Cheltenham Chase Hotel & Spa

The rooms were spacious and spotless, with comfortable beds, a minibar and a decent flat-screen TV where we could watch iPlayer. The food was good at both dinner and breakfast, though dinner service was a little slow, and the staff were courteous throughout. We came for a two-night break with a Travelzoo voucher, which made it a great deal, and I enjoyed being back in the Cotswolds and revisiting places I knew from my late teens. The downside was the renovation work. Our room had an unpleasant chemical smell, which reception staff investigated and thought came from the flooring. I don't think guests should be put in those rooms until they've aired properly. I asked if housekeeping could use air freshener while we were out, but was told that wasn't allowed because of possible allergies. We could have changed rooms, but by then we didn't want the hassle. I'd definitely stay again, though.

The alternative Holiday Inn handled our check-in smoothly and professionally, and I appreciated receiving a full refund. Still, we didn't get to bed until around 1:30am after a long day, and the booking problem put a sour end to what had been a lovely evening. We'd arrived around 11am and explained that we knew check-in wasn't until 3pm, but were going to a wedding and needed somewhere to change. The staff kindly let us use the spa. We also said we'd be back around midnight and asked about a 24-hour reception desk. We were told there was one. Instead, when we returned at about 12:30am, we were told our room wasn't available because they had “100 rooms and 101 bookings” and that we'd have to go to the Holiday Inn. They had from 11am until midnight to tell us there was a problem, rather than let us take a taxi back expecting to go straight to bed. We'd left our car there because we planned to have a drink at the wedding. Then the first postcode we were given for the other hotel was completely wrong, so we ended up at the wrong place. We had to call again to get the right postcode. I understand these things can happen, but guests who've paid and booked should at least be told about a problem in advance. If staff send them elsewhere, they should give them the right location details.

Dinner staff were pleasant and accommodating, but breakfast was limited and disappointing. The setting around the hotel is beautiful and picturesque, which made the stay itself all the more disappointing. We came hoping to relax away from city life. Instead, drilling and knocking from the maintenance crew woke us at 7:20am and carried on past 10:15am, even after we returned from breakfast hoping to rest. The front desk said there was nothing they could do, that maintenance worked Monday to Friday, and that next time we should book for a weekend. That felt rude and dismissive. The bed seemed to be two beds pushed together, with a noticeable hump in the middle. I slept badly and woke with back pain. I'd seen earlier reviews mention the same issue and management say it wasn't their standard. From our experience, it does seem to be standard, or the feedback hasn't been acted on. The welcome wasn't warm either. Front desk staff came across as cold and unaccommodating from the start. The gym and spa raised concerns too: hygiene was poor, the facilities were limited, and only two of the four showers in the men's changing area worked. I don't usually review hotels, but wanted to share an honest account. I wouldn't recommend this one. Check recent reviews carefully instead of relying on older positive ones. I hope this helps others decide.

The recommended dish on the menu wasn't available, though breakfast was good. The hotel could use a bit of TLC, but it was okay for a spa package. Corby, who ran the leisure facility, gave me the best customer service I've had in a long time. He even walked me to the gym class himself. He's a real asset to the business, so look after him. Allison Bourne