What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend started off as very stressful indeed as neither of the receptionists knew what the parking rules were so despite having downloaded the parking app before we left home, on arrival, when we queried why we could only pay until 6pm we were told there was an error on the app but not to worry, if we got a ticket we could claim a refund as a member of staff had done recently. After an hour of driving around trying to find where we could park, even asking a traffic warden who was only on 'transmit mode' and kept repeating it was the hotel we needed to speak to and they must have given us an incorrect code, we parked up outside the hotel where we'd first parked and paid for the parking to 6pm despite being told by the hotel it was to 9pm and as there was a show on at the Cliffs there would be traffic wardens about. We weren't offered the option to book breakfast on check in and so decided having read the mixed reviews to not bother and would go out the next day and get something in Southend. The triple room we booked was very comfortable and once we'd put the heating on, soon warmed up. There were plenty of amenities in the room - the only thing missing were glasses - but there were coffee mugs. The location is perfect for The Cliffs Theatre and there are plenty of good restaurants within walking distance. The whole experience though could have been much better and less stressful if we'd been given correct information on the parking. At 6pm we got a reminder our parking was due to run out and we then booked the next 24 hours. Fortunately we didn't listen to the receptionist who told us we didn't need to worry about parking until 11am the next day. There was a wedding fayre on at the weekend - let's hope anyone booking a wedding there ensures their guests come by train or they get better information on the parking than we did - otherwise they could miss the wedding whilst driving around trying to find where / how to park!!…
Location was great for visiting the Cliffs Pavilion. Literally two minute walk. Room was clean and spacious. But..... Bar was poorly stocked. No beers on tap, empty barrels. Barman was very apologetic, nice guy. Breakfast was a shambles. Guy was unable to communicate what the process was. Buffet bar was empty, we sat bemused until he just brought out the full English. Raw sausages, bacon with white clots on them. Toast saved the day. Shake up the bar and the breakfast and this hotel could be great.
We stayed here for the location of the Casino. Our room was quite cold but the plug in radiator soon warmed it up. Comfortable beds, lovely jacuzzi bath with toiletries provided and fluffy towells. The building is quite big and areas do need a bit of attention, overall it was a one night stay which we enjoyed. Breakfast was buffett style and quite honestly one of the best breakfasts ive had in a hotel. Hot food, plenty of choice, lots of juices as well as tea and coffee and good quality ingredients. I would definitely stay here again as the location was good for shopping etc and a short walk down a steep hill for the casino- harder coming up but it was funny as it was icy! Lots of giggles. Parking was easy enough as well. Hopefully we'll be back soon.
My partner treated me to afternoon tea for my birthday and we had a wonderful experience. The quality and taste of the food was exceptional and the staff were very attentive and friendly. Melanie made our visit very relaxed and comfortable. We will definitely be back again in the future.
Was a bit worried after booking the hotel and then seeing the reviews… Check in was really quick and easy, room was very spacious and clean. Bathroom has been recently renovated to a high modern standard.Lots of space in the common area with a well stocked bar and some vintage whiskey selection which we really enjoyed. Overall a really good experience for me and my family, definitely a 3 star plus establishment.
Afternoon tea let down Bitterly disappointing attempt to use buy a gift experience. Prebooked but when we arrived we were told they did not have our booking. When I pointed out it was in the diary for as I could see it we were asked to wait. 10 minutes later when we’d paid the £6 parking suggested by the hotel we were told the cakes were frozen so needed an hour to thaw. This was not what we were expecting and hence at 2pm a rather hungry couple went elsewhere to eat. I would not recommend booking here. Judging by the lack of other guests this may be echoed by others. Poor response when requesting a refund for parking Thankfully buyagift have been much more helpful
i have trouble with sleeping and the staff there was so friendly, one in particular sure his name was sean not 100% sure, didn’t get to thank him properly for being so kind, so thank you. very clean rooms and bathrooms -lex
We booked 2 nights @The Westcliffe Hotel 10th and 11th November 22. We were disappointed with our room the window was dirty, the toilet had stains, The bathroom floor had not been cleaned for a while as the wad dirt all around the edges. The room was tired. We only stayed one night.
A disgrace to the hospitality business and should not be permitted to trade. I would discourage everybody from going there. The lavatory in our so-called suite was disgusting, largely becasuse there was no toilet brush, the wardobe was next to useless and the lift had been left broken for several weeks; our room was on the top floor. Great.
We stayed on a 2-night break voucher, B&B both nights and dinner on the first night. The sea view from our room (4th floor) was great! The room was warm (and there was a spare plug-in heater and fan in the wardrobe in case you needed it), and the bed comfortable enough (we just had to make sure the bed bases were pushed together to avoid a dip in the middle). The shower was hot and easily adjusted, but the pressure wasn’t great. Breakfast was hot and plentiful. We took advice from other reviewers and put bread in the toaster as soon as we arrived for breakfast. The fried eggs had runny yolks which I think is perfect! The restaurant staff were very hard-working. We were under the impression from the website that the restaurant also served as a tapas bar, but the dinner menu was mainly British pub-type food (steak, fish and chips, etc). It was great to have a lobby bar in the hotel. The staff member serving there worked really hard. Unfortunately we couldn’t have cocktails as he said he was new and hadn’t had the training yet. If you wish to charge anything to your room, make sure you pre-authorise a payment card at reception when you check in. We weren’t aware of this option, so for us it was pay-as-you-go in the bar/restaurant. The hotel decor, especially in the public areas, was good - perhaps had been updated recently. The toilets in the lobby area were clean and the seats in the bar were comfy. With such an old building it must be difficult for the owners to reduce sound transmission between rooms. Unfortunately our neighbours were deep in conversation at 3am on our second night, so we didn’t have a restful night. Not the hotel’s fault at all, just worth bringing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. The lift (still) wasn’t working - but that may have been a blessing for us as our room was close to the lift and so it could’ve been noisy with people coming/going up and down. Despite the no drugs/smoking signs/notices in the hotel and rooms, we noticed an unpleasant smell on the 2nd/3rd floors when going up/down the stairs, which was particularly strong on the 2nd floor on the day we checked out. Again, not the hotel’s fault and it must be frustrating for them/the staff if it keeps happening (given the notices in the room). We had an OK weekend, but probably wouldn’t return to this hotel if we go to Southend again.…
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