Hotel Du Vin Exeter

The staff were welcoming and polite, the massage was lovely, and the restaurant meal was nice with very friendly service. I had a gift certificate, so only paid a little extra. If I'd paid full price, I'd have been really disappointed. The spa layout is awkward: after a massage, reaching the pool means crossing the garden in a robe while carrying your bags and coat. Going out into the cold or rain after relaxing wasn't pleasant. The pool was too cold to use, and after a massage I'd hoped to swim somewhere heated. There was sand and leaves on the indoor section of the pool floor, and the changing room floor was untidy. Towel baskets were full, the conditioner was empty, and the half-full body lotion bottle was broken. It was early Friday afternoon, but the facilities looked as if they hadn't been cleaned for days.

The fish casserole was delicious, I'd definitely recommend it, and the prices were fairly reasonable. The dining room had an elegant, superb atmosphere and the menu had some nice ideas, though the choices were limited. It was a quiet evening, yet service was very slow despite what seemed like plenty of staff. They also missed one of the two dishes we'd ordered.

The location is perfect, so we'd stay again. We didn't think it was bad, especially for a price that wasn't silly, though breakfast was too expensive for us to add. We know the Bristol branch and came with high expectations. The room was lovely, but ours was Deluxe, so I imagine the cosy rooms are very small. The bathroom was tiny but nice. Everything was clean, the decor beautiful, and there were lots of tall windows. I particularly liked the separate wardrobe area. The robes and slippers were a lovely touch, but the pool was out of action while we were there, which was the only reason we chose this hotel over others. We weren't told it had reopened, only that they hoped it would. The Christmas decorations were less festive than expected. I love the hospital background and original features. We paid for an extra hour at checkout, then reception called to ask why we hadn't left. They apologized for the mistake.

We booked a wine tasting for the two of us, about £45 each, with over 500ml of wine including bottles that sell for more than £70. Steve talked us through it all in a very informal way, and we learned a lot. It was an amazing experience and we'd come back and recommend it to friends and family. We booked direct at a discount, with a late checkout until 12pm included, then had the chance to bid for a discounted suite. The room was amazing, with a bath in its own room as well as a shower and a regular bathroom. Check-in staff were lovely and helpful, and the location is great. Big thanks to Steve and Hotel du Vin Exeter.