Malmaison Belfast

I booked without doing any research and was glad I did. The room was spotless, spacious and had a mini fridge, which really should be standard. Everyone from check-in to the bar staff was excellent at their job. On Sunday night I was surprised to find so many Belfast bars closed at 10. Thankfully the hotel bar stayed open until 11 and even came around to offer each guest a last drink. I'd be very happy to stay here again.

For Mom's 70th, we stayed three nights and had such a comfortable time. The beds were big, bouncy and the most comfortable I've had in any hotel. The place was clean and spacious, and the restaurant and bar lounge were lovely. The team made the birthday dinner feel easy, even with my very loud family. Dee in the restaurant was patient, kind and smiling throughout, and went out of her way to help. Addison was friendly and made wonderful cocktails, including a mystery one for Mom that she loved. At reception, Jose was absolutely amazing and did so much for me and my family. Please appreciate your staff. They create a warm, welcoming atmosphere and that home-from-home feeling. We'll be back next year for seven nights for my birthday.

The restaurant is worth recommending. The food was very good and the atmosphere was nice. The hotel itself is beautiful and well located, and some of the staff were very friendly, but I won't stay here again. On both of my visits I had arranged a late checkout until noon. Around 11am, while I was getting ready, a staff member came into the room each time. During one visit, a woman opened the door and shouted at me to get out because checkout time had passed. She was very rude and aggressive, even though checkout was still an hour away. That wasn't what I expected from a four-star hotel. I raised it with the room manager, but nothing was done to resolve the situation or make up for someone entering while I was getting ready. I'd eat here, but I won't stay overnight.

The hot food was tasty: a slider, panko crumbed Brisket, crispy chicken strips and a tuna tartare taco. The desserts were a letdown, though. The creme brulee had no crisp top, as if it had been torched much earlier. The cheesecake was hard to identify, and the brownie topping was unclear. The desserts all tasted possibly frozen, including an orange-style meringue. We had afternoon tea for two today, plus lunch for another guest, using a voucher bought at Christmas. Although we booked for 2.30, it took nearly half an hour for the tea to arrive. My cappuccino was probably the worst coffee I've ever had: barely half a cup, from what seemed mainly like a bean-to-cup machine. For afternoon tea I'd expected better, perhaps something freshly made by a barista. We weren't offered more coffee, and I had to ask to place another drinks order. The scones were so hard I couldn't get the knife through them. They were replaced, but the new ones weren't much better. The tables also felt a bit small for all the food. It wasn't very busy, and the whole thing wasn't as good as it used to be. I think afternoon tea should feel special, but the attention to detail was poor, and the coffee needs urgent attention, at least fill the cup. I hadn't been for a while and was looking forward to it since I don't get out often. Disappointing, 6/10.