Ocean Beach Hotel and SPA

The hotel sits above the beach, so the views were lovely. I went for an evening during the festive period to see an Elvis act, with a three-course meal included. The food was really nice, better than at some hotels I’ve visited. Service was quick, but felt a bit rushed. One woman, who I think was the service manager, was really lovely. The other waiting staff were abrupt and barely spoke, bringing food out and taking it away quickly without a word.

I booked this as a birthday treat for my partner, after we were moved from the Suncliff Hotel to its sister hotel, Ocean Beach. We were told it was an upgrade to a sea-view room because of disruption, so the move itself seemed fine. But there was nowhere to park, and we had to use another hotel’s car park. Our room looked over the car park, not the sea. Reception said they “probably tried to but didn’t,” which was blunt and confusing, so I let it go since we were only there one night. Dinner at the Atlantic Restaurant was freezing and had an awful atmosphere. The bed was very pink, and the food and service were poor enough that we didn’t eat the three-course meal I’d paid for. When I called reception to ask for the Wi-Fi password, the woman on the phone huffed and hung up. We were ready to leave. We asked for the manager, Luke, and explained that we wouldn’t stay the night and felt we’d been mis-sold what we paid for. I said we’d been promised a sea-view room. He kept cutting me off with “subject to availability,” in a rude, dismissive tone, even after I said I had the promise in writing. If I could give zero stars, I would. Read the reviews before booking. It wasn’t worth the money, and I won’t return.

For £36 for two people for one night, it was excellent value. The room was a good size, clean, and had a clean ensuite bathroom, though the bath was chipped and damaged and could do with replacing. I arrived around midnight, and the Night Porter was helpful, storing my bicycle in the luggage room at no charge. It was my first stay here.

The Whist holiday run by my friends Tony and Sandra was the best Whist holiday we’ve been on, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It was great value for the money. But the ladies’ toilet cubicle that was out of order when we came last October still hadn’t been fixed. The toilets, including the gents’, were very cold this time, with no heating. The lounge chairs were so dirty they need replacing, and the loose carpets need a proper clean or replacement because someone could trip and hurt themselves.