The Chainbridge Hotel

The river view was the best part, really peaceful to look at, and I'd say it's worth booking a room facing it. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the building seems reasonably cared for, with some upgrades underway. Our room was pleasant enough, though the sink had a large crack and the ensuite shower was over the bath. Getting in is a tight squeeze, with the river on one side and the canal on the other. The ratings are a mixed bag: five stars for the location, four for service, three for the rooms, two for the food and one for food hygiene. They display a hygiene rating of 1 and put up an A4 explanation blaming structural work needed in the kitchen. I checked online and believe that explanation is a lie, so check it yourself. Had I known before booking, I probably wouldn't have taken the chance. We had breakfast on both days and lasagne and gammon with chips for dinner on the first night. The meals were about on par with a Wetherspoons. We ate in town the second night, and that was fantastic.

The staff were polite and helpful, and the views were outstanding, but we were so disappointed that we left after one night instead of staying for both. Our room was small and very warm, with a constant mix of damp and cooking oil smells. The food was below average and overpriced, and seemed like fresh frozen food, I would guess. The decor is dated and the hotel needs renovation throughout; it doesn't do the surroundings justice, and some attention to detail could make it much better. If you need a quiet place to relax or sleep, this probably isn't for you, as the river is very loud even with the windows and doors shut.

The room itself was fine, but the rest of the night left us feeling unsafe and poorly looked after. Before we arrived, we were told first that dinner service wouldn't be available because we were the only guests, then that nobody else would be in the hotel except a night porter later and the front door would be locked. The hotel is reached by an extremely narrow road, and the parking area is just as tight. There were no lights on at all, so we were in pitch darkness with rushing water on both sides of the little lot. A very nice woman checked us in and explained that if we went out, we'd need to use the back door and a code to get back in. We couldn't see our hands in front of our faces, so we chose not to leave. While backing into a space, my friend sideswiped a metal staircase to the upper parking area. It couldn't be seen in the dark, and our rental car was dented. I find it hard to believe every other guest due that night had cancelled. If they didn't want to handle guests, they should have cancelled our booking. We didn't feel safe leaving until daylight the next morning, and I think we should be refunded for the night. We were effectively locked in and couldn't see where to go. Reception was very poor, with no care or concern for our stay.

The setting is stunning, and I'm so glad we didn't let earlier reviews put us off. We loved our stay at The Chainbridge Hotel and would highly recommend it. On arrival we got a warm, friendly welcome at reception, and our room was comfortable with a balcony overlooking the river Dee. Dinner was excellent, and the next morning there was a full English breakfast if you wanted it, along with lovely continental options.