The Elms Hotel & Spa

We stopped on the dining package, one nights stay to include breakfast and £49 each towards the evening meal. The hotel is lovely, friendly staff, very nicely decorated and fitted out. In fact the interior design really makes the place seem quite exotic. Our room was large with a big double, I would have preferred a softer mattress, if I’d stayed more than one night I would need to see a physio! The room was really nicely decorated with tea, water, chocolate and apples in the room on our arrival. There are dressing gowns and slippers in the room to use at the spa. My only real gripe (I could live with the bed) was the shower which was over the bath. I’m sure they’ll get round to updating the bathrooms but ours although large was not reflective of the hotel. Anyone elderly or with mobility problems would have struggled with the bath/shower. I don’t think many hotel guests prefer a bath nowadays- so that was my only negative. Our breakfast was great and the dinner, the staff were excellent and service was very good. It’s a nice place just for a meal, but obviously the spa encourages a stag over. The spa itself was superb, very luxurious. The jacuzzi was lovely and hot. The main pool was too cool for me. But the room itself was warm and comfortable. It was a little busy when we first got in, with no seats available but eventually we got a couple. The gym is not bad, lots of running machines. I would have preferred a few more body building machines but the weights room was excellent and quite large. But to use the weights you need to be a bit more of a serious gym user than me. Overall the whole experience was great. Goosed value. I would definitely recommend for a celebratory stay.

Fantastic stay at The Elms. We had a very warm greeting from Sophie who was fantastic. Our luggage was taken to our room and we relaxed in the bar with a cocktail until it was ready. Our room was large and clean. Spa use and breakfast being included in the room rate was really brilliant and we spent all afternoon using the spa facilities, which were lovely and clean. The only feedback is there is not enough seating round the pool and no loungers - this would be very disappointing if booking a spa day but as a hotel guest it wasn’t a problem. The food was great, hot and delicious. The decor is fantastic, service was attentive and we had a brilliant stay. We would highly recommend.

The hotel is outstanding! Beautifully and imaginatively designed, casual and elegant. The bedrooms are excellent with every detail considered. Mattresses are comfy and fabulous power shower with wonderful smelling Temple spa products. The staff are attentive, warm and professional..nothing is too much trouble. The food is tasty, presented with flare and every diet catered for. The spa has the wow factor, organic, relaxing and exceptional! I had a deep tissue massage and this was heavenly!!! I didn't use the gym but it is spacious, light and well equipped. A walk around the immaculate gardens with amazing views...I have visited the Elms many times for stays and good and each visit is a total treat!!!

Initial impressions were amazing. The Christmas decorations (and decor generally) are absolutely stunning. Room was also really nice. Perfectly situated for wintry walks along the Worcester Way and it was lovely to jump in the hot hydro pool in the spa after a long walk. However, no staff at spa on our second evening so had to keep returning to hotel to fetch drinks and couldn’t find any towels and no one to ask. Room was really nice although bedside lamp on one side was broken with only one lamp attached and not two as on the other side. Shower was dreadful however - zero water pressure and one of those awful clingy shower curtains inside the bath. For me a big part of a successful stay is the food and drink and this is where the hotel lets itself down. A few improvements needed here to get to 4 or 5 stars. - limited menu with some strange combinations (scallops and hazelnuts and beetroot and coconut?) - I ordered the cod starter on our first night and it was so salty as to be inedible. When starter plates were cleared I mentioned this to waiter but no one seemed interested and certainly there was no offer to replace it, give me something else instead or remove it from the bill. - Wine we ordered was different year to one on wine list - needs updating - Margarita served in a half full whisky tumbler instead of the usual type of cocktail glass which made it look like they’d forgotten to pour half of it in! - Cocktail list very limited and unable to offer “classic” cocktails on request - gin and tonic glasses we took through from the bar to the restaurant were not cleared from our table all evening - I ordered a flat white coffee at breakfast and it was served cold (lukewarm at best) - scrambled eggs at breakfast also unbelievably salty (with big lumps of rock salt in every other mouthful). It’s a real shame as the place is lovely and the staff obviously mean well but they need to take a leaf out of the Manor Arms up the road (where the food and drink was absolutely top notch). Would recommend as a place to stay, just not a place to eat!

Impressive building with lots of character. You walk in to an excellent, dimly lit, on trend bar. Service at the bar took a bit of time and I was surprised that we were not served at the table. The order for the restaurant was taken at the table and our wine was walked through with a new bucket of ice on the table. The lunch was amazing, great starter, delicious main, very good value. My only groan is that there was nobody standing by in the dining room and keeping an eye out for requests from the diners. This meant having to wait until one of the waiting team came back and you caught their eye. The distance from the kitchen to the table doesn’t help their dilemma. Nonetheless we had a great time and relieved them of plenty of white Rioja. Excellent, well done team, but keep an eye on your audience!

Lovely, quirky hotel with comfy beds and large rooms. Everything you could need here incl apples and choc in the room. The spa was amazing and the only criticism I could find is that there weren’t enough seats around the pool for relaxing after using the wet areas. The hotel and spa was very clean and the decor so lovely. Will be coming back for certain. This is my new favourite spot