The Durley Dean Hotel

“Does what it says on the tin”

The staff were super-nice and accommodating. I had a single room, which as expected was tiny, but it was the same as the photo so I knew what to expect. I often stay in old seaside hotels, so you know that the shower rooms are going to be tiny, as these Victorian buildings weren't built to have a... more

The staff were super-nice and accommodating. I had a single room, which as expected was tiny, but it was the same as the photo so I knew what to expect. I often stay in old seaside hotels, so you know that the shower rooms are going to be tiny, as these Victorian buildings weren't built to have a en-suite - they have to manage with the existing space. The products were minimal, but adequate. The place was clean. My pillows were a bit lumpy and the bed a bit soft for my taste. The pool was small, but I had it to myself. i also used the steam room, which was fine. There is no plunge pool or shower by the steam room and sauna, but there is a tap so you can splash that on. There wasn't any drinking water in the spa area (that I could see - except for the tap thing). Breakfast buffet was OK. They offered some fresh fruit - I especially liked the orange and grapefruit segments. The vegetarian sausage could be improved. It wasn't a fake meat sausage like quorn or linda macartney, it was rice and veg in the shape of a sausage - a bit like bubble n squeak. I wasn't crazy about it, but there was plenty of other stuff and it was good enough, but not the best. And the staff very nice. So overall, I had a good experience and didn't go hungry. For such a big place, with a lot of guests, I must say that it was really quiet. Because it is spacious downstairs, you didn't feel crowded. I would love to go back in time and see it a hundred years ago - What were they wearing? Who came? What was the breakfast? Were there chamber pots? Yes I would stay here again. (5 mins from beach but you have to walk down to it)

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“Loved it”

I have a 4x4 so parking was very tight.. not a great start (or finish), BUT hotel was clean and comfortable, staff were friendly and helpful, particularly Beau in the restaurant, food was totally fab, great quality and flavours, and yes I would happily stay there again

“Disappointing”

This review is for the spa deal this hotel offers through Wowcher The positive: The lady doing the sap treatments was quite lovely. The bartender in the lounge was happy to please and took problems in stride. The negative: I tried calling the hotel to find out where they were. No one answered on... more

This review is for the spa deal this hotel offers through Wowcher The positive: The lady doing the sap treatments was quite lovely. The bartender in the lounge was happy to please and took problems in stride. The negative: I tried calling the hotel to find out where they were. No one answered on the SPA selection. No one answered on the reservations selection. I had to park quite a distance away as there was no parking close to the hotel. The hotel offers parking for £15.00 a day, which was not part of the spa offer. I had to drive round and round to find parking. I was late 10 minutes which was deducted from my 50 minutes massage. I wasted a good ten minutes trying to contact the hotel to find out where they were, before arriving. No one ever answered despite selecting number 1, number 2 - which are, according to the spa lady, non-existent. This is evident in my phone log. After the massage, it was like Alice in Wonderland to find the pool. Enter into the confusing maze. No signs, no arrows saying ' this way fools'. The pool: no deck chairs. Only a couple of wooden benches that looked like rejects from an old sauna. No one around servicing the pool, the gym or the sauna. Cleanliness was a concern Off to the bar area for lunch. The coffee was sent back twice. A bitter brown watery drink. I had the fish and chips as the other option had meat. Took a pass on the desert. The hotel is very dated. Threadbare carpet on the stairs. Peeling paint. One bathroom in the ladies change area. While sitting on the loo you can stare at the dirty, stained bottom of the door. Yup. Really appealing, right? The only loo in the ladies area. I will never go back there for their Wowcher package. I can only imagine the rooms.

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