card - just as well as checkout in the morning looked to be chaotic with a guy attempting to check out and there being no record of him staying on the system - it would have been mildly amusing to stay and watch but we had a ferry to catch.
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The room overlooked a McDonalds - unfortunately a 24 hour one and although not the hotels fault a such the noisy group of revellers using said facility at 03:00 didn't help was what already a somewhat sleepless night.
This was my first experience of an Ibis Budget - safe to say it will be my last.
They say you get what you pay for - this hotel is certainly budget, unfortunately it wasn't really particularly cheap either.
Hotel response:-
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your recent stay.
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I am disappointed to read that yours was not a pleasant experience and particularly to read that this was your first stay with the brand and thus our best opportunity to make a good impression. At ibis budget, we strive to provide the essential comforts at competitive prices and we will certainly use your feedback to ensure that future stays are not so adversely affected. I hope that you will reconsider the described position and opt to stay with us again in future, on which occasion I am sure we will be able to provide a flawless experience.
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Havant
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Bear Hotel 4½/5
The Hotel is an old coaching Inn so it needs to be measured against that criteria and not that of a modern hotel.
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The building is covered in scaffolding - including outside the bedroom window, although it is not clear what work is being carried out. We had fears about workmen appearing outside at some unearthly hour but there was no sign before we left at 09:00.
The room is large but the floor sloped. The television was only a 14" portable with no remote control and a snowy picture. One of the sash windows had to be wedged open with paper to stop it sliding shut.
There is no aircon which meant, during a heatwave, we had to have the windows open during teh night to get some air circulating. Two issues with that .... with the scaffolding outside the room how secure would we be and secondly it was noisy with the traffic from East Street outside.
However paying the late rooms price of £29.50 it would be churlish to complain too much - I would question the "value" at full price though.
All the staff were good, with one exception.
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I would have given the hotel a 3* rating but it was redeemed by one member of staff who was better than good, the young girl who serves breakfast.
I confess I am not a morning person but her lovely, friendly, bubbly but not over the top personality would brighten up any old modicum - including me. A lovely young girl and an absolute asset and credit to the hotel (the food at breakfast wasn't bad either).
Portsmouth
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Duke Of Buckingham 3/5
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We stayed in one of the upstairs rooms in the cottage so did not suffer the noise issues frequently referred to by those in the downstairs rooms but I can see how it could be an issue.
We were also aware the front door being shut could be an issue for those in the downstairs flats - something we were especially aware of as we were planning to leave at 06:30 in the morning. We thought we had done our best to be quiet but when we left our keys in the metal deposit box there was an almighty clatter which must have woken the entire building - perhaps the owners should consider some padding in the bottom of the box to dull the noise.
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Having said that the room itself was lovely with a really firm mattress and excellent firm pillows, a rarity in many hotels.
The disappointment was the bathroom. Being effectively an attic room the bathroom has a sloping roof, making having a shower a challenge.
My wife is 5' 1" and even she could not stand up in the bath - I'm considerably taller and I had to shower kneeling in the bath - not exactly ideal.
However apart from the headroom issue I was pleased with the room and the young lady who checked us in was very friendly and helpful.
Parking is on-street with a permit supplied by the hotel although it is a matter of luck as to how close you can park - I had to stop on double yellow lines to unload our bags close to the hotel.
Hotel response:
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review, Customer feedback is very important to us. I am very pleased to hear you were happy with the quality of our new mattresses and pillows and the staff were helpful and friendly. Thank you for your suggestion on the padding for the key box, this is a fantastic idea and is being done today!
We hope to welcome you again in the future,
Marriott Hotel 5/5
OK you do need a car if you are staying here as it's on the outskirts of the city and close to a motorway junction.
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However it is an excellent location if catching a cross-channel ferry as it's a five minute drive from the terminal.
A spacious modern hotel with large, clean rooms and a very comfortable bed. The soundproofing is good and you wouldn't realise you were close to a motorway.
There are a handful of chain restaurants within walking distance but I would thoroughly recommend the hotel restaurant. It isn't cheap (in fairness it isn't excruciatingly expensive either) but you get what you pay for and the food is of an excellent quality.
