Seagoe Hotel

I’ve only been to the hotel socially for coffee and for one Rotary event, so I can’t speak to the dining room food. The coffee area just inside the entrance on the right is inviting, and the service there is first class. They have the usual tray bakes, scones and croissants. It’s a well appointed, nicely laid out place, clearly geared towards weddings and corporate events as its main earner. The ambience and facilities appeal, and the staff are friendly and efficient. The car park is the drawback. One large corporate event can fill it right up.

My breakfast experience the next morning was awful too. I arrived 15 minutes before breakfast ended, but staff refused to serve me and spoke as if I were a nuisance, telling me to get the buffet because I was “late.” It was ice cold, unappetising and seemed to have been sitting out. What made me uncomfortable was seeing Caucasian guests arrive around 11:00, get breakfast cards and order without any questions, while I was treated like I didn’t matter. The main reason I was at Seagoe Hotel was a wedding, but the hotel had booked the wrong date. Mistakes can happen, but manager Surenda was rude, dismissive, arrogant and threatening instead of trying to help. I was there with a baby, distressed, and late at night in an unfamiliar area he basically told me to find somewhere else to sleep. He said he wouldn’t help. The situation got so bad the police were called, because he wouldn’t take responsibility or handle it professionally. I was also threatened with being kicked off the premises, even though I was there for a wedding event. It was humiliating and unacceptable. The two girls at reception were kind, understanding and professional, and they deserve credit. But they aren’t the ones running the place. I can’t believe how I was treated. This was one of the most horrible and stressful hotel experiences I’ve had, and I’d never return, even for a free night. Horrible service, never again. Seagoe Hotel is a disgrace for customer service. If respect, fairness, professionalism and basic human decency matter to you, stay away.

The superior suite was genuinely lovely and spacious, and the hotel had a great atmosphere. We stayed at the Seagoe for our anniversary and were really pleased with it. Staff were nice and accommodating, and they left a plate of treats with “Happy Anniversary” written on it. That small detail made the stay feel special. We’d recommend it and will definitely be back.

The reception staff were welcoming and professional, and the accommodation itself was acceptable. They seemed to be doing their best in difficult conditions. But what I saw during my stay at Seagoe Hotel left me deeply unsettled, and those positives can’t outweigh how management appeared to treat staff. I saw a staff member ask for a break and get refused because nobody was available to cover. Then the same person asked to use the toilet and was denied that too. I overheard a manager explain, in essence, that “this is a business” and staff can’t take breaks when they need them, whether for meals, religious prayers or even the toilet. I was genuinely shocked. It felt like a complete lack of humanity and compassion. Many employees seemed mentally drained, yet kept working hard and staying professional. It gave me the strong impression that their wellbeing isn’t a priority. The hardest thing to see was the staff member’s expression after being refused something so basic, helpless, embarrassed and clearly distressed. That image has stayed with me. As a guest, it’s incredibly uncomfortable to feel your stay is being supported by staff exhaustion and distress. I didn’t personally book or pay for the stay, but I can confidently say I’d never choose this hotel myself and would actively discourage others from booking. No guest experience is worth supporting a workplace where people are treated this way. To the staff, you deserve better. I sincerely hope these issues are raised and properly addressed. No workplace should operate like this.