I booked this hotel as Ilkley is one of my favourite places to visit locally. I wanted to wake up in a nice hotel on my birthday, one which had a pool that me and my family could enjoy and relax in. The hotel is classed as one of the ‘plus’ hotels and advertised as having an indoor pool. When we arrived, the reception area was nice enough and we checked in quickly. However we were disappointed with our room - a small, thin room with dated decor and furniture. The king size bed was comfortable enough but at the complete other side of the room to the pull out sofa bed for our children and a telly plonked in the wall in the middle where none of us could watch it comfortably. The room was also cold. The bathroom has stark lighting and the shaver lights did not work so bathing was not a relaxing experience. We went down for a swim only to discover that the ‘pool’ was in fact part of a separate, chargeable spa to which under 16s weren’t permitted. We were first told by a young man on the spa reception that they could go in if we paid £40 but when we returned with our card, we’re told by another woman attendant that they couldn’t go in. To avoid disappointment we left the hotel and visited a nearby pool. On returning we complained and were told the general manager was on leave and all they could offer were 4 drinks vouchers.
The breakfast was a let down with under cooked sausage, no fried eggs and cold, shop-bought hash browns.
All in all not the birthday experience I anticipated and a very big disappointment- I’d avoid! less