Old Thorns Hotel Avis 

Having sampled the over-night hotel stays and been a member for 3 years of the Elevation Health Club, it is far from being as luxurious as they make out. I have had enough and quit, the last straw being the damage to my car in their carpark and the cavalier attitude of management.

The spa removed even the basics of a towel during most of my membership, and I think the spa poses a health and safety risk in that it only offers an antiquated water fountain, which is prone to failure. I have raised this issue on several occasions, but they hide behind the fact that there is another facility on the premises – upstairs in the gym, which would be unreachable in an emergency.

Add to this the constant lukewarm – if not cold – water in the showers and soap/shampoo often not topped up, like the sanitiser in the gym, it is far from a luxurious experience despite the high charges.

But to top it all, I stopped using the club during school holidays as they allow girls up to the age of 9 years (some are probably older as they don’t do any official check) into the men’s changing rooms with their fathers. The same applies to boys and their mothers in the ladies. I encountered this on at least two occasions, and it made me feel very uncomfortable, to say the least. I would be surprised if this is legal.

The last straw was when I recently came out to my freshly valeted car in the car park and witnessed one of the gardeners blowing grass cuttings and other debris over it. And after raising this with the gym manager, Anthony Potterton, I came out to my car on the next visit and the same thing had happened to it again, and to the car next door. Responsibility on this occasion was brushed off by the suggestion that it was caused by a low-flying helicopter, and I was told that Old Thorns did not accept responsibility for damage to vehicles, even though I witnessed their own staff committing the offence on the first occasion.

I wrote several letters to Old Thorns’ senior management, and they were all ignored until I mentioned I was going to write a review about it. I then received a phone call from the GM, Mr Benson-Flower, who agreed to pay me a nominal fee for a valet. That was over 3 weeks ago. The payment has never materialised and I have had e-mails to both Messrs Benson-Flower and Potterton completely ignored.

Such a shame when Old Thorns is in new ownership and management are treating customers like this.

I have been for another spa day and I like the venue but do think its a bit tired.. foot spa one not working .hot bed had tape on it .steps to pool chipped and dangerous .ladies changing room near spa facilities chairs absolutely filthy dirt covered in dust .. it all needs a bit of tlc

We had high hopes for our Dinner, Bed & Breakfast stay but it was a huge letdown:

• Serious cleanliness issues: Toilet in our room still had faeces from previous guests, hair in the showers, no conditioner, plus rust and mould.

• Tired & run-down spa: Mouldy ceilings, rusty handrails, broken tiles, non-working facilities. We left after a short time.

• Poor food & service: Cold starter we couldn’t eat, disappointing carvery, and slow/dismissive service. We tried to speak to the manager but were told to just email.

• Weak hotel response: Offered only a 30% future discount we didn’t want, ignored our photos, blamed us for not reporting issues on the spot (despite raising them with staff and Reception) and said that a beer and early check that had been offered was already substantial.

The gap between their marketing and reality is massive. We’ve now escalated to our credit card company for a chargeback.
Very poor experience overall. Think twice before booking.

The gym has a great range of equipment however the ladies changing rooms smell like sewage and made me feel sick, the jacuzzi had lots of dirt and grit in the bottom and the floors were dirty. Not what you would expect considering how much they charge, very disappointing

Hello,

I stayed with my sister and was not the luxury experience you would expect.

Unfortunately a bad review as something would not do.

Lovely reception staff to greet and book us in.
The spa was very over crowded. Would be better to have a selected Time slot.

