The Rivenhall Hotel

This is a difficult review to write as we have very mixed feelings about our stay, When we arrived we thought that we had come to the wrong place and we had driven into a derelict site that once was a hotel, there were no cars or people that you would expect on a Saturday afternoon 1 hr after check-in. We did find someone and he ushered us to reception asked our name and produced a key. We were certainly getting a little concerned at the condition of the hotel but decided to go to the room and see, we could always leave if it was bad. The gentleman showed us to the room and to be fair he was pleasant and pointed to a non existent notice with the Wifi password. The room itself seemed ok so we grabbed our cases. In fact the room was Clean and warm, bed was obviously pretty new and a modern TV hung on the wall (sadly it only had online channels so were limited to 4 Freeview channels, this didn't matter as i never stay in a hotel without my trusty firestick..... and I stay in a lot of hotels for my job). The Bathroom was very clean and honestly it was fine. The only issues we had were 1) only 1 power socket with the tv plugged in, 2) No Bar or restaurant even tho the booking website show a fully stocked bar. 3) The main gate is locked after 10pm and we arrived back at 12.15 having to wait 10 minutes and 3 phone calls to the displayed number for a chap to come and unlocked the gate. All in all the essentials are there but its not a hidden Gem ....... Yet - A work in progress

Hotel seemed to have only just been taken over from a closed down establishment. They had no services available and the hotel smelled musty as though vacant for a very long period. Not Very Nice!

Very tired hotel on the point of closing. No catering available and no alternatives close by. Only positive is how quiet it was. Not recommended

property was was in a state of disrepair whilst the room was comfortable and clean the reast of the site was like a building site nd being remote had no falcilities to eat or relax

No on site facilities no bar or restaurant no vending machines Only 1 bath towel for a double room Room was clean but dated as was the surroundings.. like a building site. No key drop off or anyone on reception when leaving. Tea making facilities very basic and not enough for 2 people.

The rooms and facilities were in poor condition. It’s a good option as a transit hotel but not ideal for leisure stays. However, the staff provided excellent customer care, compensating for the shortcomings.

Was overnight stay attending a local function, there was no food, so breakfast was in town. Staff are friendly, place is functional for sleep overs, but not much more. 80/90s decor, but clean

Better than anticipated but obviously a work in progress. No restaurant or bar.

This hotel was just a two night wedding stay so didn't need to be great. Price suggested it wouldn't be. It is a bit run down trying to get back on its feet. Staff were as helpful as they could be. No restaurant so no breakfast. A lot of the rooms not in service it appears. Room wasn't serviced between days. So did it's job at the basic end, nothing more.

Perfect for a Business Trip, No Fuss, Friendly Staff, Parking, Wifi.

Stank or mould/damp. Place is literally a building site. Had to unplug the tv to use the kettle! Bathroom was decent. Hopefully better when building is finished.

Staff lovely. Room clean. Only problem was fire alarm going off at 05.30

The hotel is in really bad condition, the room was large but very very basic and beds comfortable but the carpet was threadbare, there was no hot water, the wardrobe was infested with moths, no remote for the TV woken up every hour by noises guests and I have woken up this morning with bites on my legs and arms. I really don’t expect to have an experience like this when I book through Hotels.com!

This basic type hotel seems to be just starting up? I expect it will be much better in the future. Staff are very nice and seemed very enthusiastic Bathroom very nice in the room I was in, which was small but nicely decorated and the beds very comfortable. On the downside it was thick with building dust which I cleaned from the air as well as the surfaces before I could sleep there - this was back in March 2025. They seemed to welcome my suggestion that they next get a good cleaner. I hope they did. Paper thin walls.

The staff were very nice. The room was clean and comfortable. Unfortunately the lead for the kettle could only b plugged in if you took the plug out of the tv. But I believe they r addressing this. Also I couldn’t get terrestrial tv, but that was possibly me. I had to go through apps. The bed was really comfy and the room was what ever temperature you wanted it to be. I would stay again. Although it might b good if they get slow closing doors, as you do hear your neighbors

Very reasonable budget hotel. Staff very friendly and helpful. Small basic room but clean and tidy, decent bathroom with good size shower. Plenty of hot water. Overall, it suited me perfectly.

No on site facilities no bar or restaurant no vending machines Only 1 bath towel for a double room Room was clean but dated as was the surroundings.. like a building site. No key drop off or anyone on reception when leaving. Tea making facilities very basic and not enough for 2 people.

We just needed somewhere to crash as wasn't planning on being in room for long. Room was okay, we were not expecting much and got what we expected. Was not expecting what looked like mould on the bathroom ceiling and for the shower to be impossible to get to a useable temperature. Either freezing cold or scaulding and if by some miracle it did get set to a useable temperature, it changed after about 15 seconds.

Staff friendly enough. Room was clean & tidy & bathroom was really nice. Hotel is having maintenance with building works outside. Room had recently been painted & had a very strong smell. Understand maintenance is required, but drilling at 8am on any day, especially a Sunday was unacceptable, also without any notice.

