Wessex Hotel

We had the misfortune of staying at the truly awful Wessex Hotel as part of a coach tour (Festival of Lights) with Majestic Coach Tours. My suspicion is that Majestic optimise their profits by paying peanuts to use substandard hotels. I guess it’s the only way that the Wessex can fill their rooms, as nobody in their right mind would choose to stay here. We stayed in room 107. Upon opening the door we were greeted with a pungent musty smell. We deduced that the smell was a combination of a rotting window frame, damp peeling wallpaper, filthy carpet and dust. We also couldn’t miss the mouldy black bathroom sealant and rusty taps. I (foolishly) attempted to make a cup of tea but it was undrinkable due to all the floating limescale from the filthy/dusty kettle. My son attempted to have a shower and called me in upset, saying that the shower hurt! The shower head only provided a few needle like jets of water, which we were unable to adjust. It was also impossible to regulate the temperature. We then tried the TV, noting that someone had thoughtfully trailed the aerial lead across the window and secured it to the glass with silver tape, this still only achieved 2 channels though. We then tried to connect our iPad and phone to the hotel WiFi, this was incredibly weak and we had to stand in the corridor outside our room for connection. Next came dinner - brace yourself! Upon our table sat a grubby jug of water and 4 smeared glasses. Staff began serving ‘vegetable soup’ the smell of which made us feel slightly nauseous. We had a vegetable pasta, which was both crunchy and soggy and contained unidentifiable vegetables. We were also given a tray of undercooked cauliflower in a watery cheese sauce, a lump of mashed potato and school dinner style slices of cabbage. The staff kindly made our children chicken nuggets but they only ate a few mouthfuls, saying it tasted like fish. Finally the apple crumble arrived, this seemed to have lost its crumble and the apple was coated in such a thick layer of cinnamon that my son actually spat it out coughing! Given the lack of hygiene and astonishingly poor quality food, we decided to avoid any further experience of hotel catering. The only positive I can draw is that the staff were friendly, we felt sorry for them working here. Naturally the Wessex hotel did not request any feedback. I have emailed feedback to Majestic who have shown no interest in replying. Huge pity that Majestic treat their customers like this. The actual coach trip was good and we loved Longleat Festival of Lights. However I can’t more strongly advise you to stay away from this hotel. The best part of it is leaving!

Very tatty, scruffy looking hotel. The reception staff were rude, curt, unhelpful, unfriendly, and unprofessional. The decor inside was tatty. The lift was very noisy, rattling and juddering. The room door frame was loose, cold see through the gaps, the lock didn’t work, inside was very tatty. The room was too hot, the radiator would not turn off because the TRV was faulty. We told the manager, he couldn’t care less, he said that the heating was off a time switch and nothing could be done, so I got my multitool with pliers and turned the thing off myself. No choice off tables for dinner, no choice of times. We were on a Majestic coach trip to longleat, never again, The manager told us we arrived together we eat together! It was a free for all to get a table. Two coach tours in dining room, three waiters, took 30 mins to take order, an hour to get starters, two and a half hours to get served, didn’t wait for coffee. Food was utter crap. Same story at breakfast, tiny portions of burnt dried out crap. Complained to majestic via a review request that they sent me, didn’t get any response, sent them an email voicing my complaints, but no response. Majestic tours are a very poor company using inferior hotels. Will never use them again.

We were a group of ten seniors on a tinsel and Turkey break coach holiday. The Hotel was convenient to walk into Street. The Wessex Hotel was really good for us. The staff were brilliant. Very attentive and nothing too much trouble. Always had a smile and a chat when possible. Molly was a real gem. So happy in her work and a 'Jack of all trades' taking the bingo session as well as the quiz night, as well as waitress at meal times. She was mature for her young age and a credit to the Hotel. Dining room staff Art, India, Molly (of course) Chris, and Cassandra in Management all deserve a mention. Entertainment could have been better with a live singer instead of disco type music two nights running. And of course mock 'New Year's Eve', we had a quiz and no entertainment as the Hotel had been let down with the booking!! Didn't deter us though, we sang Auld Lang Syne' together. Thanks to all.