Lea Marston Hotel Golf & Spa

The price was really good, and we had a lovely spa day, even if it wasn't perfect. The jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and pool were all good, and lunch was delicious. There weren't enough loungers, especially with towels left on them and nobody around, presumably people were in the gym. We also had to wait for one of just two showers. With about 8-10 people in the changing rooms, it felt cramped. I can't comment on the rooms as we didn't stay overnight.

The kind and helpful receptionist was the one positive. The place looks nothing like its booking.com photos, and I can't see how it has four stars. I wouldn't give it three. The WiFi was awful, dropping out every few minutes, and the room looked like it was furnished in the early 90s. Everything felt terribly old, and the cleanliness left a lot to be desired. The carpet in the main hall looked like it remembered Queen Victoria. Breakfast was the worst I've had in any hotel, with green scrambled eggs that seemed to be made from powder. Old, dirty, and not worth half the price. Avoid.

We both slept terribly because the mattress was extremely uncomfortable. Breakfast was disappointing too, especially if you're vegetarian, as there were very few options. The food in general was mediocre and didn't feel worth the price. The restaurant looked nice, but the seating was poor and one chair was extremely uncomfortable because its middle supports had gone. We waited a while for bar service despite it not being busy, with no staff around. Children running about while waiting for the function suite to open made it hard to relax. We left disappointed and expected a higher standard from a four-star hotel.

I was worried I'd be too late for breakfast, but there was still plenty at the buffet and it looked recently replenished. The whole stay went by too quickly, but I'll definitely come back. I often come to lea marston for a mini break, and this visit brought a lovely surprise: they were overbooked, so I was upgraded to a suite, even though it was a Tuesday night. I had two spa treatments, then used the relaxation room, pool, steam room and sauna. The room was beautiful, and I had dinner there, arranged by Steph, who went above and beyond to make sure I had a lovely stay.