Ashford International Hotel and Spa

The staff were lovely and attentive, and our room was spotless and very comfortable. Dinner was fine, though nothing special: the beef came without horseradish, which seemed odd, and the portions weren’t especially large. Service was great, and there’s a big Sainsburys within walking distance, with easy motorway links too. That said, the hotel needs investment. The decor looks tired, our bathroom tap leaked, and the toilet took a lot of effort to flush. The jacuzzi has apparently been out of order for some time, which is a letdown for a spa hotel. The bar had no straws or stirrers, so my Disaronno and coke ended up as watery coke with the Disaronno at the bottom. For over £7, that wasn’t great. It feels like the staff are trying to cope with difficult conditions and a lack of investment. The hotel is pleasant enough, but at that nightly price it didn’t feel worth it.

We were travelling to France with our dog and stayed here for two nights. The whole team stood out, from the man seating us at breakfast to the reception staff, who were so enthusiastic about our dog. A really lovely bunch of people.

We had a nice room, a good breakfast and a warm welcome from reception, and we still enjoyed our stay and would come back. But with an early start, I asked about taking breakfast away and was told they no longer offer that. Dinner was fine, though £9.45 for a 250ml glass of wine felt steep. I also looked into a massage, but £85 for 50 minutes seemed hard to justify when I’d paid £75 for a 60-minute massage just three days earlier, so I decided against it.

We came in for breakfast as walk-ins this morning, without staying overnight, and it was lovely again. There was plenty to choose from: fruit, fresh pastries, toast and different breads, juices, coffee, tea and speciality teas, plus cereals and a cooked breakfast. They cater for milk allergies. The food was cooked beautifully, with eggs that weren’t overdone and fried bread that wasn’t greasy. Staff were friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was lovely. At £17 a head, it felt worth every penny. We’d happily come back again and again.