The Orwell Hotel

The hotel was a lovely period hotel. It was classy but its under refurbishment and the workers started about half 7 and you could hear them.

The Hotel and restaurant appeared to be in a period of transition during our stay. It feels like a once grand hotel that had been allowed to slide somewhat and is now on a path to recovery. It is incredibly cheap for what you get Our room was lovely, spacious, and beautifully decorated. The en suite bathroom was lovely, although the wait for hot water to come through was considerable, as is often the case with hotels of this vintage. The bed was comfortable with extra pillows etc available in the wardrobe if required. There were no bedside plugs/charging points which would have been useful. We didn't eat at the hotel, although the menu looked reasonable. We had a couple of drinks in the bar, there was a wait for me service as the bar staff were also covering other duties, but the bar was well stocked and reasonably priced. I'd certainly return in the future.

The property is in the process of a major refurbishment. Whilst the dining facilities were not yet fully operational the potential looks fantastic.

Restaurant was closed throughout, so manager gave us free breakfast every day - excellent customer service. Hotel well located for bus stops and train station. Friendly staff. Only criticism is allowing smokers to cluster outside the front door - gives a very bad impression, and floor is strewn with cigarette butts.

One night stay in one of the refurbished double rooms, room was well finished and a good size with a good shower in the bathroom and modern illuminated mirror. Beds were comfortable and the room was supplied with a fan, tea, coffee, biscuits and bottled water provided in the room but it would benefit from a kettle that removes from the base so you do not have to unplug from under the table every time. There was an extractor outlet by the window which started up at about 6:30 in preparation for breakfast, maybe an issue for some but did not bother us, view from the room was limited to the roof area but again this was not a problem for us. Breakfast was an improvement on our last stay as the Bain Marie heaters were working under the food which kept it hotter, there was as always a good hot buffet breakfast selection and a continental selection also, good value for money, ample free car parking and staff were as previously very efficient and helpful.

Peaceful friendly pleasant ,good parking and lovely outdoor area. Thank-you

Room lovely. Staff really helpful. Great parking right on High St opposite Sainsburys. Wood panelled Bar lovely.

Yet another lovely stay.Good to see the new owners renovating and upgrading the hotel. The installation of a new accessible toilet is very good to see. It would be nice to see some re-cycling facilities, rather than all rubbish going in the same bins in rooms.

We only stayed one night, but it was a lovely trip. The hotel is centrally located and it is full of character. The decor is classical, but could do with a revamp. The staff are friendly and the food is good, there’s plenty of variety and is reasonably priced. The only issue is that despite having a large car park, there aren’t any EV chargers. We had to travel out to find a charging point. There are very limited number of these in Felixstowe generally, so the hotel is missing a trick by not having a few on site. It would boost their eco credentials and also generate income, if they allowed non-guests limited access as well. Overall, a lovely place and we’d happily stay again for a longer period.

A group of 12 of us arrived on Friday evening Lovely large free carpark On entering the hotel it was stunning , very Grand & clean , a bit cold , but it was freezing outside & it is a large building We went to reception ,one person on desk, we booked in, went to us the lift, but it was out of action (out of action all weekend too) ,so we used the stairs , got to room opened the door , nice electronic key Room was quite spacious & looked clean, until we went into the bathroom , 1/4 of a toilet roll on holder but one on system .The floor was dirty with dust & bits everywhere ( see photo) Tiles around bath were dirty & needed a wipe down , hot water was good in our room, but others on our group said it was only Luke warm all weekend Bed was comfortable with bedding crisp & clean Tea & coffee in room was good Others in our group faired a lot worse than us , so we counted ourself lucky Went down to bar for a drink , I had pre warned them that lots of people would be using the bar over the weekend No lager on tap & poor choice of anything else across the board So luckily we had brought our own So we sat in the lounge drinking our own drink Breakfast was ok , would like some fruit & was constantly running out , but replaced when asked , if they had it So to sum up ; more cleaners needed & to up their game in all rooms The bar needs an overhaul Staff shortage was very evident Shame has it could be a lovely hotel with a bit more attention :-( Get in the hotel inspector

The staff are nice and the location is good but the hotel itself is old and shabby. The rooms need to be renovated properly. The furniture and fittings are very old. Many things are covered in dust. Windowpanes are corroded and everything looks quite dirty. The bathroom was big but the toilet seat was in a bad condition and needs replacing. The shower is very small and only a small stream of water comes out. I would not stay again unless the rooms have been fully renovated.

