Chatsworth Hotel

Parking was tricky, but more spaces opened up after 7 pm. It’s metered, with parking free from 6 pm to 9 am. I’ve booked again for the last few days of work after a lovely stay. The room was clean and warm, with tea, coffee and biscuits, plus a bath and shower and basic but welcome toiletries. It was quiet, staff were friendly, and the price was great for the comfort. Free breakfast had lots of fruit, yogurt, bread, tea and coffee. The soya milk was handy for me as a vegetarian, and you could help yourself.

The TV was tiny, and the toilet area could have been cleaner, as the photo showed. We chose this room partly because the booking photos showed a lovely big bay window, but ours had a tiny Seafront window. I dislike hotels using the same pictures for every room, and I’m guessing we got put in the ring room. That cost it a star. The hotel has nice period features, which I don’t mind, even if some people might call it old and in need of updating, as long as the price reflects that. I had a drink in the bar; it was dead as a dodo, but the American guy serving us was nice. Good to see a Christian Bible in one of the drawers. We’ll stay again.

The beds were okay and the shower was good, so it was passable overall. The room was noisy, whether facing the bus station at the back or the fairly busy road at the front, and the single-glazed windows all round didn’t help. It also ran a little hot. Olivia at reception seemed to be running the whole hotel by herself, and was professional and pleasant. Out of season, breakfast is just a complimentary continental spread, with good coffee and a few dull pastries in plastic wrappers. And the decor? I thought it looked dated when I first visited Worthing in 1988. It hasn’t changed. K

Breakfast was below average, though the staff were friendly. This hotel looks nice from the outside, but once you stay there, the age is obvious. I’ve stayed several times, and the mattresses have no spring, the room itself slopes, and the shower swings between too hot and too cold. It’s hard to find a temperature in between.