The Shrubbery Hotel,credit to best western.
As a couple, we recently stayed at the Shrubbery Hotel,in Ilminster, which is part of the Best Western Hotel chain.
On first impression, of the road side of the hotel, I thought it looked a bit tired and could do with a front of hotel maintenance revamp.Could have been due to being a dull miserable, not particular sunny day.So thought maybe had made a mistake in choosing this hotel for our stay.
However everything changed my opinion, The parking was free and spacious, The hotel on entering was very smart, modern and attractive, with a well presented reception area and lobby.
The hotel,had a Boutique style decor, throughout while keeping the old style tastefully in character with the old building.
All areas, were well presented and very tastefully furnished.very well designed and with nice ornamental touches here and there.
I went to check in,very friendly smart professional staff, very easy experience. Also with a nice gesture of a room upgrade, very unexpected, but gratefully recieved.
Our room, was number 18, up on the first floor with another few small stairs through the passageways and doorways.I didn't see a lift anywhere, but for us, not a problem.As we only had couple of small travel cases.
The hotel was very clean and smart throughout.
Our room was large with gold style fittings,with Climate control system ventilation, a bit like air conditioning. Very similar. There was a large upvc tilt window, with nice views over the back onto the hotel gardens, which looks like it can be used for weddings and other functions, nice and quiet area of the hotel and private.Good choice for any travellers that don't like and wish to avoid road noise.
We were only passing through, on our way back home, so only booked a 1 night stay.
I did visit the bar for a nightcap, the bar I could see had a nice selection of beers, spirits some from the local area.It was quite, well decorated and tastefully furnished to the same standards and style of the rest of the hotel, with nice classy, paintings and ornamental figures. The Hotel makes good use in the way it has styled the big large old fireplaces, to fit in with the rest of the hotel decor.
In the morning, of leaving we made our way down the luxurious staircase, to the dining room, where we were given our own choice of where we wished to sit as it wasn't particularly busy at that time. This room was also very smart and well styled in keeping with the rest of the hotel. The dining staff were very professional and polite, couldn't do enough, everything was well layed out and presented.
After a few minutes we were asked if we were ready to order, not rushed at anytime, in the meantime you also have a choice of continental style breakfast choices, with cereals, aswell fresh milk, fruit juice.And a good selection of different coffee choices from there new modern style and expensive looking coffee machine, This seems to be the only thing you have to make yourself.
Everything else is served, with choices of toasts, also made and served at the table to you.
The Breakfast we chose, was the full English, very nice it came hot with beans, a fried slice, blackpudding, bacon, eggs, sausages and mushrooms.well presented on a nice hot plate. The items can be optional to your particular choices and requirements, not a problem to this staff, everything came with a lovely smile.
They also, ask if you require anymore toasts, to be honest everything was perfect and filling especially after the large coffee from the machine, which was surprisingly very good.
Don't expect a buffet style breakfast here, as with other Best Western hotels, This dining room is small and they seemed to have a very good tried and tested system here which works very well with the very professional staff that make this system work. I found given the size and space of the room, it would not work trying to incorporate a buffet breakfast system as with the other hotels in chain. We were very impressed with how it worked.
On our way out from our large upgraded, spacious room, we passed the hotel cleaning staff and greeted with a lovely good morning have a nice day, the only issue we had with our room, which were only small ones, the batteries for the remote for the TV, seemed to be a bit low, and the back cover of the remote was missing, also the sealant around the bath could have been removed and resealed, only small things but they were there nonetheless.
Checking out was also very easy, nicely managed by the staff, This hotel I would highly recommend to anyone looking to visit the local area or places like Lyme Regis as we did, well done everyone involved. less