The Waterloo Hotel

There are better value options around. We booked room 211, a “premium scenic view room,” but I’m still not sure what made it premium. Online photos make the hotel look much nicer and leave out a key part of the view. From bed, we could see the bowls club patrons’ facial expressions, with a bit of road and football field in the view too. There was no privacy unless we shut the heavy, old curtains, which made the room dark and dull and defeated the point of booking a view. The window beside the bed also faced the next door balcony, so we had to close that as well unless we wanted them looking in. Reception showed no concern when we raised the privacy issue and suggested we find somewhere else in a town two hours away. The walls are paper thin, and stairwell noise carries into the room. Our fridge didn’t work at first, and I had to chip away a huge buildup of ice to get it going. We found a previous guest’s sock under the bed, so cleanliness is questionable. I wasn’t expecting a luxury hotel, but this place just isn’t as good as it’s sold to be.

We stayed for two nights after the Dolphin Sands fire affected our holiday home, and everyone was incredibly kind and supportive. They lent us phone chargers and let us keep some food in the hotel fridge. The hotel has an amazing sea view, and the rooms are spacious, clean and quiet at night, with comfortable beds. Coffee and tea are complimentary. Restaurants and cafés are easy to reach nearby. If you play golf, visit the course next door for its stunning views. The people there are just as friendly.

This is a great budget-friendly hotel. It has an older style and isn’t luxurious, but you get what you pay for and more. The rooms are clean, warm and comfortable, and there’s a lot of attention to detail in the little things. The soap, shampoo, tea and coffee were all good quality. Best of all, the staff were friendly, engaging and helpful, and went above and beyond with our needs and extra requests. I’d recommend it.

I’ve stayed twice and I’ll be back again. The staff are awesome, with great communication, and they’re so friendly and helpful. They go out of their way to make you feel valued. The rooms are extremely clean, have everything you need and stay warm on a cold night. I love the retro feel alongside the modern renovations. I was lucky to get a room with a pink bathroom both times. This time I was on the ground level with a stunning view, and could open the sliding door and step straight into nature. There’s free laundry for guests, which I used. Thank you.