Macdonald Alveston Manor

The treatment was a mixed bag. My friend’s was great, but mine was poor. The woman barely spoke to me or explained what she’d be doing or using. My friend got a voucher and a list of the products used, but I didn’t. Afternoon tea was poor too, and I added details under food and drink. We were trying to make the best of the day since it was a gift for my friend and we hadn’t paid, but I’d have been even more disappointed if we had. Finding the spa was a hassle. Signage in the car park was poor and even worse inside the hotel. We had to walk a long way and got lost a couple of times when the signs stopped. The receptionist seemed stressed, and the whole thing felt rushed and not very professional. Changing rooms were fine, but the spa had missing tiles in the steam room, a very small sauna, one broken shower and too few chairs and loungers. Men in the gym overlooking the pool were taking pictures of people. At one point, we went back into the changing area half dressed and found the male desk worker and a maintenance man there. That felt uncomfortable, especially with other women trying to get changed in the open room. The relaxation room felt like a depressing waiting room, with no music or soft lighting, and again not enough seats.

The staff were really friendly and the leisure facilities were good, and the location was excellent. Parking cost an extra £7 for the night, which I hadn’t known about, but it wasn’t too bad. The rooms felt worn and tired. Our aircon was noisy but didn’t cool the room, so we slept poorly. The corridor outside was also very loud, with a floor that creaked whenever anyone walked on it. Probably wouldn’t stay again, which is a shame given how friendly the reception and restaurant staff were.

The staff made this stay feel special from the start. Elizabeth at reception answered my questions quickly and efficiently before we arrived, so everything felt easy and organised. The Romanian barman was also fantastic, friendly and welcoming, and great to chat with. Our room was outstanding, a king-size deluxe with a comfortable bed, sofa area, tea and coffee facilities, an espresso machine, soft towels, slippers and lovely bottled shower gels and toiletries. It felt carefully prepared and luxurious, with a peaceful garden view. The spa areas were fabulous too. The hotel itself is beautiful and full of character. The restaurant has an elegant, charming manor-house feel, and the afternoon tea was delicious. The scones were warm and freshly made, with everything beautifully presented. The team also brought us a complimentary dessert platter with “Happy Birthday” written on it, a thoughtful touch we really appreciated. The location is excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The surroundings, facilities and staff were all wonderful. We had such a lovely time, would absolutely recommend staying here, and will definitely return! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The spa treatment was included and possibly the best facial I’ve ever had. Thank you, Corrie, hope I’ve spelt it right. I felt amazing afterwards. Spa staff were friendly and helpful, and reception and bar staff were attentive and lovely. They quickly brought up the extra pillows we asked for, and robes arrived promptly when we mentioned they were missing. The slippers included in our spa break never turned up, though, so good thing we’d brought flip flops. We skipped the pool, sauna and steam room because it was busy, with quite a few children in the pool. It didn’t feel like the relaxing spa visit you’d expect, and there were only about 4 loungers around the pool. Breakfast came with our booking, and we had it in the room. It was amazing and very tasty. We ate dinner at Lambs, a 10 minute walk away, and it was absolutely divine. Highly recommended. We enjoyed our overnight stay at Alveston, a lovely olde world hotel in a brilliant location just a stone’s throw from the centre. The twin room was nice and clean, but the missing robe and slippers cost it a star.