The meal was made all the more enjoyable by the lovely waitress we had.
Thoroughly recommended and I will certainly stay there again.
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Folkestone
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The Carlton Hotel 2/5
Let's begin with the plus points. The young lady at reception (and seemingly doing every other job in the hotel) was really lovely, friendly and welcoming.
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It also has to be said the room, linen etc was spotlessly clean - I have to say unexpected when compared with the general state of the hotel.
It must also be said there is an abundance of power sockets in the rooms.
However ..................
They say you get what you pay for and it's certainly true for this hotel ...... it's cheap and the building itself underlines this.
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The building needs more than TLC - it probably needs gutting and rebuilding. The bedroom floor was sloping and uneven .... the bed had lumps of wood under the legs to try and make it level.
The mattress should be consigned to the dump it sagged so much we both gravitated to the centre.
It's clear they have converted large rooms into smaller rooms, which is fine but they've done it on the cheap meaning the walls are ridiculously thin.
As a consequence we had absolutely no sleep at all, as all we could hear all night was the snoring of the man in the next room - not to mention all of their conversations when they talked - we may as well have had a curtain separating the rooms.
On top of that every time the person in the room above turned over in bed it felt as if they were going to come through the ceiling.
Unless you are some sort of exhibitionist don't even think of using this hotel for a romantic break - unless you want the rest of the hotel, or at least anyone in rooms adjacent or above/below you to hear every single thing you say and do.
To counter the plus for the member of staff on duty when we checked in the man on reception in the morning was obviously expelled from charm school.
The hotel is convenient for Eurotunnel and the ferries and, in theory, is a good stopover - however that advantage is wiped out if you cannot get a good nights sleep. OK, the hotel cannot stop people snoring but they should ensure the walls and insulation are adequate enough to, at the very least, muffle any noise.
Hotel response:-
Thank you for taking the time to write this review regarding your experience in our hotel.
We appreciate all feedback that we receive and always take it as constructive.
We are sorry to hear you had a bad night's sleep because of the noise.
We are sensitive to your remarks and will seize every opportunity to improve.
Southcliff Hotel 2/5
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This is one of those hotels requiring plenty of TLC - it's dated and needs some serious renovation.
The sash windows have to be propped open with a lump of wood. We had a room at the front of the hotel as we wanted a sea view but we had to shut the window because of the noise from outside, which is a shame as the room was stiflingly hot.
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The bathroom was small, I have cupboards at home which are bigger. The shower clearly had not been cleaned in ages and the shower curtain was a disgusting disgrace.
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Breakfast was barely average.
The lift had a mind of it's own - for example you press the button for the second floor and it takes you to the third!!!
The hotel is cheap but not particularly cheerful.
Buckfastleigh
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Dartbridge Inn 3/5
The basis of the establishment is a 200 year old inn. It is a pub, part of the Green King chain.
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There are ten rooms, which are small and cramped, all seem to have creaky floorboards and thin walls.
Also the heating in the upstairs area is ratched up really high, making it uncomfortable when trying to sleep.
There is a large restaurant which serves good food, although it is expensive.
Also there is a reasonably busy main road passing in front of the hotel, which can be quite noisy.
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The upper car park, for hotel residents, is full of potholes.
Torquay
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Heritage Hotel 3½/5
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A perfectly adequate hotel for what they charge.
The lack of a lift could be a problem for some guests and having to go through fiddly security doors to reach the room was a pain.
The room had a lovely sea view - yes there was a crane getting in the way of the view but that is hardly the hotels fault.
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The car park is inadequately small but there is a municipal car park next door which only charges £2.20 for overnight parking (you can stay until 10:00am) - just make sure you press the orange "overnight stay" button on the parking meter before inserting your coins - i.e. read the instructions!!!
I have to admit Applebys, their bar / restaurant, isn't really my cup of tea, nothing wrong with it per-se but not the sort of bar I would normally go to. If you like lively bars with pool tables then you'll be in your element.
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The food is adequate and what you would expect for the prices they charge, again not really the type of food I would normally go for but I was tired and it was off season and didn't fancy going out to look for somewhere else to eat.
