Solent Hotel & Spa, Whiteley

...business park. Luckily the Solent hotel was at this business park.

While my partner organised getting our car scrapped, I headed towards the hotel, with my very fed up 18 month old son.

I was greeted at the door with a big smile by the doorman. I asked about availability, and he told me there were rooms available, and to go on in.

Another friendly face greeted me at reception which was in a beautiful ...
...can add information on the Solent to help potential Byers.

The Solent hotel and spa, is part of the shires hotel group. It is just off the m27, in Fareham close to both Portsmouth and Southampton. It is aprox 1 hour from London.

The hotel itself has many facilities, for businesses and weddings, as well as people who want a spa break.

The spa itself offers massage, facials, wraps, reflexology, hot stone ... more

This is going to be a bit of an unusual review as I am writing about a hotel that I have never stayed at. I have never used the facilities - but I have experienced their customer service.

On the 4th October last year, my partner and I took a trip down to Portsmouth to collect something for his office. As we drove along the m27, our car blew up. I mean literally. Bang.

We called out the rac (and had to join on the side of the road -ouch!), and were told that our car was a complete write off. There was a hole in the side of engine about the size of a tennis ball.

We had to decide what to do - go to a hotel and make our way home the following morning, or get towed home. We decided that the cost of getting a useless car towed back to Bristol was daft, and we were better off scrapping it and staying over night. We were taken off at the next exit from the motorway, and taken to a business park. Luckily the Solent hotel was at this business park.

While my partner organised getting our car scrapped, I headed towards the hotel, with my very fed up 18 month old son.

I was greeted at the door with a big smile by the doorman. I asked about availability, and he told me there were rooms available, and to go on in.

Another friendly face greeted me at reception which was in a beautiful large room, full of very dark wood, gentle lighting, a roaring fire and comfy chairs.

I explained what had happened to the lady behind the desk, and she told me the cost of the room for the evening. (I can't remember the amount, but I know it was over £100.) Without me having to say a word, she immediately offered to phone the travel in a short distance away from them.
I was shown to the seating are by another member of staff and offered a drink.

Shortly after, she came to tell me that they had secured us the very last room at the other hotel. I asked her if she would book us a taxi, but as I did, the man who had been on the door appeared at reception. He found out that we were off to the other hotel, and offered us a lift over there, as he was finishing his shift. I just thought it was so kind of him. He loaded up his car with all of our things, strapped my son's car seat in, and took us to the travel in, helped us to unload the car, and went on his way.

I still think about the kindness we were shown that evening, and I have never heard of a business going out of their way to help people who aren't putting anything back in for them! And as for being taken by a member of staff in his own time, I was overwhelmed.

Apart from the beautiful reception room, I saw nothing else of the hotel, but if the rest of the hotel is done in the same way then it will be stunning!

I have taken a look at their website, so that I can add information on the Solent to help potential Byers.

The Solent hotel and spa, is part of the shires hotel group. It is just off the m27, in Fareham close to both Portsmouth and Southampton. It is aprox 1 hour from London.

The hotel itself has many facilities, for businesses and weddings, as well as people who want a spa break.

The spa itself offers massage, facials, wraps, reflexology, hot stone massage, waxing, electrolysis and nail care. It also boasts its own pool, gym. tennis court, steam room, sauna and monsoon shower - among other things.

The restaurant at the Solent uses as much local produce as possible to ensure its food is fabulous.

All of this information, and pictures can be found at the Solent's website at www.solenthotel.com
You can also book rooms via this site.

I may not have seen their rooms, sampled their menu, or had a treatment at the spa, but after the customer service they showed me and my family I would definatly stay there. If that is how they treat their non customers imagine how welcome you would be made to feel if you were paying!!

*please not that in the interest of fairness i have marked all facilities except service as average, as i havent had first hand experience of the other facilities. 

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