Reviews
The worst customer experience prior to the stay i have ever experienced. I would recommend to stay away from Champneys booking team + treatment team, it's been a stressful experience. Very misleading in terms of treatment bookings, you may think you have a booking but call two days before and find there is in fact no booking made. I would recommend to stay away at all costs. oh, and if you're using a Vitality discount code you will most likely be treated as a second class guest. Thank you Champneys for a brilliant anniversary treat...
Possibly the worst website ever! There is scant information about treatments and pricing is hard to find. It has taken me over two hours and four phone calls to make a booking. Free treatments are only available if you book on line but if you try to book them on line you have to pay for them! (Instead you have to write a note on your booking). If you want to book with a person (and you do need their input) it will cost you £10 more and you don't qualify for any free treatments. I have only persevered with this awful system because I have been given a gift card. I do hope the day will be better. Note to husband: no more gift vouchers for Champneys please.
Always a great stay at Champneys Forest Mere. It was a little busy on a Sat, Sun stay but no less enjoyable. Food and service was perfect as usual. It would be good to have "BE QUIET. SHHHH' signs in the relaxation rooms. Sadly, not everyone is considerate to others.
It's a real shame but the staff need customer service training. On arrival I had a 5 min wait until someone noticed I was waiting to check in. Wrong robe and flip-flops in the room, these were changed and wrong robe size again, eventually 3rd time lucky to get the right one. Catering staff were a mixed bag, some good and some bad including spilling a bottle of water onto me. Then the food served was often lukewarm or cold. Same menu throughout a 7 day stay and 1/2 of the items included a surcharge. The room was fine although it wasn't until the 3rd day they put water in my room. Time to find another spa I think even though the facilities are good albeit some areas were undergoing maintenance while I was there.
We loved our little break. We found the accommodation comfortable and the food was great. We had a massage, used the gym, did some classes and used the pool area with steam rooms and Jacuzzis.
Definitely recommend this place! Maybe a little expensive for how nice it is. It's a bit shabby in places, so for me it wasn't perfect, but we enjoyed it all the same. 🖒😊
Just couldn't fault it....food,rooms, the actual pool and saunas etc...everything perfect. Majority of staff were brilliant as well.
Absolulety Awful. Stained robes, previous guest hair in room, shower bar hanging off. Pre paid for treatments, which the time was altered when we arrived ,to 7.30 and they stop treatments at 7. No skin test done so couldnt have one of my treatments, followed by a dose of food poisoning omg never again !!!
We we're expecting more of a pampering spa but got a 'health' spa.
The facilities and grounds are very nice, the spa area, particularly steam room and sauna areas are far too small to cope with a busy weekend. The pool is a good size.
Food was nice but restrictive in that it really only offers 'healthy' options, Don't expect a desert. Same at dinner, no beer or cider just small simple dishes.
Sunday buffet lunch is the exception, enjoyed the wide selection and larger portions.
This hotel and spa is set in some lovely grounds by a golf course and acres of woodland. When booking you are sent a lengthy confirmation with lots of information, which certainly helps to set the expectation levels. Ensure you do read all of this through!
On check in there is meant to be an arrival drink although for us this did not happen which was a shame as after a long drive I was looking forward to that, so settled for the tea and coffee making facilities in the room.
You are given a booklet with a clear timetable of the classes and events on during your stay which is very useful. There is a lot to do with a fabulous swimming pool, sauna, steam room, snow cabin (which we loved), rain showers, to fitness classes, countryside hikes and of course the treatments.
They also have welly boots for you to use for the hikes if you wish to and bikes to ride.
The food is very healthy with a good selection for the breakfast and lunch buffets. The dinner is a sit down 3 course meal.
The best way to get the most of you stay here is to really plan your days around the schedule given. Particularly with the classes which you can only book on the day (unless you want to pay a pre-booking charge) Overall some great facilities available.