The Bay Hotel

The room had a lovely, relaxing view of the garden, and I slept wonderfully on a comfortable mattress. The Bay Hotel was immaculate and spotless throughout, with attention paid to the details. On arrival, Hotel manager Lauren Babic greeted me warmly and looked after every need. She's such a lovely lady. I'll definitely visit again. Thank you, Lauren.

The quiet side of Southend-on-Sea is a real bonus if you want some peace. People here are so welcoming, and the attention to detail makes you feel at home. I spent five nights as a Christmas retreat and loved it. It was a bit cold, but room 6 had a lovely scenic view, so I was happy staying in. I can highly recommend the place and will come again. I’m hoping to spend all my breaks in this area next year, 2015, and share reviews of local restaurants and facilities.

The room was above the kitchen, so there was quite a bit of noise, and the only view was the conservatory roof rather than the garden we expected. Since the room backs onto other houses, a blind or net curtain would also help with privacy. We could be seen by a man sitting opposite on his fire escape. We were allowed to leave our bags in the room when we arrived early and went for a walk, which was helpful. But when we returned, there was dust on the ledges, cobwebs on the bedroom light and bathroom walls, what looked like sauce on the curtains, and coffee splashes on the side of the built-in wardrobe. At breakfast, we weren’t greeted with a smile or even a morning, just asked whether we wanted tea or coffee. Offering semi-skimmed milk might be a good idea, as not many people drink full-fat these days. The welcome wasn’t great either, with no hello or smile.

The location gets one star, but I’d warn people not to stay here. The owner came into my room without permission while I was out and left the door unlocked with my valuables inside. He also took £15 from my credit card without authorization, then was abusive and rude when I asked about it and refused to give it back. The bed had dips and springs and wasn’t fit to sleep on. The balcony ashtray was overflowing with cigarette ends, and there was stagnant dirty water in a bucket out there.