I grew up in and around the area of Sutton Coldfield and had always wanted to stop at this hotel so when I saw a bargain on the internet of £50 for the room I jumped at the chance and promptly booked me and my partner in for a night. We were in the process of buying a house and things were getting pretty stressful so a night away in a hotel making use of spa facilities seemed like bliss!

When the lift opened on our floor it seemed quite dark even though the lights were on but we put this down to the dark wallpaper and continued our search for the room which due to the corridors being well signposted didn't take too long at all.
Armed with the plastic key fob I eagerly opened the door and stepped into the room but it felt like I had stepped into the 70's - the decor was old and dated, the teak chair and dresser had seen better days and the carpet was threadbare.
The on suite, while spacious, was a strange pink colour from floor to ceiling.
After the initial shock we took in the good things about the room - ample tea and coffee (including different varieties - decaf, halfcaf, earl grey, peppermint etc), decent size wardrobes, trouserpress, comfy bed, tv, little mini shampoos and shower gel, soap etc.
We had thought of complaining but decided against it mainly because it was clean and basic and with all the facilities the hotel offered we wouldn't be in the room much anyway and so went exploring instead!

The spa facilities certainly helped us relax and forget about all our worries so we decided to go for a carefree walk around the grounds and build up an appetite for dinner. Normally there is a huge lake which attracts lots of different birds and is quite a beautiful site but due to the summer heat the lake had been drained so in its place stood a mudpool.
The rest of the grounds are quite breathtaking with the woodland and the peace and quiet especially when you think that just a stone throw away is a main road and a shopping area.

When we arrived back at the hotel we decided to have a few drinks in the bar and was quite suprised at how well the drinks were priced - normally in a hotel the prices are ridiculous but for a pint of lager and a glass of wine we had change from £6.00 which was quite reasonable. The size of the bar is rather suprising it could easily seat 40+ which was just as well as an hour later the bar was full due to a wedding being held in one of the function rooms and the guests having pre-party drinks!
The bar tab system works very well - when you check in you are given a card along with your keyfob - whenever you charge something to your room you hand over the card and give your room number and then sign for your order - this helps stop people charging things to your room without your knowledge!