The Monterey Hotel, BW Signature Collection

The room was spacious, the bed very comfortable, and the food good and reasonably priced. The pool area was clean and nicely presented. Staff gave excellent attention to detail, and the service was great. The corridors smelled of stale urine, like an unkempt residential care home. Our room also felt quite damp, leaving the towels and my clothes with the same smell. That wasn’t great for someone with chest conditions. The hotel's interiors and corridors look very dated.

We made good use of the pool and jacuzzi, and even sunbathed beside the outdoor pool. The only things I’d change are the bedroom decor, or at least the mattresses, which could be more comfortable, and having a few more evening entertainment options. There was a quiz one evening. We’d booked as part of a coach tour and weren’t sure what to expect, but the friendly welcome made it clear we’d found a lovely hotel. All the staff were wonderful. Amos kept us entertained as our waiter, and Victor at the bar gave us a great tip for lunch at The Lookout, where the food and views were amazing. The restaurant was so good, especially at dinner, that we decided not to eat out. We were on the half board option, and breakfast was lovely too. Thanks for a wonderful stay!

We had a great room, apart from the slightly small bathroom and too few plug sockets. The pools were good, though the indoor one could be deeper. The outdoor pool was cold, but that’s to be expected and isn’t anyone’s fault. Some evenings, I couldn’t find anything I fancied among the options on the different course menus, even though the food was great. The staff were great too, and we even became friends with a couple of them. The hotel is super close to perfect. A couple of breakfast tips: don’t put cut-up croissants in the toaster oven, as it isn’t made for them. Don’t change the temperature unless someone else has already changed it, in which case put it back to the default, normally the middle setting on the dial, and maybe let a staff member know. The hot plates are very hot, so pick them up with a napkin. You might want one for some pairs of tongs as well, since they can get quite hot. I really enjoyed my stay at the Monterey Hotel. I’d love to see more evening entertainment next time, please. There was a quiz one evening. Thanks for a great experience! 4*

The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and knew a lot about the local area. The hotel and rooms were clean and tidy, and there was a great choice of food. The indoor pool area was very clean too, though sadly the steam room wasn’t available. My only criticism is that the bar didn’t have enough comfortable seating. It’s about a 20-minute walk into town, but the hotel is on a bus route.