Waterfront Southport Hotel — Hotel in Sefton

Lovely two day stay for a family reunion.||We used to meet up every year, many years ago so decided to make the effort this year.|The hotel is lovely, great location, lovely staff, a little worn in places ( to be expected) the bar area had a lovely veranda we could all sit and have a good catch up.||The bar prices were a little on the pricey side but we were away and you expect this.||The rooms were spacious, again a little tired, the bed was dipped in the middle, a few minor issues but nothing we wanted to make a deal out of. We asked for extra pillows as only one each on the bed and it was accommodated with no issues.||Car parking is £15 per night under the hotel, again a little pricey but we did get a good rate on the room price so good out weighs bad.||Breakfast was nice, buffet style but hot plates which was a bonus, last chance of cold food. Nice pastries, a good selection.||On the Friday night they were understaffed so service was a little slower, not a problem in some aspects. The happy hour ran from 6-8 so two for one on cocktails, we tried to take advantage but on one occasion because we didn't ask for two of the same cocktails we only got made one, when questioned it could not be rectified because it had gone through the till so another could not be made which was a little strange, as a group we did spend a small fortune in the bar.||The slow dinner service did not bother us, we knew they were understaffed but the issue with my food was not dealt with great customer service.||The waitress took our order and I did stress as I do in all restaurants when I order steak to bring it out very well done and burnt I cannot do pink and I did not want to send it back, she wrote it down, laughed etc, when the mains came out it was beyond pink and nearly raw in the middle, I told the manager, I apologised and did stress to the waitress and he apologised and took it back, not a problem.||Twenty minutes passed and my party had finished their meals so I was getting agitated and gone off the meal as it meant eating alone, it was chased and it finally came out. I said it was unacceptable and I was told it could not be helped and they were understaffed, granted, but still unacceptable and I would not be paying for the steak and I did not want to sit eating alone, and gone off the idea. He then argued that the steak read the correct temperature in the first place! which was impossible as it was raw in the middle to which the rest of my party agreed. I said you can leave it or take it away and I was not paying for it as by this time I was not happy with his response to the problem so he said ok and snatched it away from in front of me and took it back to the kitchen - very unprofessional.|Up until that point of him telling me I was wrong about the steak not being well done in the first place, I was polite, I even apologised when it went back as if I had made the mistake, I hate anything like that which is why I stressed to the waitress when I ordered to not bring it out until cooked through, we as a party were happy to wait longer for all meals to come together.||Overall we had a lovely weekend, I would stay again, shame about the dinner experience as it did ruin a very good day with family, that was long overdue.|We have a lovely meal in town on the Saturday night and there were plenty of places to eat nearby, I would not eat in the...

On arrival, the first impression wasn’t great. The outside of the hotel looked dirty, with an empty building on one side and construction on the other. I can accept the construction work, but the neglected building really detracts from the entrance.||Once inside, the hotel was smart, modern, and very spacious. Our room was clean and comfortable with a partial sea and lake view. We were also able to watch the airshow from one of the public function rooms, which was a real highlight. The hotel staff running the event were fantastic.||Food and drink prices were steep, so we only ate in the restaurant once at lunchtime. More lifts are definitely needed — we often spent up to 10 minutes waiting because people were calling them on different floors. Some of the low light fixtures are also easy to bump your head on; I saw this happen to several people.||Parking was convenient with an underground option, but very expensive at £15 per night compared to £5 in the nearby public car park. I later discovered that parking is free if you book directly with the hotel, so it’s swings and roundabouts depending on how you book.||The room itself was clean, comfortable, and well equipped with a fan, ironing board, etc., but I felt it was missing some basics such as a fridge and complimentary water (although there were nice biscuits provided daily). Milk was offered, but it wasn’t fresh, which a fridge would have helped with. Paper information was provided, but the text was faint and skewed on the page. I only discovered the TV information system on the last night, and room service information wasn’t clear (and I later heard it may no longer be offered).||Beds were comfortable and the free Wi-Fi was appreciated, though I noticed no pillow protectors, which I’d expect in a four-star hotel. Some of the furniture and décor looked tired (peeling paint, old-style phones, dusty tops of wardrobes). Housekeeping came early each day, but bedding wasn’t changed all week and towel replacement was inconsistent.||Reception staff felt a little cold and unwelcoming. I had flagged in advance that it was my 50th birthday, but this wasn’t acknowledged. A request for a bath mat and extra pillow wasn’t met on the first night and only fulfilled after asking again the next morning — quickly, once the right staff were involved.||A big downside was the Saturday night wedding, which we weren’t informed about when booking. The music was extremely loud and went on until 12:30am. I eventually had to phone reception to ask when it would stop, and only then did the noise finally end. This was especially disappointing as the website advertises “soundproofed rooms,” which ours clearly wasn’t. Adding to this, the hotel bar closed at 11pm, so it was meant to be quiet after that, which it clearly wasn’t.||On the positive side, the hotel left free airshow tickets and personalised seating in our room, which was a nice touch.||Overall:|This hotel has a lot of potential — smart interiors, spacious rooms, great event staff, and excellent views. But the outside appearance, high costs, tired details in the rooms, lack of clear communication, and noise from events let it down. With more attention to detail and better guest communication, it could truly deliver a...

Great Location but poorly executed. Considering this hotel is on the seafront you'd think you could sit in the coffee shop and look at the sea but no. There is nowhere in the hotel to see the sea except your room! What a wasted opportunity. I was with elderly people who wanted to spend most of their time in the hotel and a decent coffee shop would have been very welcome. A total missed money making opportunity for the hotel. Instead there are a few sofas in the reception area next to the restaurant with no views whatsoever. The hotel corridors are cold and the interior of the lifts too. The rooms however are lovely and warm. The thermostat goes up to 28 which is welcome in winter. My toilet wouldnt flush properly but i could manage and my parents hotel phone didnt work (both reported on check out). There was no information sheet in my room (regarding internet access and dining times etc) I used the one in my parents room instead. I told the cleaner in the morning that she needn't make up the room just replace the tea/coffee etc. She didn't clean/replace the coffee cups however which were right next to the tea coffee setup and clearly dirty. I would have thought replacing dirty cups would have been obvious. ||The restaurant food in the evening was delicious. Worth staying in and paying a bit more than going out in the cold. We stayed twice for breakfast which was good value for £13. A little more attention is needed in the restaurant though. I had to go to 3 tables to get a salt cellar that had salt in it. Why can't they check when they clean the tables and set up in the morning? There was a filthy cup amongst the teacups (no saucers) and a dirty long spoon also (no teaspoons at all this morning). Either provide mugs or cups with saucers. It just isn't right to provide tea cups without saucers. Another annoying thing is that there are teapots (lovely) but only giant jugs of milk so you can take a bit pot of tea to your table but have to go back and forth every time you wanted milk for your 2nd or 3rd cup !! Please provide small milk jugs. These little touches could have made all the difference. It just seemed like the obvious has been overlooked. Poached eggs were cooked perfectly both days. I didnt try the other cooked breakfast items but they looked ok. ||The waitresses work very hard and did an excellent job. On our first morning there was only one on duty having to seat, serve, look after refilling the food stations and clean tables too !!! A lot of work...