Best Western Northfield

We had a large group of friends and liked having communal areas where we could all sit together. The food was lovely, with a good gluten-free choice, and the happy hours were great. A good hotel at a very reasonable DB & B price.

The staff were friendly, the food was good and the Wi-Fi worked reliably. It's about a 10-minute walk to the high street, and there's a nice park close to the hotel's bottom gate, within the grounds. Nice hotel near the seafront, with a pool.

We booked the dip and dine deal by phone after seeing it online. The South African woman at reception was very polite, and the friendliest part of the whole stay was the receptionist, who was remarkably good at juggling everything. She also served us later, and I joked that they probably make her clean and turn rooms too. The place took me back to the 80s, a bit like Fawlty Towers, and the pool area felt like the old pools I worked at back then: concrete floors, dodgy showers, and worn tiles around the jacuzzi and steam room. I found that nostalgic, but my wife didn't, after I'd promised her a spa day. Dinner was included in the £20 each price, as money towards a meal in the restaurant. I had the steak baguette and my wife had whitebait and chips. The food was a nostalgic throwback too, as if the kitchen had been stuck in a time warp for over 30 years. The steak was stewing steak, not a proper steak, and couldn't be ordered rare. The waitress explained it all came the same way. Nothing was exactly wrong with it, but the whitebait had a thick crumb and the deep-fryer taste of everything else cooked in the same fryer. I actually enjoyed the hotel's old-fashioned feel, which reminded me of visiting my grandparents at hotels as a child. I'd like to return if we're staying nearby, but I doubt I'll convince my wife to come.

The food tasted wonderful, though after a full day hiking we could have done with more potatoes or other carbs. They're cheap as chips, Chef! We had a great bed, breakfast and dinner package, stayed two nights in early January, and plan to come back in March. The local staff were lovely, and the lounge, pool, steam room and jacuzzi were all super. Thanks, Northfield.