The Portland Hotel - JD Wetherspoon — Restaurant in Chesterfield

The Staff on Reception were very helpful and friendly and the room was really good with everything you could want - kettle, tea including decaf, coffee including decaf, milk, sugar with a selection of biscuits, TV, hairdryer, iron, dressing table, table & chairs, phone, lamps, wardrobe space with wooden hangars, beautifully scented liquid soap & hair & body wash. I stayed in a double room with a bath and shower combined which was problematic for me as a disabled person, but I booked a special deal room and requested no steps, but I didn't think to put shower only. I now know there is a room with a level access shower specifically for disabled people, so I'll know next time. I only gave 4 stars for service as the bar itself wasn't as good as I would have expected. I was a couple of minutes late going down for a meal, (didn't check in until 7pm as took longer than expected to pack and get ready, then having to book a Taxi as it was too late to rely on catching 2 buses from where I live), after unpacking, settling in and getting changed, it was getting late and the last meal was served at 11pm, (no room service offered). Left room at 10:55pm but had to wait for the lift coming and then there was only one server behind the bar who was busy - it was 11:02 by then and he told me the kitchen was closed as everything had already been switched off, (there weren't many customers that night so they probably shut the kitchen early), so I didn't get anything hot to eat, plus the night receptionist told me there wasn't anywhere else outside that would still be serving food, not even a chip shop! He brought me some ice in a bucket promptly and was very friendly. I asked him for a wake up call before he left at 6:30am so I could go for an early breakfast, (he knocked on my door as arranged). The morning receptionist was really nice too when I asked for help with using the shower, (curtain had come off, plus didn't know how to switch it on, then couldn't get the plug out - I'm a pensioner and hadn't stayed in a hotel for several years, I'd booked it to celebrate being discharged from hospital for Cancer and recovering from an illness that had made me housebound for 4 months, so I was getting very anxious). Due to this I decided to pack before going for breakfast as check out was 11am - by the time I'd packed, left my Case & Bag at reception to collect later before going home it was nearly midday. I ordered a small breakfast - Bacon, Egg, 2 Hash Browns, Sausage, Beans & Toast - I had to wait over 20 mins as it was very busy, so I got a Latte, when it arrived the Toast was burnt and the baked beans were cold, so I took it back, then waited another 20 minutes for the replacement, which sadly still wasn't much better, but I ate it anyway, (being busy is no excuse for badly cooked, cold food, especially when I'd already returned one - I frequent other Witherspoon's and the food is excellent & prompt - The Stag & Pheasant, Mansfield is my favourite and is always packed). I've been to this Hotel since for an All Day Brunch of Bacon, Egg, Sausage, Chips & Beans and had to return it again as the egg was undercooked and the beans were cold, yet they proudly advertise they have 5 stars...

Unfortunately this particular hotel/pub has gone drastically down hill over the past few months for customer service and food/hygiene. It was one of my favourites in our lovely town but of the past few occasions we've visited as a family or just a couple of us it has been an unfavourable place. There are regularly disrespectful / drunk people there that are loud or abusive and are never asked to leave.. Recently upon a birthday family meal our order was placed through their app from our table, our food came by 2 separate servers, but they misplaced one meal, it took them over 20 minutes to replace this meal with should have taken all of 5 minutes to be quite honest.. It was just a jacket potato! It had also been the 2nd meal on an order of 5 people! We were given excuses of busy and short staffed ( which when we ordered it was neither busy or looked short staffed, I counted 6 members on the floor and bar area alone, Nevermind the kitchen staff ) by an overly uninterested server, she made it blatantly obvious she couldn't have cared less, we asked to see a manager but one never turned up. At the end of our stay yet another server who looked extremely embarrassed and mortified to be clearing our table was asked if there was a manager available to which he mumbled, "I don't think he's available at the moment" and stuttered a few other things.. Leaving our presence quickly with just a couple of the plates.. I've never felt so sorry for a member of staff in a while and I work in a very large retail place! It was obvious he'd been sent instead of either of the others who had already been to our table and couldn't be bothered.. The food was no where near the amazing food from a few months back, it was like it had been already cooked hours before and just warmed slightly in a microwave.. 1st time leaving so much food on our plates too.. Very saddening to say the least!! We also endured screeching children running riot and sitting at others tables and one who threw their shoes across the pub narrowly missing people on their way!

Sum up, OK if you want a beer outside, mind the kids and their parents who care so little and you'll be fine.. Otherwise, go across road to sun or up through market, there plenty of other pubs which we'll now be...

Saturday 11th May was booked for 10 people (five twin rooms)|This was for family as far apart as Newcastle, Cambridge and Princes Risborough near Oxford. It was a get-together as we dont get to see each other that often|I searched for hotels and came across The Portland which, when I realised it was a Wetherspoons didnt sound too inviting.|Still - it was smack in the centre and looking at the site it seemed reasonable @ £92 per night - rooms looked good|There were still certain reservation about actually using a Wetherspoon hotel||HOWEVER - HOW WRONG COULD WE BE|The rooms were absolutely superb - clean modern rooms with wide single beds and fantastic spacious bathrooms. Showers are wonderful. Facilities were eveything you wanted with coffee tea and complimentary bottled water.||Access and booking into the hotel was easy and the warm welcome we received was a real pleasure. We were asked to pay a car parking charge of £10 per vehicle as the hotel has a policy of pre-booking spaces at the hotel (there arent that many so I would recommemd you ask and confirm when booking. We were given parking notices to leave in the car).||We went to the bar for lunch (huge very busy bar - which is why were a little suspicious of booking a Wetherspoons in the first place ). Loads of staff working very hard We ordered food and drinks - at this point (with everything being a plus so far, we had our first minus as the food was cheap but of poor quality (wraps of various sorts). However with beer (Ruddles) at £1.79 per pint we soon got over the problem ( i wonder why).||The following morning breakfast (full English and other choices) ranged from pretty good to really good with some meals a little lukewarm but really good value for money.||I want to finish the review going back to the surprise we got with the quality of the rooms. All of our party have said they would be more than happy to return and if the quality was the same at other Wetherspoons hotels across the UK we would not hesitate to use them again.||I thank all concerned for making our...