Breakfast on the other hand, was excellent and could not be faulted, plenty of food and enough to set you up for the day, served by very friendly staff.
I'm not sure I would want to stay here for several days but for an overnight stop it is perfectly adequate.
Hotel response:
Thank you for your fair review of our hotel, but may I add we do have a lift to all floors and I apologise this was not pointed out on check-in, If you are ever visiting Torquay again we would love to see you at The Heritage hotel.
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Morval
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The Snooty Fox 4/5
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A real gem of a pub / hotel.
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The Snooty Fox is family run but they are professionals in the hotel industry. Very friendly and welcoming, you are made to feel part of the family.
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The rooms are fresh clean, especially the new rooms which are very spacious and bright.
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The food is excellent, freshly prepared of great quality without sight nor sound of a microwave.
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Forgot to mention the views are stunning.
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Scotland
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Hamnavoe, Burra, Shetland
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Kells Roadside 5/5
This is a self contained apartment on the upper floor of the owners property, located about 11 miles from Lerwick and 4 from Scalloway, the former being about a 20 minute, scenic drive.
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The accommodation was easy to find thanks to the concise directions supplied by David, the owner.
The accommodation consists of a lounge / kitchen / diner, good size double bedroom with an extra bed and a large shower room, indeed the accommodation exceeded our expectations and was a real home from home. A great place to chill after a day exploring the delightful islands.
The kitchen is fine, there isn’t an oven but it’s not the end of the world – you’re on holiday, who wants to cook and with so many delightful restaurants in the area all serving excellent, mainly local, food. David and Sylvia also, thoughtfully, provide a breakfast hamper with all the essentials you need including milk and butter.
A great base to explore the islands.
As for the owners, David and Sylvia, what can we say ……. an absolutely lovely couple who made us so welcome. We left feeling as though we had known them for years.
This was our first visit to Shetland and it will not be our last and when we return this is where we will be staying again.
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The village itself is delightful with a small harbour and general store and some stunning views.
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Owners Response
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Thankyou for your comments lovely meeting you both and glad you enjoyed your trip to kells and Shetland we loved having you stay and do hope you return. Regards David & Sylvia
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Castletown, near Thurso, Caithness
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Gladstone Cottage 5/5
Gladstone Cottage is s self-contained flat, part of the owners larger property and is a real home from home.
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The property has a fully equipped kitchen, assuming you actually want to waste time on your holiday cooking.
The living room is a real home from home with really comfortable chairs, a dining table, music centre and TV.
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The apartment also has a comfortable double bedroom.
Castletown is about as far north as you can go and is situated 5 miles east of Thurso, where there is a large Tesco supermarket and plenty of restaurants and cafés, as well as all the other stores you would want to find.
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Castletown itself has a few small shops, an excellent chippie and if you want a decent restaurant within walking distance then Castletown Hotel, a five minute walk from the cottage is a hidden gem.
For nature lovers Dunnet Head is about a 15 minute drive away and John O'Groats is 12.5 miles away. The cottage is ideally located for both passenger and car ferries to Orkney.
The cottage is on the main Thurso road as it passes through Castletown although it can be missed. However the owners suggest you ring them when leaving Thurso and they will flag you down as you approach.
Poolewe, Wester Ross, Highland
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Corriness House 5/5
The first bit of advice is don’t rely on your sat nav to take you there – all the houses in the village have the same postcode. It’s on the main road about 200m after the “high street” if approaching from the north of 200m before if coming from Gairloch.
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Once located the house is lovely, the rooms of average size but are clean and extremely comfortable and the welcome is friendly.
Breakfast was good, a choice of hot and cold and is cooked to order.
There is wi-fi, not the fastest in the world but if patient it meets most needs.
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There is a pub in the village or a ten minute drive, through stunning scenery, will take you to Gairloch where there are several eateries.
Fort William
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Thistle Cottage 4½/5
Located in a small village a few miles outside Fort William it’s a good location to escape the hustle and bustle of the town, which can be overpowering.
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The welcome from Morag was friendly and the room very large and spacious.
Our room had a mountain view, although the view was obscured by low cloud most of the time – not the owners fault!!
