This was quite the most dissapointing hotel I've been in for a very long time. I had booked what I thought was a 4* hotel for a 50th birthday surprise on a first-time visit to Bath. For a 2* it would have been OK, but to hold to being a 4* is a joke. The front desk staff were unhelpful and some of them could be quite rude in their response to simple questions.

The rooms were shabby and tired in their early '90s decor. It was very small for what was supposed to be 4* and quite tired. The window slid open by only about 4inches to allow ventilation. The clothes iron was kept in a very cramped space behind the room door and it was extremely awkward to iron anything. The bathroom floor tiles were damaged in places and water seals were mildewed next the joins to the walls.

The breakfast dining arrangement is a bit of a farce and staff found it difficult to find you a table as most were littered with the debris and crockery left by previous guests. Over several hours observation it was plain that the establishment was very poorly managed and it seemed that table staff had been given minimal training and afforded only limited guidance in their waiting duties.

Stopping in the bar before going out one evening I thought would be quite safe, however this just compounded the disappointment. The bar was very poorly stocked, lacking common items like dry sherry, angostura bitters, ginger ale and tomato juice. There were empty bottles in the optics and the barman hadn't a clue how to even pour a beer properly let alone make a simple cocktail like a bloody mary.

Quite frankly, I don't know how this hotel keeps its doors open other than because it is financially supported by the rest of the Menzies chain and by unsuspecting guests.

A deeply uninspiring hotel, at best described as functional, at worst overpriced and dull.

The plus points were that it was a short walk from the station (and it was close to the function we were attending, so it was an obvious choice for us). Our room was fine, if small. It was quiet enough, and we slept ok.

The downsides were just lots of little annonying problems - the bar staff couldn't speak english; only one of the lights in the bathroom worked (so we showered in the dark); the safety catch on the door was hanging off its hinges (room 9, in case any hotel staff are reading this); there were no glasses for juice anywhere to be seen at breakfast - and we had to ask for spoons; it took them ages to seat us a breakfast... like I say - no one thing, but just lots of little things that led to mounting frustration and disaffection. I was a little surprised to see 4 AA stars outside the hotel. If it really is 4*, it is the poorest 4* I've ever stayed in.

Disappointing, but nonetheless functional.

My wife and I stayed for a long weekend mid September and found the hotel, staff, food and location very good. Drinks are expensive but that's a fact of life in UK hotels and it did not detract from a super weekend.

Stayed there for a conference and was not paying my own bill, but everything seemed very pricey for what it was. Reception a little offhand. Could not get into room until 7p.m.. Was told it took 35 minutes to clean it......A ground floor disabled-friendly room had been requested. I was allocated a first floor room with no effective air-conditioning. It was roastingly hot - the curtains had been drawn back all day The window was about 2 inches open. Hotel said they would open the window further if I signed a disclaimer! When asked about a ground floor room, Reception said "ladies were not allowed on the ground floor"! Were they making "Fawlty Tower" rules up as they went along? Eventually got ground floor room facing the car park. It was slightly grubby and rather shabby and, though allegedly non-smoking, had a strange smell of cigar and drains. It was barely o.k. for one night.
Food was good, though waiting staff were inexperienced (I got rissotto down my neck) but cheerful and helpful. There were some muddles over orders and strange substitutions,e.g. Brie for goats' cheese, but overall for UK, good enough.
Location is quite near centre, but along towpath and then steps,
or v. main roads. I should have felt uncomfortable using both routes at night.
I would not stay there of my own choosing or at my own expense.