The Osborne Hotel

The only uncomfortable part was the daytime chill in January. The heating was off while we were in the hotel during the bad weather, though it was warm at night and early in the morning. Otherwise, the staff were friendly, the food was good, and we had a wonderful stay, even if there wasn't a huge choice of dishes.

The view from this hotel right on the water is spectacular, and parking was easy. I booked a junior suite and highly recommend it. The food was great, and the whole stay was sensational. Oliver made brilliant drinks, looked after me in the restaurant, and was such fun. It began with Annette and Jade welcoming me like an old friend. They were lovely when they had to tell me I'd left my passport and credit card at the previous hotel in Bournemouth. They called the hotel to say I'd return the next day, and that warm welcome set the tone for the whole visit. If I could give them 10 stars, I would. You're missing out if you don't stay here.

The rooms are nice, but during the off-season the staff and amenities were very disappointing. I don't know if they care less when fewer people are paying peak prices. The hotel also rents out space for private events, so parking may be unavailable because spaces are limited. I was caught off guard by the pool being open to the public for things like swimming lessons. There was no sign about it, and the receptionist didn't mention it when we asked for a pool card. I don't think she understood that my partner and I weren't comfortable swimming in the deep end with 15 parents watching. It's a small pool, so everyone is in full view. We were gutted after getting changed into our swimwear.

Getting there was nearly impossible because of roadworks that had already been going on for weeks and were set to continue. The hotel had put up no directions. The whole experience was awful. For a supposed four-star place, it didn't live up to the claim at all. The pool was unusable because of far too much chlorine, the mattress was worn out, and our bath towels were stained. The manager didn't seem to care and blamed the laundry company, even though the stains were easy to see on the rack. Breakfast was so-so at best.