The Elephant & Castle Hotel

Really good stay at the this hotel, check in staff were very friendly. Room was great, really spacious for a single, and the bathroom was also excellent. Only downside was that breakfast service did not start until 9am on the Sunday which was too late as I had to leave then. Attached pub was really good with some nice beers at reasonable prices.

3 days ago I sent this email to the hotel. 72 hours later still NO reply. Can't say I didn't give them two opportrunities to respond to my concerns. Dear E & C, I was very tempted to write you a poor review, but I thought on this occasion an email might be a better way forward. Suffice to say, last week I stayed with you….Room 103. The room was adequate. There were hardly any staff present during my arrival or departure and those that were present were hardly the most welcoming. I ate elsewhere for my dinner. Yesterday, I tried to book via the www….to be informed that one had to call instead. I booked and paid by phone, (for which I am still awaiting a receipt). I arrived at 5.15 PM. This time I was allocated Room 101. The rook was monastic in presentation and inadequate. The room had one cup, no glass for teeth cleaning, no chair, no box of tissues and the vanity seat had a nail coming through the seat, so it was un-useable. To cap it off I was informed that you were not serving any evening food. At 5.30 PM I informed reception of my concerns about the room and the need for a glass and seat. I left to go and eat dinner elsewhere. Upon my return at 6.30 PM the receptionist was outside smoking but clearly had done nothing to address my early concerns. On leaving this morning at 8.30 AM…again there was no one on reception to discuss the above with. As a frequent traveller all over the UK, I have to say that as a 3 star hotel I was very unimpressed by my stay with you, and that as a result next week when on business in the area I will stay in either Welshpool (the Royal Oak) or Llandrindod (The Metropole) …both of which in my recent experience offer far better value and service for the money.

As part of the Christmas festivities, colleagues and I went as a big group and booked weeks in advance. After clarifying numbers and any dietary requirements as requested, we were excited for a great meal and evening. Did someone say this was a Christmas function? where was the decoration? the seasonal atmosphere was completely missing. The ladies behind the bar were friendly but a woman named Lisa was condensing and spent most of her time scowling at everyone. Let's talk about the food. As advertised we expected a hog roast bap, salad and roast potatoes. The bap itself was nice, the coleslaw was nice - i'm sorry but what roast potatoes? because I sure as hell didn't get any. Neither did half of our table. When questioned on this, we were told "we made a decision to do a 50/50 split. We have nothing left, there's nothing we can do" - if you have the EXACT numbers of who is attending a party, you cater for that amount - or better yet, a little bit over, especially when you are charging nearly £30 per person. No drink on arrival, half the food missing, no decorations and rude customer service - what a waste of money. The only saving grace was the band that was booked - Built 4 Comfort, great music, nice guys and got everyone back in the mood and danced all night! If you're looking for a seasonal party, serving piping hot delicious food, with enough to actually fill your plate and great customer service... then don't go here. There is so much potential to be had at this venue and with the right staff, better food and some effort in proper event planning, this place would be a treat to visit. Happy holidays!