The White House Hotel

It’s a beautiful island, though it’s pretty quiet of wildlife apart from birds, insects, and a few rabbits. Where have the cows gone? Why not have a few chickens? The island also doesn’t really open for business until the end of May. The White House pool furniture is nice, but the white cushions are very worn and grubby. The rooms are basic but clean, and rather pricey for what they are. Still, none of that will stop me coming for a fourth stay. The hotel is lovely, and the staff are too.

Absolutely gorgeous, with incredibly friendly staff who really helped us when we were in a pickle. A special thanks to Alysia (sorry if I’ve got the spelling wrong) and the guy who took us by quad bike to Rossaire steps. I’m sorry I’ve forgotten your name, but it was a pleasure talking with you. Hope to return every year. Very best, Andrew.

It was quiet and peaceful at the hotel and around the island. The cooking was top notch as always, and the bar staff brought me what I wanted when I wanted it. Everything was good until checkout, when I was nearly charged twice for a room I’d already paid for. The bill also looked far too high until I corrected it. I hope they get this sorted before next time.

Herm is a stunning island and I’d urge anyone nearby to visit. We hadn’t stayed there in several years, but remembered our last visit fondly, so we booked a weekend at the White House. The room was clean and looked recently painted, but its dated style didn’t feel like the four-star hotel it claims to be. The views from the window are still amazing, but without net curtains people outside can see in unless you close the blackout curtains. The staff were lovely when we checked in, and they stayed friendly throughout, though they gave the impression of being new to hospitality. We had lunch at the Shell Beach cafe and were pleasantly surprised by how much it had improved. The light lunch was great, and it’s now licensed, so we could have a beer too. There was some confusion over table service versus ordering at the counter, though, and we ended up joining the long queue just to pay. The staff were great, but the process needs more thought. We chose the Ship Inn for dinner because the Conservatory restaurant at the hotel seemed stuffy with its dress code. The Ship used to feel like a traditional little pub, but now it’s been stripped back to something dull and corporate, with carpet more suited to a second-rate conference centre. The menu was pricey and limited, and the food wasn’t good. You can get a better meal at Premier Inn, a budget travel hotel, without paying so much or having so little choice. At breakfast we waited 35 minutes, then found out they’d lost our order. We had to make our own toast at a four-star hotel, and waited 50 minutes in all for breakfast. It felt like another systems and management problem. Checkout was another letdown: they’d added random items totaling around £60 more than we owed. The manager was standing behind me while I queried it and didn’t apologize. The weekend didn’t live up to our fond memories. I left disappointed and regretting how good this place could be with better management, especially when the managers seem to outnumber the very friendly staff.