The Royal Hotel

Breakfast was nice, and the staff were lovely, but I had to tell reception the bath hadn’t been cleaned after the last guest. There was hair all over the bottom. They cleaned it when I mentioned it, though a four-star room should have been properly clean to start with. The furniture felt cheap, and the window faced straight onto the road, with people walking past instead of the view I’d hoped for. The hallway also seemed to have no ventilation and smelled of sweat every time I went between my room and reception.

We slept well and had a lovely breakfast, with Charlotte still on shift and greeting us with a friendly face. Dinner the night before was top class, with excellent food, service and staff. Charlotte was especially personable. Even with the restaurant full for Mother’s Day lunch and other areas busy with afternoon tea, the team stayed attentive. At the bar, the staff were just as helpful, and the sandwiches were very fresh. Our room, number 20, was only a few steps from the lift, nicely appointed and had the walk-in shower we’d requested. The sea views through the very clean windows and the balcony were lovely. At reception, Davina was bright, bubbly, professional and helpful despite the busy Mothering Sunday. Our Blue Badge parking space was ready on arrival with our name on it. We’ve booked again for later in the year.

The afternoon tea was lovely, with gorgeous sea views and delicious treats all round. The scones were still warm, and there was plenty of cream and jam, so no arguing over who used too much! Staff were great and accommodating. We didn’t see the rooms, but the reception, bar and dining area décor made them look like they’d be pretty and comfortable. We’d definitely recommend a visit.

The food was excellent, easily five stars, but the service was poor and our complaints weren’t dealt with. Our room felt very dated and tired, and parking was an issue. We picked the hotel because it was dog friendly, yet although they say dogs can join you at mealtimes in a conservatory, we were actually seated in reception. There was nowhere in the grounds to dispose of poo bags after walking the dog. As a smoker, I also couldn’t find anywhere outside to put cigarette ends. Definitely not a four-star hotel.