The floorboards were rather creaky which made one careful when walking around at night and the soundproofing wasn’t brilliant – the noise from the bathroom of the room next door was so loud I thought they were actually in our room.
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There is wi-fi but it is painfully slow, a reminder of dial-up days but I think that is symptomatic of the wi-fi in the area.
Back to positives the breakfast is amazing and will see you through most of the day.
Connel, Oban
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Falls Of Lora 2½/5
The hotel is in a 1970's time warp but, unfortunately, I don't mean chic retro, more 1970's original.
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The room looked like a set from a 1970's Swedish "art" film with faux wood panels. The bed linen was so thin you could see through it and the pillows so soft and flaccid they were a complete and utter waste of time.
The room was cleaned to a fashion but not to the standard I expect.
The redeeming feature was the food which was very good, although we almost missed out on that.
The busy Bistro but when we arrived the four members of staff seemed more engrossed in their own private conversation than greeting us. Indeed we were on the verge of walking out when they finally did decide to seat us. I'm glad they did as the food was good, well cooked, with decent portions.
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Similarly the food on offer at breakfast was also very good - although I would have preferred fresh rather than microwaved scrambled egg.
Dundee
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Best Western, Invercarse 4/5
Situated on the outskirts of the city near the airport and botanic gardens, the hotel is easily accessible by road, not so sure by public transport though.
There is more than ample parking, however the hotel has an intricate one way system with, confusingly, completely separate (and when I say separate, I mean on different roads) entry and exit points, not helped by the fact my sat-nav sent me to the exit.
The staff were friendly but I have to say the room we booked was on the snug side, with little room to swing the proverbial cat.
The biggest was the noise – our room overlooked the side car park near the ballroom, where there was a school prom taking place so we had the delight of noisy teenagers until quite late.
On the plus side the restaurant was sublime with excellent food and stunning views (see picture), although not cheap the food was worth the money.
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An OK hotel for an overnight stop, not sure I would want to stay longer.
Response from the hotel:-
Hello and thank you taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
I am sorry to learn that you found your allocated room to be a little on the snug side, should you find yourself returning to us in the future - please ask for one of our newest rooms. I am certain you will be more comfortable in these large King Executive rooms.
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I have noted in your comments about noise levels from an event that was taking place in our ballroom, this is particularly disappointing as we have been working tirelessly to find practical and lasting solutions to limit this type of disturbance. Your comments will of course help us improve what we do to avoid any re-occurrence.
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Hopefully we can welcome you back soon.
Prestwick
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Adamton Country House Hotel 1/5
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Let's begin with the good. The room in the annex was clean and comfortable. The mattress was lovely and firm and the pillows perfect.
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Now the bad ......
The hotel is next to the airport and if you have your window open you will hear the aircraft - that doesn't actually worry me but others may not be so keen.
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The hotel caters for coach parties, the day we stayed there were none there, so it was pleasant. Next day three coach parties were due and that would not have been enjoyable.
The annex does not seem to be disabled friendly - I saw a family struggling to get a wheelchair bound relative down the short flight of steps in the annex lobby.
and the the ugly .....
The food at breakfast was an absolute disgrace - I would not feed it to an animal.
The sausages were of the "value" type and were tepid. The yolk on the fried egg so hard you could play marbles with it.
The potato scones were so hard you could tile a floor with them but then again they were so greasy you would slip on them if you did.
The only thing they did not manage to ruin was the bacon.
We asked if they had Earl Grey tea - a request met, initially, with a vacant look followed by "I've think I've heard of it but we don't have it - we have Ty-Phoo though."
Wales
Caernarfon, Gwynedd
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Bron Menai Guesthouse 4/5
I have to be honest and admit I'm not normally a fan of B&B's ..... visions of Blackpool landladies with rolling pins.
This is far from the cliché of the bad B&B.
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The welcome was friendly and the room spacious and comfortable. On the negative side it was a bit of a bugger to find ...... certainly my sat-nav, when given the postcode sent me somewhere else, half a mile away and it was more by luck than judgement I found the place.
The room was comfortable and there are a few pus and restaurants in short walking distance and the town centre is about a 15 minute walk away.
