Rhinefield House Hotel - Brockenhurst, United Kingdom 

Previously stayed at the Rhinefield in March 2008 on one of their special rates. Whilst the hotel is in a magnificient setting, I can understand people's disappointment if they paid the full rate. The room was nicely decorated with a luxurious bathroom and all the "equipment " worked but yes housekeeping is an issue. Rooms aren't cleaned until later in the day, half bottles of water left, towels missing and crockery piled up in the corridors all day. Even so there are some good points: food was lovely, setting is nice, rooms and bathrooms are nicely turned out. If you get a special rate go, if not don't bother - far to expensive for the lack of little touches expected of a 4 star hotel. Couldn't have been that bad - staying again shortly but maybe because its another deal and there are very few nice hotels in the new forest - stayed in most of them (usually tired and dated). If you can overlook the tired corridors, staff that seem disorganised but not impolite, lack of signage (hey go exploring!), a gravel carpark set away from the hotel (bit iffy in the dark), no air cont, housekeeping that can't finish on time - you will have an enjoyable stay!

I stayed for two nights for a wedding reception during early July 2008. I was forced to stay in to different rooms due to lack of availability, both of which were poor overall. My first night, in a suite, was on one of the most uncomfortable beds I have ever slept on (I resorted to the sofa). The TV's, though impressive, didn't work - in fact, on closer inspection one of them wasn't even wired in, and bare wires were hanging out of the wall.... (legal?) The second nights stay was in one of the more "basic" rooms, which do not even have air conditioning. For $450 a night, not having air conditioning is a joke - especially when it is so hot at the moment. My bathroom was not clean to a good standard and the shower seemed to have trouble giving any hot water. The wedding reception (the reason we were there) was a joke - no management, terrible staff, warm white wine, NO chilled CHAMPAGNE, the rudest, most ignorant bar staff I have ever met and a general aire of complete chaos. We were lucky that members of the family and friends stepped in during the morning to help arrange the room and decorate, as the staff at Rhinefield certainly wouldn't have done it otherwise. The wedding planned from Rhinefield didn't actually turn up... (something better to do?). the food - though generally good - gave a few of our guests (including those not drinking!) upset stomachs on Sunday morning. The reception staff were rude, barely spoke English and the service was utterly impersonal. I have had better service staying at cheap motels in third world countries. The bar area is in desperate need of a deep clean - hideously smelly carpets, run down seating etc all make it feel like a room in cheap, dirty pub rather than a "4-star" venue. Rhinestone looks run down, is showing signs of poor management and seems to have trouble with staff. Whilst this may have been a "handpicked" venue a few years ago, I'd struggle to say it was that now. I certainly wouldn't stay again. If you're considering a wedding here, head to Lainstone.