Hotel Indigo Exeter by IHG — Hotel in Exeter

We were checked (1600ish) in by Ansor who greeted us perfectly. Welcome Platinum Elite, points or drink and commented on we had a nice room (804) and had we stayed before to which we said yes. He did comment that he had started at 0630 as his morning staff had not arrived and then his afternoon shift had also not arrived, so he would be working until 2130.

We went to our room which was boiling as the air conditioning was not on. When we did turn it on it was so poor that even at the lowest temperature and highest fan speed you could hardly feel it. The rest of the hotel was also the same as from the lift to our room it was very very warm.

We noticed that the room wasn`t very clean as the coffee table was covered in glass/mug marks. The teas and coffees were quite sparse as well. The TV also had a router hanging down from underneath the tv which was unsightly and potentially dangerous. Also the TV was not connected to the internet, therefore not allowing us to cast to it. The lamp shade was also very bent and would not straighten up as was at quite an angle. Small thing I know but in your “best room” these things should be addressed by housekeeping.

In the morning we took breakfast and a lot of the previous issues we have commented on were still present. No real re-stocking of fruits/cheeses/cereals/yoghurts etc. Also with my wife being a vegetarian the cheeses were right next to the meats and cross contamination was incredibly likely by using the same tongs. There were no glasses at all or any of the orange/apple juices. There were some piled on the bar so I grabbed a couple. Unfortunately the orange juice I had was fizzy, which normally means it had been left for some time and was turning acidic. My wife ordered the avocado and poached eggs. They had chilli either in the avocado or tomatoes which meant my wife was unable to eat and the young lady serving had no idea if chilli was included but it was not on the menu. She kindly took it away and came back some time much later (after I had finished mine) with the vegetarian option which looked like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for some time as it was very dry and even the small pot of beans had a skin on. The lady who was sitting at the table next to us had to send her breakfast back as she had ordered salmon & poached eggs on a muffin, however they had forgotten the muffin. They took the plate away and she had to wait probably a good 10-12 minutes for her replacement/complete order. Not once in the 60-70 minutes that we were having breakfast did we see anyone replenish any of the buffet items.

Also the air conditioning was still not working in the reception/restaurant area so was very warm.

We returned to our room after breakfast, which was still hot as the air conditioning was not working well enough to cool the room to a satisfactory level.

We sat in our room for a while and had to open the doors/windows to let in some breeze to try and cool the room down.

Housekeeping knocked on our door and asked to service our room. I said hello again as I recognised her from our last stay. She looked confused and then said “you come from Wembley” and I replied “Wimbledon but close enough” and laughed.

We left the room and went out for the day and said to the young man on the front desk that the TV wouldn`t connect to the internet and the router was hanging down under the TV. He said he would address it as he could fix virtually anything.

We returned later in the afternoon only to find the hotel was still very warm and the air conditioning units pumping out warm air. As we walked into the room the lampshade fell off the lamp. I went to try and put it back in place only to find it had snapped clean off revealing live wires! I also noticed the router had been hidden away. I can only assume when he attempted to fix the TV (which all he did was push the router behind the tv as it was still not wired up properly and wouldn’t connect to the internet) that he damaged the lamp even more than it was before.

We noticed also that the bed hadnt really been made, only how we had left it. The coffee table was sill dirty and the coffee cups, biscuits, coffee, tea and milk hadnt been replaced. The housekeeper had taken the virtually empty milk bottle but didn`t think to replace it, very odd. We left to go out for dinner and said to the new gentleman on reception of the issues with the tv, the dangerous lamp and the coffee and milk etc. He made a note and said he would address it as soon as possible.

We returned from dinner several hours later and I used my complimentary drinks vouchers for a G&T only to be told there wasnt enough of my chosen Gin to complete my drink. I could have chosen another but decided to stick with my choice, but surely there should be a back up supply on spirits as they dont take up a lot of space and the bar staff should really be aware of relevant stocks. Also when we returned to our room, the tv was still not fixed, the lamp was still showing expired live wires and still no replenishment of coffee/milk etc etc.

The following morning we weren`t able to have any in room refreshments. We made our way down to breakfast. I must admit I had the best Full English Breakfast I have had in the several stays we have made at the Indigo Exeter. However my wife had the vegetarian option again which was better than the day before but only by a small margin. The avocado that came in a small ramakin was going brown as it had been left out for some time, possibly even overnight and the fried eggs were saturated in oil, requiring her to use a napkin to remove a lot of it. Again after another 60-70 minutes only once did I see a young chap put some glasses by the orange/apple juice but none of the buffet items were replenished.

Before this stay I had already booked myself and my parents to stay in the balcony suites on the 8th floor as it is their 60th wedding anniversary (12+13AUG) as a surprise. However after yet another disappointing stay we are giving very serious consideration to moving to another property as we do not have any confidence that in the next few months that anything will improve as it hasn`t since we first stayed last year.

This is such a shame as we use Indigo`s more regularly than any other brands and the award winning Stratford Upon Avon and Bath properties are in different leagues.

