The Exchange Hotel

Room 153, a triple, had plenty of space and was super clean, comfortable and quiet. The temperature was fine, the bathroom spotless, and the spa bath was just what I’d hoped for. Toiletries were included even though they weren’t advertised, and the tea and coffee in the room were in good order. The people we met were polite and curious. After reading negative reviews I was nervous, but I’m glad we stayed and had a lovely evening. Breakfast was just okay. The scrambled eggs were awful, and there’s room to improve the quality and variety, though there was enough to fill us up. The coffee and fruit juices were very nice. I probably wouldn’t stay again at this point. I can see they’re encouraging reviews and have already made some changes based on earlier feedback, but something still feels missing. The reception feels cold and a bit eerie, the historic floorboards creak, and there’s very little natural light. I think soft background music would help, and uniforms would give the staff’s good service a more professional look. Our TV kept cutting out. I didn’t want to leave my bed to report it, especially with no phone in the room, but I did mention it in the morning. It’s a known issue from other reviews and needs fixing. I’d recommend the hotel if you want a spa bath stay right by the bay.

We stayed with a friend on 13 February. The room was lovely and the beds were very comfortable, but we were freezing overnight because we couldn’t get the heating to work. No one had told us about the heat blowers in the room. For the more than £160 we paid, the missing grout in places in the otherwise clean bathroom didn’t look great. We ran out of toilet roll, and there was no room phone to call reception. Also, a bottle of bubbly sat outside the bridal suite next door from evening until the next morning. A lovely room overall, but clearer communication and more attention to detail would improve the stay.

This was our third stay this year, and it was perfect. We had a hot water issue on our last visit, but it couldn’t be helped, it’s an old building. We’ll be back soon. The entrance hall and reception are beautiful, the sort of place where you’d want to sit with a hot chocolate or red wine and a good book. All three rooms we’ve had were gorgeous, and the jacuzzi bath is lovely. Breakfast is nice, with anything you could want. We’ve also enjoyed a few delicious cocktails at the Aura bar. Special thanks to Wiktoria, an excellent reception manager who made our recent stay extra special. Thank you so much!

The place has a lot of potential, but it needs someone to care and make some small changes. I heard other guests complaining at breakfast too, so it definitely wasn’t just us. We won’t be returning. The heating didn’t work, and it took a while to warm the room with the plug-in radiator provided. We had to sit in our coats. There was no TV remote, and when we finally got one from reception, the TV still kept turning itself off. The room only had two thin hand towels, no shower or bath products, and needs some TLC. Breakfast wasn’t great either, especially the awful scrambled egg. Since breakfast wasn’t busy, I think they’d be better off cooking things fresh. On arrival the receptionist was sitting in her coat, which wasn’t the best first impression. Apart from the hot tub, you’d be better off in a Premier Inn. It’s a shame, because the hotel has massive potential, but they need to give customers a reason to return. I never write reviews, but all the fake five-star reviews made me feel I had to.