We stayed here for two nights and we were astounded how good the hotel was for the price that we paid. The room was ample size, spotlessly clean and had everything that we needed. The staff were all really friendly and welcoming. The food (both breakfast and dinner) were excellent and great value for money. We have already booked to return next year. Particular praise must go to the lady (I don't know her name) that served behind the bar, served the dinners and worked in the breakfast room in the morning. She was really friendly and she didn't stop working. Whatever they are paying her, it's not enough !

The Orwell was an amazing place to stay. It was very clean and the staff was friendly and helpful.

Hotel in middle of being refurbished. Downstairs area very grand & had a lovely dinner in the dining room. Service very friendly. But room old shabby & not very clean. Nothing like the fairly modern twin room shown on the website. Bathroom was very shabby & shower head so coated in lime scale could only get a very meagrely amount of water. Room rate wasn’t much but just didn’t reflect website pictures. Keep looking for something better.

Attractive building, unfortunately room decor was very tired. Stained sheets on arrival that required changing. Staff were very polite and helpful.

Bedroom was clean and ok. Bathroom was not. Grouting was very black and the shower curtain stunk of BO probably from the guests beforehand. I checked out after just 2 nights when I had booked 3 as I could not face the bathroom again.

Upon arrival we discovered that pillows, bed sheets and duvet all have stains. We immediately informed the manager and it was changed. But no other compensation was given. Don’t stay

Unfortunately the room I was given was long overdue a refurb - torn curtain, stains, mould, cracks, peeling paint... The list goes on. The hotel itself and downstairs décor was lovely, however, so maybe I was just unlucky.

Some of the hotel is good, but a lot hotel is run down and needs some TLC. Rooms are OK, cleaning should be better, especially the bath and surrounding areas. 2 tissues were placed in a holder, no cardboard box so I assume they were put in there by hand.

The Orwell unfortunately is rundown, and is in desperate need of a refurbishment. 40 years ago it was lovely. I'm giving it a 3 only because of the staff would were very good, not the hotel. Our room (124) overlooked the hotel garbage bins, dirty carpet, old mattresses (you could feel the coils), dirty cracked bathroom tiles, paint peeling from tub surrounding, and worse yet was the shower (moldy shower head which I believe gave me imflammed rash on my arms and legs which I still have and will have to make an appt with the doctor now that I'm back, plus hardly any water come out of it). Food not very good. I suggest going to 'Hotel Coco' which is half refurbished, beautiful restaurant and pub. Hopefully the Orwell gets the place back to what it used to be, but it's going to take a LOT of work sadly!

It was a disappointing stay as our room although clean was run down and tired.

The Hotel and restaurant appeared to be in a period of transition during our stay. It feels like a once grand hotel that had been allowed to slide somewhat and is now on a path to recovery. It is incredibly cheap for what you get Our room was lovely, spacious, and beautifully decorated. The en suite bathroom was lovely, although the wait for hot water to come through was considerable, as is often the case with hotels of this vintage. The bed was comfortable with extra pillows etc available in the wardrobe if required. There were no bedside plugs/charging points which would have been useful. We didn't eat at the hotel, although the menu looked reasonable. We had a couple of drinks in the bar, there was a wait for me service as the bar staff were also covering other duties, but the bar was well stocked and reasonably priced. I'd certainly return in the future.