Very rude bar manager

Could be better! Think needs to be better customer service

Awful experience at the hotel and with correspondence with Kamil Kurza the duty manager. £518 was paid for 1 night 2 people for the tribute night. Hotel room was ok, nothing special- toilet didnt flush well and there were spots of mould in bathroom but did not affect the use, have stayed in better rooms in a Premier inn tbh. The first act was good but short but the 2nd was awful was inappropriate and sounded nothing like the act they were impersonating! The food was abysmal, luke warm tomato soup with a part bake roll which tasted ok-its soup,cheap,cant really go too wrong, overcooked chicken for main with practically raw vegetables and potatoes and 3 warm cream profiteroles which were left- who wants warm cream?!. We complained to the waiter and he said we were not the first to complain and the amount of plates going back to the kitchen full was too many to count! Breakfast was ok but a long queue to get seated and lots of dirty tables- only one toaster machine working that you had to put bread through 3 times to get toasted. Spoke to reception the following morning to complain and they handed us a card and said to email a complaint in, the lady at reception was already aware of other complaints and was very apologetic. After emailing i was responded to with a very generic "thanks for letting us know your feedback is important bla bla bla" then goes on to say sorry food was not to your taste and that was it! Escalated the complaint to then be offered a gesture of good will! Mind you this stay was £518 for ONE night (this did include a 25 minute facial) They offered £12.50pp so £25 total on a £518 stay which was hugely disappointing. I have been to many tribute nights and this was double the price of others and the worst we have been to. They can stick there gesture of goodwill its pitiful.

Absolutely fab find. Beautiful extensive grounds, amazing dinner and fabulous breakfast. Need to stay more than one night to really enjoy it all properly as such a lot to see and do. Great price too for the escape package. Really helpful staff too.

Booked anniversary meal a while ago, two days prior get a call to say they have had to cancel the reservation as they don't have the numbers to make it financially viable for them $_&-+@,? Unbelievable won't be back.

Attended wedding and stayed 2 nights very disappointed that there was no air con in the bedrooms just a tower fan that did nothing. Considering this being a 4 star hotel it was disappointing for the money we paid

Old Thorns was a dream venue of mine, and in many ways, it delivered. The Hampshire Suite was beautifully light and intimate, and we loved how it connected to the outdoors. The food was absolutely delicious, and the bridal lounge was elegant and calming. The reception staff went above and beyond—treating us and our guests with warmth and thoughtfulness. One small example that meant a lot was being addressed by my new married name the next morning.

Unfortunately, the communication with the wedding coordination team fell well below expectations. We were passed between three different staff members during the planning process, and key information was lost in the handovers. Crucial details, such as when we could access the venue for setup, were left unanswered until the last minute, despite being told we’d have clear timelines weeks in advance. This lack of clarity caused unnecessary anxiety and stress.

The evening before the wedding was particularly disappointing. Despite sending over detailed room layouts and setup instructions, we arrived to find the space was not prepared as promised, and key tables were missing. Thankfully, the reception staff and a waitress stepped in to help, and their kindness made all the difference. But this support should have come from the wedding coordination team, not those outside their role.

There were numerous other issues with communication in the lead-up to the day: our pre-wedding dinner reservation was unexpectedly moved to an unsuitable location, guest room bookings were mishandled, and our questions during the menu tasting went unanswered. Even our planned venue space changed without notice,despite a year of décor preparation. On the day itself, while things ran smoothly overall, the tone from the coordinator felt abrupt and cold, which took away from the experience. Several promised details weren’t fulfilled, including care for my dress, which ended up muddy early on.

While the venue itself is beautiful and has so much potential, the coordination team appeared overwhelmed and under-supported. I hope that Old Thorns takes this feedback seriously and improves communication going forward. Couples deserve to feel valued and supported—especially when planning one of the most important days of their lives.

Holly & Ben Newton

I don't like giving bad reviews but feel that on this occasion I have no choice. I have rated one star because actually the staff are nice. I stay in a lot of hotels with work so paying £185 per night for a 2 night stay, I was expecting for this price, a quality hotel. First night, there was no bottled water in the room or air conditioning. The bed was rock hard and myself and my wife couldnt sleep, and got up early the next day with really bad backs. My wife also went to the toilet at 4am to discover silverfish on the bathroom floor. I complained to reception who to be fair moved us to a different room. Again, no bottled water, no air conditioning and the bed was again rock hard. I was informed that the reason there is no bottled water is because the tap water is safe to drink. No air conditioning is rectified by a fan in the room. The fan does not cool the room down enough.

