"We recently stayed at this hotel and were disappointed with the room described as a “suite.” In reality, it appeared to be two rooms joined together, each with its own bathroom. Simply combining two standard rooms does not make it a true suite, and the layout felt awkward rather than luxurious. A suite should reflect open space, comfortable furniture, and a well-designed bathroom with thoughtful amenities.
Instead, there were two bathrooms — one with a shower and one with a bath — which felt unnecessary and poorly planned. The towel rails were scalding hot to the point that you could easily burn your skin. Rather than two substandard bathrooms, it would make far more sense to create one properly designed bathroom with both bath and shower facilities, and perhaps a separate additional toilet if desired.
The room itself was overcrowded with furniture, much of which was unusable and simply added clutter. It may be intended to reflect a certain period style, but it did not work. Quite frankly, I would remove most of it and start again. Begin with something genuinely comfortable to sit on, with a useable table to put a cup or glass on. What guests really need is practical, usable space — especially enough room to comfortably open and access a suitcase — and this was severely lacking. The excessive furniture made the room feel cramped and dark rather than spacious. Over furnishing was also evident in corridoors and in the other lounges and bar. Less is more and furniture that is comfortable and gives a sense of luxury instead of old, uncomfortable and tired.
The lighting was also poor, making it difficult to relax or even see properly in certain areas. Access to electrical sockets is always a bugbear of mine. You should be able to plug in a hairdryer and see yourself clearly in a mirror — a basic requirement, yet lacking here.
There are also many steps and stairs throughout the hotel. While it may be described as accessible, this was not evident or proactively explained to us, and I only became aware of options towards the end of our two-night stay.
Food-wise, the quality was good and service tried hard. However, the dining room is also packed tightly with tables and chairs. Sitting by the window meant being back-to-back with other guests, which was not pleasant. At breakfast, the focus seemed to be on setting tables for lunch rather than on the comfort of current guests. I would have loved to sit at a table overlooking the garden, but it had already been laid for lunch and was unavailable, despite the restaurant not being busy. Instead, we were placed on an uncomfortable sofa against a wall. It felt less about guest experience and more about what was easiest for staff, which is frustrating.
On a positive note, the complimentary champagne, chocolates, and cookies were a lovely touch and much appreciated.
Overall, while there were some thoughtful extras, the room did not live up to expectations for a suite experience. The hotel as a whole feels in need of a significant upgrade and freshen-up to match the standards it appears to be aiming for. This is not cheap to stay at but I would say not value for money."
