Five Portsmouth area hotels receive great reception from web reviewers

The Simply The Guest Awards take place annually to recognise the UK’s best hotels. Each was rated on aspects such as cleanliness, customer service, food quality, room quality and value for money.

For a hotel to achieve the prestigious ‘top rated’ status, they must have received an average review score of at least 80 per cent.

The winners this year are Holiday Inn Express in Farlington, The Royal Maritime Club in Portsea, The Hampshire Hog in Clanfield, Stattons Boutique Hotel And Restaurant and Number Four Boutique Hotel, both in Southsea.

Ellie Hogstone, reservations manager of Number Four Boutique Hotel, in Festing Road, said she was delighted at the recognition the business has received and believes that all credit should go to her colleagues.

She said: ‘We are overjoyed at the response from the customers who decide to stay with us, it’s all down to the staff. People leave positive reviews when somebody in particular makes their stay memorable and it is lovely to see that guests remember a member of staff’s name after they have left.

‘We are a small team of only a few key employees, so we pride ourselves on giving a personal service that caters for every individual.’

LateRooms.com has deals across the UK and in over 200,000 properties worldwide – from bed and breakfasts to five-star hotels.

The Simply The Guest Awards are the UK’s only hotel gongs that are based solely on over 1.2m reviews left by members of the public online.

Andrea Tarpey, LateRooms.com spokesperson, said: ‘Guest reviews give genuine, unbiased insight into the experiences other guests have had at a property, which is so important in helping customers decide on the best hotel to book for their stay. They are also a great way for hotels to receive feedback on the experiences and service that they’re providing.’

Hotelier Tom Hayden, 58, of the Hampshire Hog in London Road, said it is attention to detail that makes a hotel such as his a winner.

He said: ‘We always aim to keep our standards over the average in every department. Whether that is housekeeping, in reception or at the bar, everybody knows that an exceptional first impression is what turns a good hotel into a great one.’

The unveiling of the top-rated hotels is the first stage of the Simply The Guest Awards, with the next stage revealing the winners of the main categories such as the best luxury, coastal, pet-friendly and business hotels.

The national winners will be announced in March.