voco Sheffield by IHG Hotel

The spa treatment was so relaxing, and the hotel staff made me feel comfortable from when I arrived until I left. The rooms are spacious with a modern look, and the food was delicious enough to leave me wanting more. A great experience from start to finish.

The couples massage and facial turned out to be lovely. The two therapists were kind and suggested some great products afterwards. I’d have been happy just coming for the massage, honestly. Those 50 minutes of relaxation were much needed after spending most of the day elsewhere. The afternoon tea was okay, a little dry, but I was glad to be out of the spa. We’d finished eating by 12:45, and with hours to go before our 3pm treatment, we chose to go shopping in town instead of waiting around. The relaxation room was a small improvement over the facilities downstairs. It had soft lighting and relaxing music, though the leather seats were worn and one had a gash and couldn’t be used. We’d been given a spa day at St Paul’s and arrived at 10am hoping to unwind. The pool was small and packed, with swimming lessons running all day. We tried the saunas and chill room too, but found grime and mould throughout, and I felt uncomfortable touching anything. Even the poolside chairs were worn, beside a mouldy corner where the floor met the wall. At reception they offered us a hot drink, which was a kind idea, but the coffee machine looked run down so we passed. The towels and gowns were rough. I was grateful for the slippers, since I’d forgotten my sliders and wouldn’t have wanted to walk on the mouldy pool floor. I’d heard bad things beforehand, but tried to stay optimistic. In the end, the treatment was the one part I really enjoyed.

The bathroom was nice and the staff were helpful. The room could use an upgrade, there was only one lift, and the bedding wasn’t great.

The lobby, location and breakfast were good, and the staff were very friendly. But the stay itself wasn’t pleasant, and we won’t be back. Our room, 506, was right by the lifts, with a constant drone through the night and morning. The advertised king bed in the provilaged king suite was actually two beds pushed together. My wife’s side was comfortable, but my side felt like a bag of nails and had partly collapsed, so sleep was out of the question. There was black mould in the bathroom, and some of the room appliances didn’t work. The steam room and sauna were very busy and not the cleanest. A couple of drunk guests spoiled it too. I complained in the morning and was just told sorry.