The wifi is like going back to the 1990's, and if you are lucky enough to have reception on your phone (1 bar) you might be able to get online. The food for breakfast was ok, but nothing to write home about.

The annoying thing is, I could pay around £60 per night at a premier inn and get bottled water and air conditioning (not that I stay at premier inns) but for £370 for 2 nights, this is way over priced. I feel sorry for people who are going to go in the summer months when it's hot at night because it will be sweltering in the rooms.

The positive was that the pub down the road called the Deer Hut was absolutely amazing, good atmosphere good food and really friendly staff and patrons!

I would not stay here again, because for the money, to have silverfish, no water, no air conditioning and a bed that gives you a bad back, I would rather spend my money somewhere else that do not have these problems. This is a 4* hotel, and a high priced one at that. If I was considering a Spa break or even a golfing break, I would say there are way better places and probably half the cost! Avoid!

I'm truly disappointed to have to leave a bad review.
What we were hoping to be a nice quiet relaxing getaway ended up being one of the least enjoyable stays I've experienced. I was lucky enough to get a one night wonder package for two via work for 10 years of service.
On arrival we noticed a wedding party and questioned where abouts we were placed as we knew with their celebrations it would be fairly noisy, were assured we were placed away and in a quite area as we specifically wanted a quite stay as daily life involves looking after elderly relatives with dementia which is 27/7 so was looking forward to in their words 'A relaxing getaway'.
The room was unremarkable, very basic and seemed dated. The dinner was subpar, with only one option for vegetarians which was risotto, Which usually I love but this was the driest and most disappointing risotto my tastebuds ever had the displeasure of experiencing. They claimed to have a second vegetarian option but that was fish and is pescetarian.
The despondency didn't end there, Unfortunately in the early hours we were woken by slamming doors, shouting and intoxicated rowdy behaviour down the hallways after a while about 1.30am when we realised staff were not going to intervene we had to leave our room and confront these individuals ourselves asking for some quiet, which we should never have had to do. Unfortunately the noise and loud singing continued till about 2.30, too which we were then fully awake and extremely unrested. I've never left a retreat so exhausted in my life.
When brought up when clocking out the next morning we were brushed off with a 'I'm sorry, I hope you'll return'
Then the lovely lady who brought the package sent in a complaint, to which they informed as the person staying I was to contact. Which I complied to what they asked on the 25th November. Didn't have a reply so Emailed a complaint again on the 1st January both of which were forwarded also to the lady who brought the package so they defiantly got through. Still no reply, so yesterday she phoned them, and today just under 4 months of giving a chance to reply and wanting a refund for the awful stay, we got an inadequate email basically brushing off yet again, just sprouting that people book from different sites so they can't be certain where they are placed in the hotel. and that if they were informed they would have done their best to resolve. It was brought up and it was brushed off. and they said they reviewed the cctv and apologised, clearly from the footage they can see we were disturbed that night and we acted as was said.
So from the horrendous stay and the fact that its taken so much of my time trying to resolve this by going through their very own complaint system...multiple times, too which they have ignored or had someone incompetent enough to disregard numerous emails. It's been a thoroughly exhausting experience.
I would not recommend going for a 'Relaxing Retreat' as in our case it was unfulfilled far from what the package was sold as intended.

We booked a 3 bedroom apartment. We did not realise it was not serviced by the hotel. Please be aware that they charge a further £50 if you require housekeeping.

The apartment itself was lovely but the kitchen is misdescribed as being fully equipped. The kitchen had no microwave. The cups and glasses were fewer than the 6 people that could accommodate the apartment too. There was no cloth and only one kitchen towel.

