Hotel Du Vin Exeter

The massage was lovely, and the restaurant meal was nice with very friendly staff. I had a gift certificate, so only paid a little extra. If I’d paid full price, I’d have been really disappointed. The spa layout is awkward. To get from the treatment to the pool, you have to carry your bags and coat across the garden in a robe, possibly into cold or rainy weather. The pool was too cold to use, and there was sand and leaves on the indoor floor. The changing room floor was untidy, towel baskets were full, the conditioner was empty, and the body lotion bottle was broken and only half full. It was early Friday afternoon, but the facilities looked as if they hadn’t been cleaned for days.

The fish casserole was delicious and well worth ordering. Prices were fair, and the dining room had an elegant atmosphere. The menu had some nice ideas, though I would have liked a broader choice. It was a fairly quiet night and there seemed to be plenty of staff, but service still took a long time. One of our two dishes was missed.

The location is perfect, and we’d stay here again, especially since it wasn’t ridiculously expensive. We skipped breakfast because it was dear. I also like the hospital background and the original features. The room was clean, beautifully decorated and had lots of tall windows. We had a Deluxe room, which was lovely, though I imagine a Cosy must be very small. The bathroom was small too, but nice. The separate wardrobe area was a favourite, and the robes and slippers were a nice touch. We’d stayed at the Bristol branch, so our expectations were high. The pool was the main reason we chose this hotel, but it was out of action during our stay. We were told it was hoped to reopen, but nobody let us know it had reopened. The Christmas decorations were also less festive than we expected. We paid for an extra hour at checkout, then got a call from reception asking why we hadn’t left. They apologised for the mistake.

The wine tasting was a real highlight. It was just the two of us, cost about £45 each, and included over 500 ml of wine, with some bottles retailing for more than £70. Steve explained everything in a relaxed, informal way, and we learned loads. We’d definitely come again and will recommend it to friends and family. We booked direct at a discount, with checkout at 12pm included, and had the chance to bid for a suite at a reduced price. The room was amazing, with a bath in its own room as well as a shower and regular bathroom. Check-in staff were lovely and helpful, the location is great, and a big thank you to Steve and Hotel du Vin Exeter.