2.5/5 Stars Our stay here was a bit of a mixed bag. Upon arrival, we joked that we'd somehow entered the Twilight Zone – the vibe was more "motel" than "hotel." The staff were friendly enough, which was a definite plus. Our room was clean, for the most part, but we did notice that the spare pillows had some noticeable stains. Not a deal-breaker, but a bit disappointing. The real issue, though, was the overall atmosphere of the place. It felt deserted, like we were the only guests. The decor was straight out of a classic Western film – think tumbleweeds rolling down the sidewalk at any moment. While it had a certain quirky charm, it didn't exactly scream "luxury" or "modern amenities." If you're looking for a no-frills place to rest your head, this might be okay. However, if you're after a more hotel-like experience, you might want to look elsewhere. Perhaps a bit of renovation and some added amenities could elevate this place from motel vibes to something more impressive. For now, it's an average stop poor stay

Didn’t get there until 1am as at an event in Chelmsford. Got in the room and the window was open and there was a horrible smell of weed and sewage but the room was so hot we needed the window open. There were mouse traps in the room. Tried putting the tv on but didn’t work. The door didn’t lock from the inside, no plug by the bed just went to sleep as so tired. This morning went to have a shower and had no water at all couldn’t even brush our teeth. Would not recommend.

property was was in a state of disrepair whilst the room was comfortable and clean the reast of the site was like a building site nd being remote had no falcilities to eat or relax

Very low pressure in the shower so the water practically trickled out. The bed & pillows were uncomfortable. At 2am I packed my bag & went to sleep in my car

The staff were very nice. The room was clean and comfortable. Unfortunately the lead for the kettle could only b plugged in if you took the plug out of the tv. But I believe they r addressing this. Also I couldn’t get terrestrial tv, but that was possibly me. I had to go through apps. The bed was really comfy and the room was what ever temperature you wanted it to be. I would stay again. Although it might b good if they get slow closing doors, as you do hear your neighbors

Very reasonable budget hotel. Staff very friendly and helpful. Small basic room but clean and tidy, decent bathroom with good size shower. Plenty of hot water. Overall, it suited me perfectly.

Heating took a while to take effect, and the curtains so thin that the outside lights disturbed my sleep.

Staff were very friendly & helpful. Although I would suggest they have more than 1 member of staff on at night time. Room, although outdated, was clean enough. Beds were uncomfortable and the noise of the doors opening/closing was a bit to much. But it’s a nice quirky little hidden gem.

Lovely big shower, but you wait 10 minutes for the trickle of hot water. They are doing up the hotel, but clearly on a tight budget. Internet tv only, which keeps loosing signal. On the positive, comfortable bed and my room was away from the road and hence very quiet. Warm welcome from receptionist, who walked me to my room, but he did not offer help with my bags.

The room was like a furnace, the shower had a trickle of water, windows hardly opened

Hotel in total need of a update Room drab. Bed mattress you could feel all the springs, completely uncomfortable. Would definitely not recommend

This is a difficult review to write as we have very mixed feelings about our stay, When we arrived we thought that we had come to the wrong place and we had driven into a derelict site that once was a hotel, there were no cars or people that you would expect on a Saturday afternoon 1 hr after check-in. We did find someone and he ushered us to reception asked our name and produced a key. We were certainly getting a little concerned at the condition of the hotel but decided to go to the room and see, we could always leave if it was bad. The gentleman showed us to the room and to be fair he was pleasant and pointed to a non existent notice with the Wifi password. The room itself seemed ok so we grabbed our cases. In fact the room was Clean and warm, bed was obviously pretty new and a modern TV hung on the wall (sadly it only had online channels so were limited to 4 Freeview channels, this didn't matter as i never stay in a hotel without my trusty firestick..... and I stay in a lot of hotels for my job). The Bathroom was very clean and honestly it was fine. The only issues we had were 1) only 1 power socket with the tv plugged in, 2) No Bar or restaurant even tho the booking website show a fully stocked bar. 3) The main gate is locked after 10pm and we arrived back at 12.15 having to wait 10 minutes and 3 phone calls to the displayed number for a chap to come and unlocked the gate. All in all the essentials are there but its not a hidden Gem ....... Yet - A work in progress

Went well. Comfortable rest. They were excellent hosts.

Staff lovely. Room clean. Only problem was fire alarm going off at 05.30

The staff were very nice. The room was clean and comfortable. Unfortunately the lead for the kettle could only b plugged in if you took the plug out of the tv. But I believe they r addressing this. Also I couldn’t get terrestrial tv, but that was possibly me. I had to go through apps. The bed was really comfy and the room was what ever temperature you wanted it to be. I would stay again. Although it might b good if they get slow closing doors, as you do hear your neighbors

Very reasonable budget hotel. Staff very friendly and helpful. Small basic room but clean and tidy, decent bathroom with good size shower. Plenty of hot water. Overall, it suited me perfectly.

very clean brilliant shower room and highly helpful receptionist . a brilliant stay

The rooms and facilities were in poor condition. It’s a good option as a transit hotel but not ideal for leisure stays. However, the staff provided excellent customer care, compensating for the shortcomings.

the Staff was very friendly, available and went above and beyond their duty to aid a senior couple, especially Mr. Iqbal. if we ever go back to UK, we would not hesitate to stay there again.

