The Royal Hotel

I’d definitely come back after the planned 2020 refurbishment. The room decor felt a little tired, though the bed was really comfortable and the two windows gave us amazing river views. The hotel is right in the centre, and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was tasty and served in a room overlooking the river.

The food was good and reasonably priced, and the staff were friendly and really helpful. We brought our dog, who was made to feel welcome, and the clean, slightly dated room had everything we needed. I hadn’t expected such a good room when travelling with a dog. One tip: avoid a room at the front, as the road never stops being busy. That’s obviously not the hotel’s fault. Well recommended.

Breakfasts were excellent, the service was good and the view was great. We were disappointed there was no evening food, though. The hotel felt a little older than the places I usually stay, and the sloping floor in our room gave it a bit of a ship-at-sea feeling. An electrical issue was dealt with very quickly, but it could potentially have been very dangerous.

The bed was comfortable, the service excellent and breakfast lovely. But Room 202 was roasting every night because there was no air vent and only one small window. The shower was the other problem: almost no pressure, like a slightly tilted watering can, and the water was barely lukewarm even with the hot tap fully on and the cold off.