Chatsworth Hotel - Worthing

Olivia at reception was handling what seemed like the whole hotel, and she was pleasant and very professional. Out of season, breakfast is complimentary and continental: decent coffee, plus a few uninspiring pastries in plastic wrappers. The beds were okay and the shower was good, but my basics are a quiet, cool room, a comfortable bed and a good shower. The room was warm and noisy, with the bus station behind, a fairly busy road out front and single-glazed windows all around. The decor looked dated when I first came to Worthing in 1988, and it still does. Passable.

The towels were the best part. The hotel's in a very good location, and the bed was okay, though only a double. The rest felt tired. Our room was boiling, with the radiator blasting and its thermostat broken and hanging off the wall. We couldn't make sense of the bath and shower setup, despite having stayed in hundreds of hotels. We booked through Expedia expecting a full breakfast. Afterward, we got a message saying they'd switched to continental breakfast following feedback. They didn't answer my email asking about it. Breakfast itself wasn't good: wrapped croissants and pain au chocolat that seemed more like brioche than freshly baked, some fruit and yoghurt, and no toast. The bean-to-cup coffee was okay if you don't mind paper cups in a hotel. Decaf came as Nescafe Blue sachets. There were a few kinds of tea, and both cow's milk and soya milk.

The staff were friendly, but breakfast was below average. This place looks nice from outside, though the age of the hotel is obvious once you're staying there. On my stays, the mattresses had no spring, the room sloped, and the shower swung between too hot and too cold. It was hard to find a comfortable temperature.

Breakfast came with the stay and was better than I expected, so I ate and left happy. The machine coffee was good; there were fruit and yogurts, along with pastries wrapped in plastic that I didn't try. I was working nearby and spent the night here. It went well, and I got a good rest for the price and purpose of the trip. The decor and layout are old-fashioned, but the place was very clean and fancy. I also got an amazing sunrise through my window, which faced the rear. Thanks, and see you soon.