Belgrave Sands Hotel & Spa

The maintenance guy was lovely, but I wouldn’t recommend a spa day here. It wasn’t quiet during treatments, there was no space for loungers to relax, and there’s no jacuzzi. The facilities are very basic. In the morning, tea and coffee took 40 minutes to arrive, with just one biscuit each. Lunch felt rushed because the spa treatments hadn’t been planned properly, and I had to go out and arrange pre-ordering since service was so slow. Some of the men behind the bar were very grumpy.

The female night wait staff were fantastic, professional, friendly and attentive, but their good service was overshadowed by the night managers. I stayed a few nights at Belgrave Sands Hotel & Spa, and as a hotel manager myself, I was shocked by how unwelcome they made the place feel. Both were men. One looked in his mid to late 30s, with brown greasy hair and a scruffy beard; the other appeared to be in his late 40s, with receding black hair and a goatee. They had scruffy, expressionless faces and intimidating stares that made the atmosphere tense and oppressive. Both wore white shirts, black trousers and brown shoes, and carried walkie-talkies. They didn’t greet guests, smile or say anything while serving drinks. The drinks were overpriced, and the bar was often unattended. They served a drink, pressed buttons on the card machine for tips, who would tip for that? Then they’d walk off or sit down, which felt completely unprofessional. They hovered by tables, cleared plates before people had finished, and listened to conversations, leaving you feeling rushed, unwelcome and scrutinised. Both smelled of body odour, which made the experience even more off-putting. The night management is entirely unsuitable. Unless there are significant changes, I can’t recommend staying here. Visitors should know the experience can be uncomfortable, stressful and unpleasant.

We had lunch here today and the food was fantastic. I had a roast beef sandwich on granary bread with skinny fries and a small salad of leaves for £10. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. I’d thoroughly recommend it.

The dining room was lovely, the food was great, and the staff looked after us attentively. We'd stayed here a couple of years ago, and this time came back for an evening meal.