Hampshire Court Hotel (QHotel) – Review

The Q Hotel range is composed of 21 hotels across the UK, in places such as Winchester and Stratford-upon-Avon, so when we were inviting along to take a look we were really excited. The hotel can be found just three miles from the M3 and 45 minutes from London; therefore, making it well placed for visitors on business or visitors to Hampshire. Rooms come in a variety of 12 sizes and prices, meaning that there should be something here for everyone. Our first impressions of the hotel`s appearance were a little disappointing, due to a rather tired and uninspiring exterior. But we didn`t judge a book by its cover and went inside.

The open and modern lobby was a welcomed change as we entered the hotel. The staff at were reception were chatty, helpful and efficient. Upon arrival we were also pointed towards the hotel`s rather extensive sporting facilities. For example, there is a fully equipped eco-friendly gym, two swimming pools (one for adults and one for fun), indoor and outdoor tennis courts and a spa. With all of this in mind, there is no shortage of activities on hand for keeping fit and active. We were lucky enough to experience a spa treatment and it was a very relaxing experience indeed! Each of us enjoyed a back, neck and shoulder massage, which ironed out all of the knots and aches. Q hotels offer a very good range of great value spa break deals and they can be found here http://www.qhotels.co.uk/spa10.aspx. For example, mid-week visitors can experience a spa treatment (25 minutes), dinner and breakfast from a ludicrously cheap price of £99 per person. When you visit the spa at the Hampshire Court Hotel, be careful to ask for some directions, as it is a little difficult to find – but certainly worth it when you do!

The hotel has a total of 90 rooms and we were lucky enough to be put into one of the hotel`s suites. It was large, spacious and comfortable. The décor was modern, yet utilised limes and orange tones in order to evoke retro undertones. We rather liked it; however, this may not be to everyone`s taste. The room comes complete with a 32` LCD TV and a well kitted out bathroom complete with a drench shower-head. We also enjoyed the lounge area and this made for a nice space to relax and recline before leaving the room.

Having refreshed ourselves and built up an appetite, we went down the Hampshire Court`s restaurant, the Hampshire Restaurant. Unfortunately, our experience here was not a particularly positive one.

Firstly, to the service – there was a truly monumental mess with our drinks order – let me explain. We ordered the customary drinks when sitting at the table and when they arrived they were incorrect. That`s not a problem, we thought, so we asked for the drink to be replaced and waited patiently. After about 40 minutes my partner finally received her first drink and by this point the starter had already arrived. This just wasn`t good enough from a four star hotel. Secondly, there were some language issues with the staff, who failed to understand us and didn`t quite answer our questions – quite frustrating. Thirdly, some of the food wasn`t up to scratch, especially the duck liver pate, toasted brioche, fruit chutney (£5.50), which lacked flavour and excitement. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the seared rump of lamb, with dauphinoise potatoes and a rosemary jus (£17.50). The lamb was perfectly cooked and the rosemary jus formed a great accompaniment – gorgeous. Now, we don`t usually turn down a dessert, but on this occasion we were a felt a little dejected by the experience and made our exit.

All in all, our experience at the Hampshire Court hotel was a mixed bag and we were left weighing up the positives and negatives. Unfortunately, on this occasion, the experience fell just on the side of the latter. We just didn`t feel like the experience was a four-star one, as it was promised and as the website suggests. The flaws we experienced were not those of such an establishment, but one that needs a few tweaks and alterations.

For more information on the Q Hotel range, please go to: http://www.qhotels.co.uk/