Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa

The location is gorgeous, and the spa was the highlight of our romantic getaway just after Valentine’s Day. We enjoyed the thermal heaven room and had absolutely wonderful massages. The spa staff were friendly and accommodating, and our bags were stored on arrival so we could use the leisure facilities without stress. But no one explained how to get to the pool and leisure area, so we wandered around awkwardly for about 20 minutes before going upstairs to ask at the spa. Dinner was much less smooth. We arrived five minutes before our reservation and were told to wait in the bar area, but as first-time visitors we didn't know where that was. Staff watched us look around confused without explaining. At the table, my partner had no knife and there was no drinks menu. I asked for my steak rare, leaning toward blue, but it came medium-rare, closer to medium-well, and the red wine jus was missing. We waited 30-40 minutes for the bill, then had to ask for the £25pp supplement to be removed. When we went to the till to pay, the manager walked past and told us to wait for a waitress. The waitresses were run off their feet, but had been lovely and attentive all evening, so I don't blame them. It was a shame after such a lovely day. The bedrooms are spacious and lovely, and we'd return, hoping for better food service.

The spa was lovely, the treatments were great, the facilities fab, and the staff there were all so nice. The changing rooms were clean, if tiny. At check-in, staff helpfully explained where everything was, minded our bags, and said we could use the spa or attend our appointments before our room was ready at 3. We also had friendly, helpful service at the golf range. We'd booked an upgraded room and were upgraded again to a huge loft suite, with a bedroom, living area, large bathroom and even a TV in the bath. The spa and room were highlights of this midweek birthday break, which we'd hoped would be quiet. Our evening was spoiled by a large, noisy group taking over the restaurant. We sat down around ten to seven for our 7 o'clock dinner, with only four or five other small tables in use. Then a loud woman came in saying, “yes this is better,” and started bringing in her party. What first looked like about 12 people turned into upwards of 80 drunk, loud guests. We were told they'd been in a function room upstairs but asked to move to the restaurant near the bar. It suddenly felt like a high school lunch canteen, and we couldn't hear each other. Other diners looked uncomfortable too. My partner and I have both worked in hospitality for many years, so we may have been less intimidated than the other guests when we asked why a group with its own booked function room had been brought down to shout over everyone. We spoke to a manager and moved to the bar, but the mood was already ruined. We ended dinner and skipped our plan to watch midweek football in the bar. The manager said they'd leave a note on our room and gave us 20% off the meal, but our booking already included two £25 dinner vouchers. Since I'm pregnant and not drinking, and I'm vegetarian, our meal came to about £10 anyway. When my partner complained, the manager first asked, “who told you they had a function room,” seeming to blame the young staff who had nothing to do with the large party coming downstairs. My partner usually drinks Guinness or Jameson, but both had “ran out.” The barman said that happens regularly, so perhaps they should order more if it's a recurring issue. On the way back to our room, I heard the woman who seemed to be in charge of the group ask for glasses, then say, “oh I love it here you say yes to everything.” That might have been good for her, but it ruined the evening for couples and small groups. The party had its own room upstairs, so bringing them into the restaurant felt unnecessary. Breakfast was cold, but fine, probably what you'd expect from a hotel breakfast included in the stay. The staff were friendly and could perhaps use some help from the evening shift with their skills. At checkout, we were only told, “ok all done,” rather than asked how the stay had been. I imagine the note on our room said we were unhappy and they didn't want to hear negative feedback. We were going to book another break for my birthday the following week, but after this experience we've looked elsewhere.

We booked a last-minute birthday trip to Formby in January, and the hotel and room were beautiful, very clean and comfortable. Dinner in the hotel restaurant was lovely too. A special thank you to our waiter, Soner Oz, who was wonderful: so kind and welcoming, nothing was too much trouble, and he went above and beyond to make my boyfriend's birthday special. Thank you so much!

We came for one night as a Christmas gift, and had a wonderful time. The room had loads of space and the shower had lovely water pressure. Staff greeted us warmly and were very polite. Dinner was a set menu because it was Boxing Day, and I've never had vegetables that good. Everything was cooked to perfection. The spa the next morning was lovely too. Our only regret is not staying longer :)