The Brentwood Hotel by Greene King Inns

The Brentwood is basically a large pub/grill house . We arrived about 3 on Sat afternoon, very busy with hen party and baby shower and a pub full of other customers! Check-in was a cubby hole behind a half door with a sign saying 'we are busy please ring the bell (a push button )' When the lady arrived it seemed as though we were a nuisance , no showing us the way to the room or anything. On getting to the room I found that the bedside light did not work so took the bulb out and wandered around till I found someone, when I asked for a new bulb, I was asked what room and then told that it wasn't the bulb but faulty wiring!! No offer to change rooms! On returning that evening we went into the bar for a drink to find a notice on the tills that owing to 'Refurbishment ' the kitchen would close at 7 the next night (Sun) and the bar at 9 pm. When I pointed out that we were booked in for Sunday night and Breakfast on Monday morning, Iwas told I would be given a refund for the missed breakfast!! Why was I not told of the refurbishment when I booked or even when I checked in.At 8.30 the next morning the place was a Building site !! The main entrance was shut with a cherry picker working on the sign above the entrance and no staff anywhere, I am still waiting for my refund for breakfast !!!!!

From 8pm on the 23/02/2018 until 2am on the 24/02/2018 there was noise, banging, shouting, swearing, I went to the reception to get help from the night staff because of what was happing in the adjoining room to me and there was no one. I rang the buzzer and called the two phone numbers that was there and got no answer, so with that I packed my thing's, cancelled my meeting that I was to attend on the 24th and made my way home which was a 110 miles back to Northumberland. This was the worse hotel I have ever encountered. I am 62 and travelled and stay at many hotel in the country and never stay anywhere where there was no night staff for help if you needed it, and boy I needed it on the night in question. I did however get a full refund, only after I had contacted them, I was so surprised that they never contacted me considering that I did leave a full documented message on there answering machine.

Nice hotel and pleasant booking experience. Room was right at top of hotel, 3 flights of stairs, and for someone with knee problems, not so good. Room spotlessly clean but radiators didn’t work so very cold although there was an oil filled rad in the room (they obviously knew heating didn’t work but didn’t tell us). No heating in bathroom so bitter cold and over our stay we couldn’t get any hot water through the shower at all. Only booked for two nights so ‘made do and mend’ without any fuss. When we checked out we were asked about our stay and at this point we did tell them our complaints. There answers were oh yes we do have an issue with radiator but will get someone to check it and the water can be very temperamental, you should have come and told us. With us only staying a couple of days we weren’t too bothered but if had stayed longer would have been a nightmare and we would have asked to move because hotel side of business didn’t appear that busy. Male member of bar staff very ignorant, would rather stand with his back to customers doing nothing than serve you.

Arrived at the hotel late in the evening. The person at reception had the personality of a dead fish. Monosyllabic responses to questions. Bar/Lounge ran out of ice. Claimed the ice maker was down and maintenance could not be performed for a couple of days. Hotel is old. You can tell by the over-painting of fixtures on the walls that were left after something was removed. Breakfast was not good. Eggs were not cooked to a level that could be eaten. Looked like porridge with large lumps and very runny. Hotel should be rated at 2 stars, not the 3 stars that are on your website.

Stayed for business on January 8-11, 2018 The assets of this hotel are the great staff that are helpful, friendly and nothing is too much trouble including the staff at the restaurant. Special mention to Liz and Jo at the reception :) both so kind. The hot water is always available and the family room we stayed at is a good size with comfortable firm bed and fluffy pillows. The hotel looks a bit tired and the toilet can be modernised but the price is reasonable so you can't expect luxury. This hotel is a walking distance to the hospital so it is very convenient to what I needed. Plenty of parking spaces too.