The Barnstaple Hotel

The room was immaculate and all the facilities spotless. Breakfast in the brasserie was plentiful and delicious. The hotel is beautiful, but it's the staff who make it special. They were polite, happy to help, and attentive. Good job, and thank you so much to the staff and directors.

With 300 of us at the Valentine ball, I expected some waiting, but we didn't have to wait at all. Thanks to the management, the waiting staff, kitchen team, and cleaners for making it all work. Our room overlooked the pool and was very clean, with such a comfy bed I nearly missed breakfast. Glad I got up, though. The plates were piping hot and the breakfast was lovely. The evening meal was fabulous too, especially the beef, which was so tender it was like steak. The staff, lots of young men, were always smiling and asking if everything was okay or if they could get us anything. Very well trained. Everything was perfect.

We only stayed one night after a work Christmas party. From the outside, The Barnstaple Hotel might not look fabulous, but inside it was clean and modern, and the rooms were a good standard. Our standard room was comfortable and very clean, with excellent shower facilities. It had a small fridge, tea and coffee, a separate fan and air conditioning unit, and plenty of power sockets. At least one had built-in USB charging. The TV was typical hotel fare, worked well, and had great functionality. There are indoor and outdoor pools and a gym, though we didn't use the pools. Parking is free, just register your vehicle at check-in. The town centre is an easy walk if you're able-bodied, I'd estimate no more than 10 minutes at a normal pace. The route is straight, without lots of different roads to navigate.

I wasn't told on the hotel website or booking.com that my chosen Saturday was a party night. After my payment had been taken, I was only informed through an email on booking.com that a party was planned, that room service would be the only food option from 6 to 7 pm, and that most facilities would be unavailable. I'd booked at the last minute and couldn't cancel without losing my money. The music filled the building and the party was loud until around midnight. Revellers were coming and going outside my room much later. It was very unfair not to disclose the event earlier. Other hotels handle this better and give customers the chance to make an informed choice with the full facts about their stay.