The Livermead House

Piers was very accommodating when we held my dad’s wake here. We had a room with access to the outside, and the staff were attentive, serving tea in silver teapots. The decor is a little dated, but the place was clean.

The building has huge potential, with a lovely garden, parking and a prime view. I know the effort this kind of work takes because I’ve worked in the industry, but with today’s economy and competition, the service needs to improve. Even coaches full of older guests deserve good service. Keep the old-fashioned style, but bring more quality and care to it. Such a shame. We waited a long time for our order in an empty place. At the bar, I was told they couldn’t serve me coffee and needed to call a manager, and the same happened with drinks. The young woman was very sweet. When the manager came, I wasn’t sure I was intending funeral. The young man was nice, but his white coronation black suit looked like a joke and didn’t make him seem approachable or smart. The coffee came from a button press and tasted like warm water with a grain of coffee somewhere in it. It cost £10.50, though I’ll give them credit for a few biscuits. Please invest in the place and make it better. It’s nice to go back in time if you feel welcomed and greeted, but here you have to search for staff, especially the receptionist, and that’s disheartening.

We came with a large group of friends for a glam rock weekend. The entertainment and breakfast were first rate, and the staff were fantastic. The hotel has a lot of tradition on show throughout. This was our third visit, and room 19 was the most cramped one we’ve had. Its air con units were outside on a corrugated roof, which made it less comfortable than our previous rooms.

We stopped in for coffee as non-residents while walking along the seafront. The price for two coffees seemed a little high at first, but they came with hot milk in pretty silver jugs and a plate of delicious homemade shortbread. Sitting in the lovely garden overlooking the sea made it a perfect treat.