Where to start? I think I will start with the infamous Room 11!!! Arrived at the hotel after a five hour car journey and, together with our friends, checked in. Bearing in mind that when I booked I was asked if we would like rooms next to each other, we were given keys to rooms in different parts of the hotel. We were escorted to the foot of the main staircase and then abandoned to our own devices! The hotel is old and has a rabbit warren of narrow corridors, stairs and steps and so many doors and rooms in nooks and crannies. We found our friends room first and struggled on with our bags and baggage to find ours - Yes, you guessed it. Room 11. My husband and I are senior citizens, albeit able bodied. However, Room 11 is situated at the top of the narrowest, steepest, spiral staircase normally found in medieval castles! Someone was having a laugh. We huffed and puffed and struggled to the top of the stairs only to be confronted with the tiniest of landings and a door with a sign sellotaped to the door which said 'Please mind your head'. Very thoughtful! The room was a revelation. As requested, twin beds, one on the right-hand side of the room, tucked under the eaves, the second on the left-hand side of the room, again tucked under the eaves. We were in the attic with no escape route in the event of a fire. Glaringly obvious was the massive wooden beam which ran the full length of the floor. Wooden beams in old houses usually run across the ceiling. Not in Room 11. The beam split the floor space in two. A massive trip hazard. The second thing I noticed were the cigarette burn marks in the carpet. The only electric light was sunk into the ceiling, close to the door. Anyone having to get up in the night to use the bathroom ran the risk of either falling over the beam in the floor or knocking themselves out on the low beam across the doorway, hence the sign 'Please Mind Your Head'! The bathroom was tiny with a shower over the coloured bath. Coloured bathroom suites went out of fashion years ago which proved that the room had not seen an upgrade since Adam was a lad. Now about that low beam. Not a problem for the small in stature but my husband is 6'2" and we heard later, (rightly or wrongly) that the previous week a workman had knocked himself out on that low beam! An accident, if not a disaster, waiting to happen. Only one course of action. I beat a hasty retreat to reception and asked for a move, explaining to the Receptionist why we couldn't stay in that room. Thinking about it, she didn't seem surprised. I wonder why? Fortunately, we were offered another room on a much lower floor which, of course, we accepted with alacrity. We could live with the bleach marks in the carpet and the cobwebs and the dirty windows in our new room. Can I suggest to management that the bedding needs replacing as the duvet and the pillows are well past their sell-buy date.
Please heed this warning! If, upon arrival at The Cedars, you are given the key to Room 11, run!
The only redeeming feature of this hotel was the good breakfast which was included in the price. The lady in the dining-room who served us our breakfast was most attentive to our needs and nothing was too much trouble. The dining tables themselves were ridiculously small for four people with little or no room to put everything. Management, take note!
My husband and I have stayed at several Best Western Hotels and as far as the bedrooms are concerned, The Cedars is definitely the worst.
I can't speak for the other attic rooms, but Room 11 is only fit to be used as a storeroom. less
Michelle W, Front Office Manager at The Cedars Hotel, responded to this review
Dear CEW19492006
Thank you for taking the time to post your review of the Cedars Hotel. I am sorry to hear that your stay was not good and that you were allocated room 11. As mentioned previously this is only allocated as last room availability, and generally not to senior citizens.
In respect of your comments regarding the bathroom and bedding etc I can confirm that the hotel is due to undergo a large refurbishment in the New Year which will see new bathrooms in the rooms but in the meantime we are trying to change what we can such as the bedding and towels as quickly as possible. As you can appreciate however these things do take time and I can only apologise that you were in a room that did not yet have the updated items.
On a positive note I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your breakfast and that your server was attentive and we have indeed taken note that the tables are a little small for four people.
I do trust that you will visit us again - maybe when the refurbishment has taken place - so that we can provide you with a positive experience of the Cedars Hotel.
In the meantime, if you would like to discuss your stay with me please feel free to contact me on 01449 6125668 or alternatively you are welcome to email me at reception@cedars hotel.co.uk.
Kindest regards