The Coal Exchange Hotel

Room 153 was a triple with plenty of space. It was clean, quiet, comfortable and a good temperature, and the bathroom was spotless. The spa bath was exactly what I’d hoped for, and I appreciated that toiletries were included even though they weren’t advertised. Tea and coffee in the room were fine too. After reading bad reviews, I’d been nervous, but we had a lovely evening. We’d probably not stay again for now. The hotel seems to be acting on customer feedback, and some changes are already visible, but something still feels missing. Breakfast filled us up, though the quality and choice could be better. The scrambled eggs were awful, sorry, but the coffee and fruit juices were very nice. Everyone we met was polite and courteous. The reception felt cold and a little eerie, the floorboards creaked with history, and there was very little natural light. I think soft background music would help, and uniforms would give the staff’s good service a more professional look. Our TV kept cutting out. I didn’t want to get out of bed to report it, especially with no room phone, but I mentioned it in the morning. Reviews say it’s a known issue, so it needs fixing. The hotel is right by the bay and could suit someone looking for a stay with a spa bath.

We stayed with a friend on 13 February. The room was lovely, with very comfortable beds, but we were freezing overnight because we couldn’t get the heating going and nobody had told us about the heat blowers. The bathroom was clean, though some grout was missing and looked poor for a stay costing over £160. We ran out of toilet roll and there wasn’t a phone in the room to call reception. Also, a bottle of bubbly sat outside the bridal suite next door from the evening until morning. Better communication and attention to detail would make a real difference.

Wiktoria, the reception manager, deserves a special thank you. She made our latest visit feel extra special. We’d had a hot water problem on the previous stay, but it couldn’t be helped in an old building, and this time everything was perfect. We’ll be back soon. This was our third visit this year, which probably says it all. The entrance hall and reception are beautiful, just right for sitting with a hot chocolate or red wine and a book. All three rooms we’ve stayed in were gorgeous, and the jacuzzi bath is lovely. Breakfast has whatever you could want, and we’ve always enjoyed the delicious cocktails in the Aura bar.

It’s a shame, because there’s a lot of potential here, and a few small changes could make a big difference. I heard plenty of other guests complaining at breakfast, so this wasn’t just my experience. The scrambled eggs were awful, and I think they’d be better off cooking things fresh since breakfast wasn’t busy. I won’t be returning. On arrival, the receptionist was sitting in her coat, which didn’t make a good first impression. The heating didn’t work, and it took a while to warm the room with the plug-in radiator provided. We had to sit in our coats. There was no TV remote; reception eventually found one, but the TV kept turning itself off. The room came with only two thin hand towels and no shower or bath products. The rooms need some TLC. Apart from the hot tub, you’d be better off in a Premier Inn. I don’t usually write reviews, but felt I had to after seeing so many fake five-star reviews. They need to care more about bringing customers back.