Very tired and dated decor in room. Reminders of Bates Motel. Heating was on but radiator insufficient size so room was cold. The pale pink 1980's carpet was threadbare and stained in places. The furniture was very old. Shower over bath was poor - water flow was more of a trickle. At check out i wasn't asked how my stay was, probably because they know people would complain. Breakfast was actually good - the best part of the stay. Definitely would not stay here again.

Nice size rooms

One night stay in one of the refurbished double rooms, room was well finished and a good size with a good shower in the bathroom and modern illuminated mirror. Beds were comfortable and the room was supplied with a fan, tea, coffee, biscuits and bottled water provided in the room but it would benefit from a kettle that removes from the base so you do not have to unplug from under the table every time. There was an extractor outlet by the window which started up at about 6:30 in preparation for breakfast, maybe an issue for some but did not bother us, view from the room was limited to the roof area but again this was not a problem for us. Breakfast was an improvement on our last stay as the Bain Marie heaters were working under the food which kept it hotter, there was as always a good hot buffet breakfast selection and a continental selection also, good value for money, ample free car parking and staff were as previously very efficient and helpful.

Uncomfortable bed

We arrived and were assinged a ‘suite’, room 200, which did not have a seating area separate from the bedroom as in the pictures. It was a large-ish room that was fine, but had the single worst view out of any hotel window i’d ever stayed at! No exaggeration, a couple of walls with corridor windows and a filthy flat roof, with ducting and beer cans. We asked to be moved but the hotel was full. They told us this was the only suite without a view (lucky me). We were comped breakfast for our disappointment. After a day exploring the town in the sunshine, we came back and decided to try the newly refurbished and reopened restaurant. It looks amazing, but unfortunately the processes involved in delivering food leaves much to be desired. We waited an hour for our order to arrive, as did other diners. When it finally did turn up, they’d got my partner’s order wrong, delivering a dish with cheese despite us telling them she was intolerant. This was taken away and it was a further 10 or so minute wait until a new dish arrived, during which time she sat watching me eat my food and sampling a little of what i had. Not ideal. The food was good but the wait, apparently due to communication and teething isdues, was way, way too long. This didn’t seem to affect the large table of hotel management, who arrived after us but were served straight away. This hotel could be really good and obviously they are starting to invest after years of neglect but right now it falls well short.

Stay was nice, the only negative was the old bedding, pillow cases & duvet cover were bobbly so felt quite rough

It is a lovely building from outside it looks amazing but the interior does not match the exterior, nothing major, just a little tired and in need of some refurbishment in places, room sizes varied enormously between huge (double suite) and very cramped (twin room).

The Orwell is an old school hotel with some modern extensions...I stayed in room 102, part of the original building I would think...the room was a great size but the decor was tired, curling wallpaper, cracked paintwork and unfirm sash windows (especially in the bathroom which I could only hold open by wedging in a spare loo roll). The bed was very comfortable, unfortunately my nights sleep was wrecked by a family struggling to silence and control what sounded like a prebusecent unruly boy who was screaming, shouting and repeatedly slamming the door butting onto mine. Adults, I presume his parents, joined in the fun and games arguing loudly - the shenanigans continued almost unabated from eleven until one...Why reception/night staff didn't intervene I can only scratch my head over as the volume would surely have gone down to the front desk given the positioning...and before any points a finger at foreign influence the voices were very English...the repeated "f@@@ offs" were unmistakably native.

Great location for the beach areas. The hotel smells as did the room of dirty drains. Be careful about the car park, you must register your car yourself or you will be fined as we witnessed someone who had a £100 fine. Our booking emails clearly document an 11 o’clock check out but house keeping were trying to get into our room at 10am. They said check out had changed and was 10am. It took 20minutes to check out as the manger was having an argument with someone at the front desk. The area opposite the front desk was used as a doss hole, someone had bedded down and was sleeping on a couch and the area smelt- not a very good look for the hotel. This hotel has a stunning potential under what is a shabbily run place. It does deserve better and could be a fantastic destination to visit and enjoy. Sort out the shabby decoration, respect customers and provide clarity of the hotel’s procedures, don’t let a main area be used for a doss hole that looks like a street corner, improve the smell in the place and be proud to have your hotel in Suffolk. The desk manger should not be so smug, learn how to handle complaints and resolve them with adult style. There are ways to deal with unhappy comments and these should be learnt.

