I stayed for a convention that was taking place peak-season. I was not expecting much, given that this hotel has poor reviews and is owned by the Britannia group.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Check-in was a little chaotic and slow but I arrived at peak check-in.
The hotel is better maintained than most BG hotels. There was a veritable army of staff in clearly identifiable uniforms. This was their first time hosting this event and they were a little bemused at times but coped well and seemed to build good rapport with guests over the weekend.
The room was small and very warm but I've stayed in worse. It was clean and the shower had good water pressure. Blunty, clean and working shower are my main concerns when I'm not "on holiday", as such.
There were problems such as pretty spotty wifi, vending machines that only took change but the change machine didn't work and there is no ATM on site, and a somewhat random bar price for the same round. But none of the above were a very significant issue. The coffee on-site is, I am sorry to say, beyond rancid. I'm not a coffee snob but it was barely drinkable. However, just behind the hotel is a row of shops including a Morrisons, cafes, barbers and a pharmacy. The Morrisons has a Costa machine, by the way.
Truthfully, I was expecting the worst for a big event at a big hotel in the peak season of a town having a big tourism upswing in 2024. This is not a 4 star hotel but its "affectionate" nickname of "HMP Norbreck" is unfair.