This must be the noisiest Hotel I have ever stayed in. My wife and I have just completed a second three night stay two weeks apart. We have endured a raucous wedding, a Tom Jones tribute evening (at least this was entertaining) and a private party which was again noisy and raucous. A couple of hours of an out of tune brass band in the courtyard was a step too far Since I was in the area for an operation I would have liked a decent night’s sleep, but no such luck. We were in a twin room overlooking the courtyard, right in the firing line for the noise from the event space. We asked to move to a quieter room after the first visit, but were told there were no alternative rooms for the second stay. Here lies the problem. The Hotel has developed the event side of the business, which is obviously successful and from this point of view is a great asset to Romsey. However, this is catering for local residents at the expense of the Hotel guests.
If the Coaching Inn group want to run the White Horse primarily as a Hotel I would like to make a few observations which would make a stay more enjoyable.
If there is a noisy function scheduled, then make it known to any guest booking at that time. That is just good practice.
The room was perfectly adequate but was ‘tired’ and in need of refurbishment. The bathroom had a leaking toilet which resulted in the noisy cistern refilling for a second or two every few minutes. Every metal surface, tap and join was coated in limescale, and the tile grouting was dirty. The overall impression was that the room was a bit neglected. I found the mattress hard and uncomfortable, but that might just be a personal impression.
There was no space reserved for Hotel guests. The Hotel is popular with local people which is good for business, but if guests are unable to find a seat in the bar or a quiet area to sit, then there is not so much to attract a visitor. A couple of nice rooms have been turned over to Private Event spaces which has the effect of reducing the Hotel facilities.
The Hotel seemed very understaffed in most areas, with no sign of a General Manager overlooking all aspects of the business. Reception staffing was a bit haphazard, sometimes there, sometimes not.
The White Horse just needs to make up its mind if it wants to be a Hotel or an event venue. At the moment the two do not work together very well.