We were lucky that we had booked the apartment in February. The hotel boasts about the view but you cannot close the curtains on it at night as there are NO CURTAINS! If we had booked in the spring or summer, this would have been a formal complaint with a request for a partial refund. Please also note that 2 bedrooms faced the car park and therefore had an awful view.

We were attending a wedding, so had no choice but, if we were seeking to book a spa hotel, there are others with better views and service.

We did not complain purely because we didn’t want the groom to be offended in any way.

It is not worth the price.

I took my Mum for an overnight stay for her 70th birthday. The room that we were given was dirty. And rubbish left by a previous guest not being taken away. I spoke to the reception team and the Operations Manager who asked me to email the details and photos that I had taken. He promised he would be in contact within the week. After not having a response as promised I called 10 days after we had been there. I was promised a call the following day. Again, a promise broken. When taking my Mum away for a spa break we did not expect to have to clean the room we were staying in. With no offer to have the room cleaned. We had limited use of the swimming pool and spa as there was a children’s session in place upon check in and at capacity. Check in at 3pm and we had to wait until 6pm to use the swimming pool and spa. The jacuzzi was out of commission, as were the hot beds. I paid out £300 and it was a a disappointing experience. We will not be going back there. While Mum and I both had massages that were amazing. The rest of the facilities and service were extremely disappointing.

I paid over £300 for a spa day to celebrate my mum's 70th birthday. Before booking, I called the spa to confirm availability and booked the full package, which included full access to the spa facilities, a treatment each, and lunch. However, only the sauna and steam room were fully functional—though the steam room’s sand timer was broken, which could be concerning for anyone with a heart condition. The hot tub was out of order and had a layer of scum on top, which was off-putting. Additionally, the heated massage beds were not in service, and the foot massagers were filthy, covered in grit.

I contacted Old Thorns to express my disappointment, especially since I had paid for access to these amenities, only to be told that "our policy outlines that certain facilities can be temporarily out of service." This was never communicated at the time of booking, which I feel is misleading and unacceptable. When I requested a partial refund, they refused and instead offered a 20% discount on a future treatment, insisting I return. I made it clear I did not want to return and only wanted a refund for the amenities I had paid for but didn’t receive. Unfortunately, they have refused this request.

I am now seeking further advice from Citizens Advice and urge others to be cautious when booking with this company. Since the change in management, their practices seem to have become misleading and unprofessional. AVOID.

Honeslty for the price of the gym and spa it’s not worth it , the sauna smells horrible and the facilities are dirty especially the foot jacuzzi , it smells like mold . It’s too busy overcrowded and not good for a place to go regularly. Wasn’t satisfied, the changing rooms for the females are dirty also in the cupboards and the showers are cold

We booked an overnight stay with the 2 course evening meal, with a complimentary drink with Breakfast and use of the pool etc, we could not fault it, the Carvery was excellent, with lots of choice, the breakfast was great again with plenty of choice, the room was nice, staff were all friendly, could not fault our stay and will definitely book again

Was gifted afternoon tea for our 30th wedding anniversary. Sorry to say that it did not live up to expectations, the sandwiches were mediocre to say the least and the cakes looked shop bought apart from the scones which were very good. The coffee was bought in a cup not a pot and was spilled all over the sides of the cup.one of the staff looked very scruffy compared to other members of staff so let the team down . I wouldn't recommend going for afternoon tea here as other places are more superior

No air;con in rooms just a really weak fan we are in 2024 I thought air con was in every hotel ?? How old fashion a weak fan ? :( also wanted a swim paid for in my pagage was told couldn't go in family time 3 _5 what pool does NOT ALLOW its customers to swim when included in a pagage please this hotel does NOT CARE as I spoke to the manager whom seem to have a excuse for both my complaints NOT GOOD ENOUGH i have been to cheaper hotels that have been FAR nicer to stay in OLD THORNS you need to get your act together READ YOUR REWIEWS:) a bad exspeciance for my partner special 60th present from me