Swindon Blunsdon House Hotel, BW Premier Collectio

The gym was really good and breakfast had plenty of choice. The staff were lovely, too. But I wouldn't come back, and neither would my work colleagues. I stay in hotels across the UK every week for work, and this is nowhere near the four-star standard or the Best Western standards that I expected when work booked it. I’ve seen earlier poor reviews, and the management responses seem to lash out at customers instead of taking criticism well. It comes across as though they think the place is perfect, when it’s very far from that. The hotel feels very old, dark and dingy, with cheap, dated 80s furniture and poor decor. It needs a complete overhaul. Room windows either wouldn't open or wouldn't close, and the bathrooms were dated, though large and with big baths. The TV only had five working channels, if you were lucky. The bar staff seemed unsure about service and, bless them, didn't look well guided by management, if at all. We saw starters and mains brought out together, then customers had to ask for the mains to be taken back. It looked as if they were just kept warm until the starters were finished. That would have been very poor if it happened to me, and I’d have sent the main back and asked for my money back. There’s also a large fish tank by the bar that clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a while. Poor fish.

We were here for a family wedding, and the service and hospitality had already exceeded our expectations from check-in. George at reception and Olivia from FnB deserve a special mention for going the extra mile and helping make the stay memorable. The rooms and some spa facilities are a bit dated, but all in all we had a really great stay.

The whole hotel smelled so clean, and I couldn't fault the cleanliness. Paula and Chloe in the spa were amazing, so friendly and helpful. Our room was upgraded, which was great, and we enjoyed a lovely meal and breakfast. We stayed for one night and will definitely return.

The food was excellent, though with so many events on, we were seated in a bar area and the service there was only mediocre. Otherwise, everyone was welcoming. We had a lovely, large and comfortable room, and the gym and swimming pool were really good.