Blunsdon House Hotel

The gym facilities were really good, breakfast was nice with plenty of choice, and the staff were lovely. But I stay in hotels around the UK every week for work, and I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone. The place is very old, dark and dingy, with poor decor and cheap 80s furniture, and needs a complete overhaul. The bathrooms are dated, though big and fitted with large baths. Room windows either don't open or won't shut, and the TV has only 5 channels that work, if you're lucky. Bar staff seemed unsure about service, perhaps because management hadn't guided them well. We saw starters and mains arrive together, then customers had to ask for mains to be taken back. They seemed to be kept warm until starters were finished. That's very poor service; if it happened to me, I'd send the main back and ask for my money back because it had clearly just been kept warm. The large fish tank near the bar looked like it hadn't been cleaned in some time. Poor fish. This isn't 4 Star by a long way, and I'm surprised it's part of the Best Western chain, since that's why work booked it. It doesn't meet their standards in any way. I'd also seen earlier poor reviews, and the management seemed to lash out at customers in its responses rather than take criticism well. Bad management, in my view, because they clearly think everything is perfect. It's way, way, way from perfect. I wouldn't return, and neither will my work colleagues.

Wayne at Reception was warm and kind, and took the time to explain everything properly. My husband and I were really impressed by the service, the facilities and the whole stay for this price. Everything in the spa was working perfectly, which we've not found even in some more expensive hotels. We had a standard double room, and it was really big. Dinner by room service was perfect, the gym was faultless, and breakfast was delicious. 10/10, no notes. Hope to come back!

The neighbourhood was very peaceful compared with London, though there aren't any local shops nearby, so having a car is preferable. You can also just walk around the area. Our room was amazing, spacious and comfortable throughout our stay. There are lots of amenities, which is great, and the staff at Reception and Carrie's bar were all extremely polite and friendly. We were delighted and would definitely like to return in future.

The carvery was the best I've had, and with coeliac disease I had no issues at all. There were no Yorkshire puds, but I don't like those anyway. The food was fabulous and staff were very knowledgeable about gluten. They did need prompting to clear the table between courses. Bar service was lacking, though. I was driving and only wanted lime and lemonade. After buying one, I pointed out there was no lime, and the bar person said they'd run out. I couldn't believe they'd run out of lime, having worked in a bar myself. The second drink was fine, you could tell from the colour. The third one had no lime again, and when I challenged it, I was told they'd run out.