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
OK breakfast is only served between 08:00 and 09:00 but this is made clear and it isn't a big deal to fit in with the timings. You need to book what you want the previous evening but this works well and the food is good, hot and freshly cooked when it arrives.
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The only minor gripe was the car park which is tight and not helped by fellow guests parking inconsiderately. I was blocked in but the owner quickly identified the offending guest - it's just a shame he wasn't so quick to get around to moving his car but that's not the B&B's fault. I think if I stayed there again I would use the public car park just down the road.
Aberystwyth
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The Starling Cloud 4/5
I have to be honest, when I booked I was expecting a room above a pub.
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In fact the hotel is a separate, modern building very much in the Travelodge style.
The room was basic but clean and spacious and more than adequate for an overnight stopover.
Meals are served in the pub next door and food is typical pub chain but more than adequate. Breakfast was cooked to order and of reasonable quality.
Johnstone, Pembrokeshire
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Silverdale Inn 3½/5
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This is one of those tricky reviews to write as the experience was variable.
On arriving the initial impression was "what on earth have I booked" as the building, externally looked tired and inviting and the "For Sale" sign outside the property did not inspire confidence.
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The welcome and check-in was excellent, friendly and efficient.
The rooms are in blocks, very similar to a US style motel. Externally they looked tired and in need of some TLC.
One thing that struck us (and I'm not sure if this is s deliberate design policy) but every room had different style front door.
Room doors are operated by a mortice deadlock and for our room (21) it was quite fiddly getting the key into the lock.
Once in the room it was a complete surprise - well furnished, spacious, scrupulously clean and a very comfortable bed. It was hard to find fault with anything in the room.
Having had an eight hour drive to reach the hotel we didn't fancy venturing too far, so decided to eat in the hotel, admittedly with modest expectations.
How wrong we were, the home cooked food was sublime. My wife had a home made pizza, which was one of the lightest we have ever seen and I had a potato an onion dish which was excellent. Plus it was reasonably priced.
If you want breakfast you have to book it the night before and it costs £7.50 a head.
We didn't have breakfast the first morning as we had a very early start, however we did book breakfast the second morning and were looking forward to it after the excellent dinner.
Oh boy were we disappointed, certainly not worth the £7.50. A tomato, some what seemed to be tinned mushrooms, overcooked, very salty, bacon and as for the sausages, I don't think I would even serve them to a dog - they weren't even the quality of value sausages.
The rooms themselves were good value for money and the evening meal well worth it but forget about breakfast.
Rating this hotel was difficult. 4 stars seems over generous but 3 probably a bit mean - if it was possible I would score it at 3½.
Gowerton, Gower, South Wales
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Gower Golf Club 1/5
The location was good and good views from the car park. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom clean.
That's the good part.
Now I like wildlife and nature but I'm not keen on sharing my bedroom with a cockroach.
The walls were damp (see picture) and the door to the room was so loose, on a windy night it sounded as if a poltergeist was attempting to get into the room. Probably down to the fact the rooms are set in barn conversions, I can only surmise the conversion was done on the cheap.
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Whilst the room was large adding a spare bed made the room impractical with no bedside tables.
Breakfast was edible but we felt sorry for the poor lady serving who seemed to be expected to be doing half a dozen jobs at once.
We did think about having dinner in the evening as the menu looked good but was ultimately put off by the three star hygiene rating awarded to the hotel
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Can't say I would stay there again.
St Mellons, Cardiff
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St Mellons Hotel & Spa 5/5
It's hard to believe you are on the outskirts of Cardiff when staying here. A fabulous country house set in stunning setting, including a golf club.
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The hotel can be used as a base to visit Cardiff or you could just stay there and chillax - the swimming pool is highly recommended.
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There are some lovely gardens at the hotel, sitting on the terrace with a G&T (or any other tipple) is recommended.
It may not be the cheapest hotel in town but it's worth every penny. It has a decent, but expensive, restaurant but there are plenty of pubs selling food within a ten minute drive of the hotel.
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Speaking of driving you do need a car if staying here, unless you want to spend a small fortune on taxis.
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