On one final point we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Swindon West the night before we stayed with you to shorten our journey and their breakfast service although quite basic, they were amazing at keeping things replenished, food and cutlery etc. The rate I paid for my room and two breakfasts was less than the cost of two breakfasts...

Posted on behalf of partner. I paid for this trip so was dismayed that this was her experience

Don't expect anything. No spa. No Cocktails. No Rooftop Bar. No Taking Your Order At Your Table.

I stayed for one night at the Hotel Indigo in Exeter. My partner had given me for my birthday a spa treat and so I found Hotel Indigo which had great reviews. I called to book a room for one night with my friend. We meet up once a year and Exeter is our midway point (she is in Cornwall, I am in the midlands). I have a toddler so my once a year trip away is much needed! When I booked the room I explained it was a spa break and that I would also like to book treatments. That is fine, came the reply. And she said after I had booked and paid for the room she would forward me to the spa reception. So I paid almost £200 for a room and then waited on hold. And waited. I gave up after twenty minutes and called again the next day. As did my partner. Repeatedly. Then I emailed reception with my request. I received no response.

Ten days later we arrived at the hotel at 2.30pm to check in. Although disappointed that we wouldn’t have treatments I thought at least we can use the spa facilities during our visit. We were told by hotel reception to pop down to the spa and speak to the spa girls. We did as advised; to find the door locked and nobody there. We went back to reception and was then told by Danny that he knew the 4-6 slot was full and there were no more slots available for the day. I explained that I had emailed and phoned and he was very sweet but couldn’t help.

We tried the spa again about an hour later and still there was nobody there and the door was locked.

So there was nothing else we could do. I decided that we should go out shopping and then go for a rooftop drink before dinner. We went up only to find that that was closed.

Then at 10.30pm I suggested we try the main bar for a cocktail only to be told that the bar wasn’t doing cocktails and they would be shutting in fifteen minutes.

In the morning we went for breakfast at our allotted time and the waitress gave us the menus and then we never saw her again. After fifteen to twenty minutes of waiting I got up and asked the staff who were chatting by the continental area if I was supposed to order from them.

The hotel is beautiful, the interior design perfection and most of the staff are sweet but it isn’t enough. I booked your hotel because I wanted a spa break and could not have been clearer with the woman when I booked and before I paid for the room. Frankly it is fraud to take my partners money and then not allow me to use the hotel for the reason I had booked it. If you say it is a spa hotel, then it shouldn’t be mission impossible to be able to use it. If you advertise a rooftop bar, it should say clearly that it is not open on a Monday. It was a long way for us both to come for us to be let down so badly. I politely complained when we checked out and a manager Alexandra Taflan told me to email her. I did but surprise, surprise, no response. It is great that the reviewers for the Times and Luxury Lifestyle Mag had a wonderful time there and enjoyed all the facilities, but ordinary people such as myself and my friend should have the same great service.

UPDATE Carl if you read the review you can see my partner has alread emailed Alexandra and had...

During my recent stay at the Indigo Hotel Exeter, I had the pleasure of interacting with some truly outstanding members of your team.

Amira at Reception was an absolute star from the moment I arrived. She was warm, professional, and incredibly helpful during check-in and throughout my stay. When a small issue arose, Amira immediately addressed it with grace and generosity — even offering complimentary drinks as a thoughtful apology. Her customer service was top-notch, and she made me feel genuinely welcomed and valued. I strongly recommend considering her for Employee of the Month — she truly deserves it.

Additionally, I would like to highlight Rubi at the bar. She was incredibly polite, attentive, and created a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere every evening. Her positive energy and professionalism stood out and made a big difference in my overall experience. Rubi is a real asset to the team and I believe she should be rewarded with a well-deserved bonus for her efforts.

Now, onto a less positive note — I do want to address a disappointing experience we had during breakfast service. We arrived at the restaurant around 7:30 AM, and unfortunately, the buffet was completely empty. I managed to find just two pieces of salami, but there was nothing else available at the time. What followed was a 40-minute wait just to be asked what we wanted to order. Despite us asking for help multiple times, it took three attempts before we were finally attended to, and then the food itself didn’t arrive until nearly 20 minutes later.One of other clients stated to waiter that she will take somebody’s else food if he can not find who order it, as she was waiting as well and could not get served.

I understand that the staff may have been under pressure — one team member in particular seemed overwhelmed, which is entirely understandable. However, when a guest politely asked why service was delayed, the only response given was “everyone is waiting.” This kind of communication, especially so early in the morning, left us stressed and disappointed — particularly since we were at risk of being late for our day’s plans.

To be clear, our overall experience was very positive and the staff — especially the women we interacted with — truly made our stay enjoyable. But I do think the breakfast service and morning management need to be reviewed. Long wait times and poor communication at 7:30 AM are not ideal, and no guest should feel the need to argue to get basic service.

Thank you again to Amira, Rubi, and the amazing women who brightened our visit and for making my stay so memorable. The Indigo Hotel is lucky to have such dedicated and delightful staff. With a few improvements to the breakfast service and management, this hotel could offer a flawless guest experience. 5⭐️ review earner by...