Staff were very friendly & helpful. Although I would suggest they have more than 1 member of staff on at night time. Room, although outdated, was clean enough. Beds were uncomfortable and the noise of the doors opening/closing was a bit to much. But it’s a nice quirky little hidden gem.

Lovely big shower, but you wait 10 minutes for the trickle of hot water. They are doing up the hotel, but clearly on a tight budget. Internet tv only, which keeps loosing signal. On the positive, comfortable bed and my room was away from the road and hence very quiet. Warm welcome from receptionist, who walked me to my room, but he did not offer help with my bags.

This is a difficult review to write as we have very mixed feelings about our stay, When we arrived we thought that we had come to the wrong place and we had driven into a derelict site that once was a hotel, there were no cars or people that you would expect on a Saturday afternoon 1 hr after check-in. We did find someone and he ushered us to reception asked our name and produced a key. We were certainly getting a little concerned at the condition of the hotel but decided to go to the room and see, we could always leave if it was bad. The gentleman showed us to the room and to be fair he was pleasant and pointed to a non existent notice with the Wifi password. The room itself seemed ok so we grabbed our cases. In fact the room was Clean and warm, bed was obviously pretty new and a modern TV hung on the wall (sadly it only had online channels so were limited to 4 Freeview channels, this didn't matter as i never stay in a hotel without my trusty firestick..... and I stay in a lot of hotels for my job). The Bathroom was very clean and honestly it was fine. The only issues we had were 1) only 1 power socket with the tv plugged in, 2) No Bar or restaurant even tho the booking website show a fully stocked bar. 3) The main gate is locked after 10pm and we arrived back at 12.15 having to wait 10 minutes and 3 phone calls to the displayed number for a chap to come and unlocked the gate. All in all the essentials are there but its not a hidden Gem ....... Yet - A work in progress

Very tired hotel on the point of closing. No catering available and no alternatives close by. Only positive is how quiet it was. Not recommended

property was was in a state of disrepair whilst the room was comfortable and clean the reast of the site was like a building site nd being remote had no falcilities to eat or relax

Was overnight stay attending a local function, there was no food, so breakfast was in town. Staff are friendly, place is functional for sleep overs, but not much more. 80/90s decor, but clean

Lovely big shower, but you wait 10 minutes for the trickle of hot water. They are doing up the hotel, but clearly on a tight budget. Internet tv only, which keeps loosing signal. On the positive, comfortable bed and my room was away from the road and hence very quiet. Warm welcome from receptionist, who walked me to my room, but he did not offer help with my bags.

This is a difficult review to write as we have very mixed feelings about our stay, When we arrived we thought that we had come to the wrong place and we had driven into a derelict site that once was a hotel, there were no cars or people that you would expect on a Saturday afternoon 1 hr after check-in. We did find someone and he ushered us to reception asked our name and produced a key. We were certainly getting a little concerned at the condition of the hotel but decided to go to the room and see, we could always leave if it was bad. The gentleman showed us to the room and to be fair he was pleasant and pointed to a non existent notice with the Wifi password. The room itself seemed ok so we grabbed our cases. In fact the room was Clean and warm, bed was obviously pretty new and a modern TV hung on the wall (sadly it only had online channels so were limited to 4 Freeview channels, this didn't matter as i never stay in a hotel without my trusty firestick..... and I stay in a lot of hotels for my job). The Bathroom was very clean and honestly it was fine. The only issues we had were 1) only 1 power socket with the tv plugged in, 2) No Bar or restaurant even tho the booking website show a fully stocked bar. 3) The main gate is locked after 10pm and we arrived back at 12.15 having to wait 10 minutes and 3 phone calls to the displayed number for a chap to come and unlocked the gate. All in all the essentials are there but its not a hidden Gem ....... Yet - A work in progress

Very tired hotel on the point of closing. No catering available and no alternatives close by. Only positive is how quiet it was. Not recommended

property was was in a state of disrepair whilst the room was comfortable and clean the reast of the site was like a building site nd being remote had no falcilities to eat or relax

No on site facilities no bar or restaurant no vending machines Only 1 bath towel for a double room Room was clean but dated as was the surroundings.. like a building site. No key drop off or anyone on reception when leaving. Tea making facilities very basic and not enough for 2 people.

Was overnight stay attending a local function, there was no food, so breakfast was in town. Staff are friendly, place is functional for sleep overs, but not much more. 80/90s decor, but clean

Better than anticipated but obviously a work in progress. No restaurant or bar.

This hotel was just a two night wedding stay so didn't need to be great. Price suggested it wouldn't be. It is a bit run down trying to get back on its feet. Staff were as helpful as they could be. No restaurant so no breakfast. A lot of the rooms not in service it appears. Room wasn't serviced between days. So did it's job at the basic end, nothing more.