The Royal Hotel

Afternoon tea was lovely. Lovely hotel and staff were polite and service was really good. The afternoon tea was nice although the sandwiches could do with a little more filling in as it is expensive. Cakes and warm scones with jam and cream were delicious. We ordered lattes and they were lovely. Hotel itself is nice, grounds are beautiful. The only downside was the parking was difficult for disabled family member and there were no spaces left so had to park a little walk away.

Having got your attention, if you are one of those travellers that like to look for defects and failings in a hotel, then you will be disappointed at the Royal! What makes this place so good is the staff. Everyone I encountered was welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly. More specifically, the landscapes were a credit to the gardener. It is an old building but little sign of maintenance problems. Everything worked, and at least our room and the public areas were smartly painted. Well done to the chambermaids, (if you call them that now), as our room was spotless. Reception staff welcomed everyone with a ready smile and offered advice and assistance. Special mention for the restaurant. Every dish from breakfast to dinner was really excellent. No wonder the chef has so many accolades, and, no doubt, a great kitchen support team. The serving staff were not only efficient but knowledgeable, especially Molly who was able to reel off the details of every course, just like those waitresses in high class American restaurants. She and Janice were watchful that one of our party, who was dairy allergic, was properly protected and catered for and ensured their colleagues knew this. Good to see the manageress (Sadir?) mucking in where required as well as chatting with guests to ensure their enjoyment and comfort. They all asked, without any sign of boredom, how we had enjoyed our day. I don't normally write such glittering reviews, few hotels deserve them and I must admit, by the end of our short stay, I was looking for shortcomings as I thought The Royal couldn't be that good, but it was! Just hope the new owner will allow and support his staff so that the tradition can continue. And no, I have no connection to the hotel, just enjoyed the stay and this review is a public thank you to them.

We visited in March. We were given a sea-view room, which was lovely to wake up to. The hotel is a bit dated, but is perfectly acceptable. Staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. Food was great, all cooked to order.

Enjoyed a very good stay in charming hotel. Good location and comfortable accommodation; excellent staff and food.

We were in room 42. It had a beautiful view of the gardens and the sea beyond. Utterly stunning. The hotel itself is very well situated. A short walk to town for the cafes, restaurants and pubs. A rather steep walk down to the sea front and beach. ( easier to go down and harder to go up!) The room was spacious and well decorated. However, certain parts were in need of updating and repair. Hopefully, the new owners will tackle that and bring The Royal back to its former glory. The best part was breakfast. Absolutely delicious. Order as much as you can want from the continental menu as well as one cooked breakfast. Nice to have table service from the attentive staff. The bar was expensive. £11 for a small glass of wine. After the first day, I just went to local pubs for a drink. The garden is gorgeous. There were gardeners doing some work during our stay. It was really nice. I would definitely stay at the Royal again and would recommend it to friends.

Fabulous hotel with the most exceptional food and staff. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and managed