Ramada by Wyndham Cheltenham

The setting is lovely, the hotel is nice, and the bar staff were great. Dinner was delicious, but the cooked breakfast wasn't worth the price. My coffee was cold on the first morning and the waiter seemed unhappy about replacing it. The so-called continental breakfast was a joke: just white or brown bread, a small selection of fruit, yoghurt and cereal. There weren't any other choices, such as ham, cheese or pastries. I'm afraid we won't be back anytime soon.

The location is handy, just off the M5 and close to Gloucester town centre, and there’s plenty of parking on site. The rooms are spacious, with smart TVs and kettles. Breakfast is better than average, with a full English and other cooked choices, though the fruit selection is limited. The bar has a good range and makes nice cocktails, including a 2-for-1 offer from 5 to 7 pm. Restaurant food was good but overpriced, and I’d check the bill: they charged us for two courses from the set menu when we’d only ordered a main. The stay was still really disappointing. We were there during one of the hottest weekends of the year, when it reached 33°C, and the air conditioning in every room was out because of refurbishment. That hadn’t been mentioned when we booked about ten days earlier, so we were left with a small table fan in an English hotel. Room servicing was another problem. There’s no routine cleaning unless you put the room-cleaning sign on the door, and towels weren’t changed or toiletries replenished. The toiletries were only small bottles of cheap shower gel and shampoo.

The public spaces are already in excellent shape, with a modern but cosy bar and a restaurant that has a lovely feel. We ate there both nights, and the food was properly cooked with good choices, not ready meals. Service was excellent, and breakfast was a solid start to the day. We had two nights here. The bedrooms are a bit tired, but roomy enough, with comfortable beds. The air conditioning worked, despite what some reviews say. Given the current price, it’s great value, and I expect the rooms will be refurbished in time too. The hotel has recently changed hands and renovations are underway. It’s on the west side of Cheltenham, probably close enough to reach the centre by cab. Good luck with it all, we’ll be back next year.

Sammy B, the manager and owner of Ramada, was fantastic when my company’s booking app failed to pass on the payment. It was a stressful mix-up that wasn’t her fault, but she sorted it out and made everything feel easy. Great customer service really makes a difference. The Bramble cocktails were fantastic too, and the rooms are spacious with a newly refurbished bar.