Castle House Hotel

The stay was spoilt but there are advantages. The location is very easy to find, it is next to a relatively busy roundabout but we were on the city side of the hotel so could not hear it. There is parking on site, which is a real bonus for city stays. Location, very good, you are a 5-10 minute walk from the historic centre and a very short walk from a fantastic local pub. We had the family room and it was a good size with a double and two singles. The beds were not crammed into the room and there was a cupboard for storing bags, hanging clothes which had a safe and fan in too. Beds were comfortable and clean, with nice pillows too. Tea and coffee in the room, good towels and soap in the en-suite bathroom. Bathroom had a good shower, rainfall, and was clean. So all we wanted. The room was hot and we could not turn off the radiators, but we could open one window and being away from the main road it was not too noisy. Breakfast was a good range of cereals, boxed, or granola which had a good range of berries and nuts to add. Croissants and rolls, toast on request, good range of spreads too. All we needed for the start of the day. There is a bar area and this is where we are not too pleased. It closes at 10pm and we decided to end a long day there with a nightcap. There were no prices advertised and hotel prices can be more expensive, we accept that. Although you are meant to get a 10% discount as a resident. Four large drinks, which presumably we had the discount applied to cost as much as the same drink in a five star hotel and twice as much as we had been paying nearby. I work in London so I am used to high prices, but they usually come with atmosphere, service etc. This did not and if we had known (no prices on show) we would have stayed in the wonderful pub just 3 minutes away for our nightcap. We did contact the hotel after we left to check the charge was right and apparently it is. So although the stay was good it did add a sour note to our visit. Our advice if you want to return to the hotel for a nightcap is don't. There is a really good pub nearby with music and a friendly atmosphere or take a drink to your room (the atmosphere will be no different but you can be in your pjs)

The room we had was extremely hot and you could not turn the heating down. The bathroom floor had broken tiles which had been poorly fixed and still sharp. Please change the tiles before someone cuts their foot. The mixer tap in the bath did not work and you had to sit in the bath and hold downthe button whilst the water was running. The water is extremely hot and is dangerous. At night the pipes in the room was knocking and making noise, so you did not sleep at all. In the morning the breakfast was the worst continental breakfast ever!.. My wife never even got the toast she asked for!. As a returning customer the hotel needs maintenance and we used to get a cooked English breakfast but instead now you get an awful continental breakfast, the worst iv ever had!.

Short walk to city centre and on-site parking. But, located next to a busy roundabout. Poorly maintained building, dirty and damaged equipment in room. Moved by staff, but second room not much better. Breakfast very basic, even by continental standards.

I would call this an over priced bed and breakfast not a hotel. Plus = free parking and easy walking into city. We were in a large family room which was light but the hotel is on a busy roundabout so noisy with the window open. Shower had plenty of hot water. Now the negatives! Entering the building the reception desk is so high it's difficult to tell if anyone is behind it. Only a poor continental breakfast. Breakfast room is small and one table is almost in the doorway so constantly leaning from one side or the other enabling other people to pass. Little evidence of staff and noticed one family had to clear their table as no member of staff available. No fresh fruit only tinned, only full fat yoghurts. Cereal came in small boxes and limited choice. Had to ask for toast and think they use the cheapest bread they can find. Paintwork needs redoing as very chipped and an odd assortment of pictures. Not a happy experience