Rivenhall End Hotel

We booked 21 rooms for our family’s stay at Rivenhall Hotel on November 7th and 8th, ahead of our wedding at the Rivenhall wedding venue the next day. Having so many relatives together, it meant a lot that the hotel felt secure and was spotless from the moment we arrived. The owners, Shamim and Khaled, even came by to check that everything was right for our big day. That personal care made us feel very valued. Mr. Iqbal at reception was attentive and professional from check-in through check-out, and helped make sure we had what we needed. It was a lovely, stress-free start to the celebrations. We had a great time and will happily recommend the team.

I was working nearby and stayed here four nights a week for six weeks. The rooms had a few small decorating issues, and the shower temperature sometimes varied. Still, the staff were friendly and accommodating, and I thought the hotel was very good value. I’d gladly stay again if I’m in the area.

I was in room 607, on the corner by the A14, and the road noise was so bad I barely slept, even with earplugs. The room was cold with the heating off, and there was no AC or electric heater. I woke up shivering and had to put on a jumper and trousers. The bed itself was okay, neither great nor awful. The door also worried me: it needed a key from outside, but the inside lock was lacking and the latch didn’t quite fit. With a hard enough push and pull, it seemed possible to get in. I took a photo to upload. The room seemed half-finished, with holes in the walls, missing light fittings and broken parts. I may have looked like a tradesman and ended up in one of the unrefurbished rooms. The decor was tired and mismatched. The bathroom looked nice at first, but the towel rail wasn’t connected, the units and fittings were different shades of white, and trim pieces looked botched in. The tiles seemed new but were badly laid, with much of the floor cracked and lifting. I couldn’t shower or take a bath. The taps only dribbled, which is no exaggeration, so a bath wasn’t an option. The shower had two controls, supposedly on and off at the bottom and hot and cold at the top, but I had to fiddle with them for about 30 seconds before water came out. Then it was either 100-degree water or nothing, so I gave up. There seems to be a major refurbishment underway, and it looks like it may be turning into some kind of OYO hotel. The hosts were nice and friendly, though it felt more like a BnB without breakfast, basically just a bed. I’d thought about giving it a 3 because it wasn’t terrible, but the amount of work needed pushed me to a 2. The smart TV was a good addition, but there were no accounts or live TV access because there was no aerial, so I didn’t use it. I’d been emailed the night before to say the restaurant was closed but that takeaway food could be eaten there. When I got back with my food, the restaurant was dark and locked. I tried the bar area instead and found lawn mowers and building materials. Back in the corridors, there were no lights on at night, so I had to find my way through the dark, stairs and two doors to my room. I could keep going. The work is clearly ongoing, and a refurbished room might be a better experience. I didn’t sleep or eat here during my stay at a hotel. Make of that what you will.

An old, lovely building, and they’re renovating the grounds. My room was clean, the staff were friendly, and the bathroom suite was brand new. There was a smart TV too. Very reasonably priced. Job done, I’ll be back.