The Hambrough

Enjoyed our stay of 2 nights. Room 1 is spacious with excellent Seaview from the balcony. Service was very good and breakfast was good but disappointing that there was no self service buffet. It appeared bookings were low as we saw only one other guest. Eating was in the bar, restaurant was closed with no dinner available as the chef was on holiday and redecorating going on in the narrow entrance hall. The car park has narrow access, unlit and the access road poorly surfaced warranting care at night. We paid £180/night and we thought £150 would have been more appropriate given all the circumstances at the time of our visit.

Having been to the Isle of Wight over some ten years - the last time previously was i 2013, I wanted to show my partner what I so loved about the island. Back then The Hambrough was regarded as a boutique hotel of high standard, so I decided to book 3 nights. This I did on the phone and the lady that took my booking for room 1 - also kindly arranged for the ferry booking which helped greatly. Arriving at the hotel we were greeted courteously and made our way up to room 1, the view from this room is superb however notwithstanding this, the condition and décor fell way short of expectations. There was clearly an issue with the ceiling over the bay window, and the curtains were torn from sun bleaching. The general standard of cleaning was not what I would have expected. As this was a treat for my partner I chose not to raise this at this point as I didn't want to mar the stay. We ate on the restaurant that evening and the food and service were really good. The breakfast offering was good and freshly prepared and we enjoyed the start to the day on all 3 mornings. Such a shame that the environment was so tired and lacklustre On departure I gave feedback to the lady on reception and stated that I didn't feel that the offer was good value - she then went and got the manager, who came and we discussed my views - I was told that the price reflected that the room had sea views and a separate shower in the bathroom and it was in her words a large room. I said that the décor left a lot to be desired, I was offered a 10% discount on the price which I accepted. Overall I was disappointed as knowing the standards that the hotel had previously renowned for it was a shame to see how time had eroded this. When standards are high price is seldom an issue but when they drop then the question of value for money comes into sharp focus. As is said "Caveat emptor"

We had a wonderful stay at the Hambrough. Our ferry was delayed and Joanne was able to rearrange this which was so helpful. We had a warm welcome followed by an excellent dinner in the restaurant. Food was beautifully presented and delicious with great service. The room (5) was lovely with incredible views over the harbour, falling asleep hearing the waves was a bonus. Breakfast each day was also delicious, with such friendly service. The location is excellent, opposite the seafront whilst being 1 minute from the shops. Recommend highly.