Arches Guest House

Dean, who checked us in, was very nice, and the restaurant next door was a real plus. We had an excellent meal there for a reasonable price. The room was fairly small, so we had to put our larger suitcase in the thankfully spacious bathroom. The bed wasn’t plush, and we had to take off the down comforter and sleep under just its cover. The shower went cold twice, and there were no hand towels, shampoo, or soap. There was nowhere to plug in a hairdryer in the bathroom and no mirror in the room to use while drying your hair. Breakfast was in the room: cereal, milk, orange juice, yogurt, coffee, and tea. It wasn’t the usual B&B setup of sitting at a table with other guests. Fine for one night, but I wouldn’t stay longer.

A good budget option to consider, and it can get busy throughout the year. The location is central, about a 15 minute walk from the train station, with a few parking spaces at the front off the road. Rooms are clean and have a kettle and fridge. The shower and toilet are separate and shared with other guests. The staff were very helpful.

The Garden room was clean, and the bloke covering for the owner was friendly. There was no breakfast, but tea and coffee were in the room along with a fridge and microwave. There weren’t any plates, bowls, or cutlery. The room backed onto the pub carpark and rear pub garden, and the pub stayed open until 1am. We were there Friday and Saturday, and the noise meant I barely slept on Friday, especially with the window open. It’s a nice spot for walking to the station and into town if you don’t mind a walk.

My husband and I live in Shropshire and booked this hotel because of a family funeral in Southampton. We tested positive for Covid and couldn’t manage the four hour drive, but the manager basically said to stay there or lose our money. I think that’s disgusting. They wanted us to put other guests at risk of catching Covid. Please avoid it and spend your money at a different hotel.