Ellenborough Park

The hotel is located in a stunning listed building.

We booked this hotel expecting a 5-star spa weekend, as advertised, but the experience fell far short of those expectations. Overall, it felt more like a 3-star stay. The spa was particularly disappointing. The facilities feel run-down and cramped: a small, overcrowded room with a 6-person jacuzzi in the center and only two additional rooms for the sauna and steam room. When more than four guests are present, there is virtually no personal space, which completely undermines the idea of a relaxing spa experience. The overall SPA area felt dated and in need of a renovation, and lacked a lot of the polish that you would expect from a five-star hotel. The massage did not improve matters. The massage room felt old and poorly maintained, located at the top of a narrow spiral staircase which also did not feel renovated in a while. Considering the price, the experience was well below the standard of what you would get at most independent massage parlors in the country. The hotel also has an outdoor pool, but it is unheated and therefore only usable during the summer months. Another letdown was the dining experience. The cozy wooden dining room shown in photos appears to be used only for breakfast, which was good. Upon arrival at lunchtime, we were seated in a less flattering restaurant area where we had a very average sandwich, which again did not match the expectations set by the hotel’s presentation. To top it off, we were unable to pay with our American Express card because the payment terminal was not working and would not be fixed before the end of our stay. Aside from a quick apology from the desk staff, don’t expect the hotel to get much more concerned if you are unfortunate enough to encounter this type of issue. Ultimately, while the price may seem competitive for a five-star hotel, the quality of the facilities and services does not justify the label. Don’t be misled by the five-star rating: you will end up overpaying for what you receive.

For clarity, we are regular travellers and frequently stay in hotels and spa hotels. Positives: the location is wonderful. The hotel itself is a beautiful building situated in a beautiful part of Cheltenham. The rooms were spotless and very comfortable. Check in & out was quick and easy. We needed a room change due to our guests being unable to climb the stairs to the top room, which was done quickly and fuss free.

Ratings out of 10- Spa area - 4. As other reviews state, the spa is tiny and when there are more than a few guests using the facilities, it feels cramped and far from relaxing. I would say this can’t be referred to as a spa hotel. Restaurant - 6. For clarity 4 guests ate starters, main courses & deserts. The menu had good options, food was a decent standard, but considering the cost, we expected more for our money. Staff - 8 / Hotel management or owners 0. I don’t like leaving personal reviews with gripes about issues but I feel compelled to with this experience. The staff were polite, friendly, helpful and kind. However, and it is a BIG however: the owners of this hotel need to take a long look at themselves. I write the following with the price in mind, given that this is a very expensive hotel. The majority of the staff look poor. It sounds trivial but their shoes were scruffy and dirty & their outfits didn't look professional for the kind of experience you’re sold when booking. Some of the staff are not trained at all. The gentleman who took us to our room was very nice, but not trained. He took us to the wrong room twice. When we reached the correct room, he left us in the room, exited and 2 minutes later realised he’d forgotten to leave us with the card key. He returned, and using that card key, let himself into the room without knocking! On our desk he left a detailed list of all the guests staying in the hotel, with full names and the rooms they’d booked. This is not the fault of the staff. This is the owners. We feel they rely on the fact that the building and area are beautiful but do not invest anything in making the experience truly memorable when it comes to those they hire. Surely one of the biggest factors when creating a hotel! When you pay a high price for something you have high expectations. We try to be realistic with those but value for money is extremely poor here.

Lovely hotel- historic building and great surroundings. Service was good, especially Andrew at reception. Really nice, spacious rooms.

The spa was the only part that let down the hotel. It was dirty and far too small for the size of the hotel. Only 6 comfy chairs which quickly fill up. The staff didn’t clear drinks or rubbish when people left either, which was frustrating. This wasn’t the same as the rest of the hotel, where cleanliness was good.

Beautiful property, lovely food. Excellent rooms. Very very quiet.

Put the note on the door handle for a birthday breakfast in bed for 07:30 - 08:00 Note said put on the door before 3am. We put it out about 11 pm. 07:30 waiting for brekky in bed. Nothing. Waited til 08:00 then thought better check the note had been collected. Note was still on the door. Got up and went to the restaurant. Breakfast was great. Just a shame the service wasn’t what we paid for or expected

Beautiful

Nothing

Amazing rooms, beautiful property and setting. The room walked straight out to the pool and was stunning.

Drinks ordered online took a long time to arrive. Slight disconnect in this system