Hôtel Alexander House

"I was disappointed to discover that guests without a leisure package have to pay an additional £20 per person to use the swimming pool. This was not clearly stated during the room booking process and only appeared in the small print. Unfortunately, the spa itself was in need of some maintenance. There were several missing tiles in the pool, and I actually stood on a broken tile myself. More tiles were missing from the main pool area as well. Another inconvenience was that drinks can only be ordered via an app, meaning you need to have your phone with you at all times. There were no staff members available to take orders directly. The spa offers a selection of 25-minute express treatments. I booked an express pedicure on arrival but was only informed during the treatment that it did not include nail polish. Apparently, polish is only included with the 40-minute treatment. This was not explained when I booked, nor was it clear on the treatment list. After I raised the issue, I was given a complimentary full pedicure, along with an apology. Staff agreed that the information should be made clearer. As a disabled guest, I also encountered a few accessibility issues. One of my treatments was located upstairs, and I was not asked whether using stairs would be a problem. To be fair, I did not mention my disability either, but accessibility should be considered routinely. From what I observed, the spa did not appear particularly wheelchair-friendly. Access to the pool, jacuzzi, and showers seemed difficult for anyone with mobility issues. It felt as though staff were more focused on asking about allergies than accessibility requirements. There is a lift to reach the swimming pool area, but there does not appear to be any assisted access into the pool itself. The nail treatment area is downstairs. Another disappointment was that if you want to use the steam room or sauna with a partner or friend of the opposite sex, you cannot do so because these facilities are located separately within the male and female changing rooms. Lockers are available and operate using a self-selected code, but none of the lockers in the men's changing room appeared to work. On a positive note, the women's changing rooms were well equipped, with GHD hairdryers, straighteners, and individual shower cubicles. Also the food was lovely. If you choose to eat or drink on-site, be aware that a service charge is automatically added to the bill. Our bedroom featured a lovely deep bath and a rainfall-style shower. However, because the bath was surrounded by tiling, I needed assistance from my partner to get out safely. A grab rail would have made a significant difference for guests with mobility issues. A bath mat was provided. The staff were friendly, polite, and helpful throughout our stay. I used to work at Alexander House when the spa was being built, so I was genuinely looking forward to seeing the finished result and enjoying an overnight stay. Sadly, I felt the rooms were very expensive for what they offered. We stayed in the spa wing, and the room was no more special than what you would find in many other hotels. Considering this is marketed as a five-star hotel, I expected much more. And when I raised the swimming pool charge was told it was to keep it to a high standard as a 5* hotel and not a pool everyone goes to like a swimming bar, so less busy and more relaxing. With the additional charges, maintenance issues, and accessibility concerns, I left feeling disappointed. After using the pool, jacuzzi, and having a couple of treatments, there was very little else to do on-site. We spent around two hours in the spa area, which felt sufficient. Overall, I would not be rushing back, and unfortunately I do not think I would recommend Alexander House Hotel to friends or family. That is a real shame, as I had been looking forward to the experience and believe there are other venues that offer better value and a better overall guest experience."

"As always, we had such a lovely stay in the Garden Suites; hence why I always book them! Our stay overall was so peaceful and tranquil, especially the treatments! Couldn’t fault it at all. Dinner and Breakfast service in reflections was amazing and the staff have such warm and friendly customer service."

"Very disappointing. We came here to rest and the garden suit sounded peaceful and lovely. In reality it was above a motorway of cars and coaches driving constantly on loud gravel beneath our room. In the morning 2 coaches of people got to see us in bed as they slowly passed by. The only peace was between 12.30am and 5am in which time a mosquito managed to keep us awake. The air con didn't work and the way to contact staff didn't work either. It was so hot so we had to walk over to complain and an hour later a massive fan that sounded like a heliport, was bought to our room which was too loud to use. There was someone practicing clarinet for over one hour in the room below us at top volume with the door open until 9pm. We got 25% compensation meaning we still paid £417 for one night of torture. I believe a complete refund for the room would have been appropriate bearing in mind we have come home more exhausted than we began. We spent a LOT of money on this one night break and feels awful to have had such a disappointing stay. The night manager explained there was a party that night and lots of chauffeurs were bringing guests from the airport! Lastly the special - The Trout which was £32 - was poor quality and over priced."