I wouldn’t stay here again and wouldn’t recommend it to others. Upon check in, I was given their basic double room when I booked and paid for the luxury one. Once you see the photos they have of each one you’ll understand why. They didn’t say anything about the room just the room number and handed me the card. I went up to the room and it was clearly not the luxury double I paid for. So I thought, no big deal must have been a mistake. Well the guy at the front desk said he didn’t have the room I booked available. Why wasn’t this told to me at check in? Instead, I can only assume they thought they could get away with me not noticing?! Anyways he checked and they had a twin luxury room available, showed it to me and I said that’d be fine. Well then he said he couldn’t just give it to me, he had to check with the manager. He then came back to me and said you’ve got it, as if I’m meant to be grateful when I’ve already paid for this type of room. This took a total of 25 minutes to sort. I would just go to the best western up the road instead. This place is easily missable. So unprofessional. Also do not opt for the breakfast. It’s a buffet and they didn’t even have eggs. Paid £11 for bacon and hash browns as I don’t eat other things. Not worth it.

The Hotel and restaurant appeared to be in a period of transition during our stay. It feels like a once grand hotel that had been allowed to slide somewhat and is now on a path to recovery. It is incredibly cheap for what you get Our room was lovely, spacious, and beautifully decorated. The en suite bathroom was lovely, although the wait for hot water to come through was considerable, as is often the case with hotels of this vintage. The bed was comfortable with extra pillows etc available in the wardrobe if required. There were no bedside plugs/charging points which would have been useful. We didn't eat at the hotel, although the menu looked reasonable. We had a couple of drinks in the bar, there was a wait for me service as the bar staff were also covering other duties, but the bar was well stocked and reasonably priced. I'd certainly return in the future.

A corporate function with 210 guests. The staff were polite, friendly and coped admirably. No complaints about the food and spent a comfortable night at the premises.

This would of had a higher score accept when we went to check in, the room we had paid for wasnt available and we had a lower grade room which wasnt great. The hotel couldnt apologise enough and had said that hotels.com hadnt specified the room type when the booking came through. As you can imagine i wasnt impressed when it had been booked since march. I will be raising this with hotels.com but the hotel itself was great and the service was fabulous

The check in was quick and easy and the room clean and comfortable. Friendly staff.

Restaurant was closed throughout, so manager gave us free breakfast every day - excellent customer service. Hotel well located for bus stops and train station. Friendly staff. Only criticism is allowing smokers to cluster outside the front door - gives a very bad impression, and floor is strewn with cigarette butts.

Things got off to a bad start - there was a problem with the booking, Expedia failed to sort it, we ended up in a room that was below the standard we booked and overall our expectations were not met. The hotel put all of the blame on Expedia and said they often have problems with Expedia bookings. Some things to note: None of the superior double rooms have a bathtub (contrary to the room description) and the room we were offered (202) was very small, having only a 4ft. 6in bed. and a shower cubicle. The room was certainly not big enough to fit in the sofa that was depicted in the photos on the room description. So to get a bathtub we had to accept a standard double room and our request for a refund of the price difference was refused. The dinner menu is a bit limited and basic, but okay if you are hungry and a bit tired to go out to get supper. Reviews of the buffet breakfast put us off trying it. There are some cafes nearby that serve good coffee.

Staff very welcoming. Felt very safe as a single lady on their own. The Shops were very close and the seafront was in walking distance. Next to the railway station and easy to find.

Beautiful ground floor rooms and lounges, my bedroom a bit dated but clean and a comfortable bed. Reception helpful and dealt with a complaint satisfactorily. Would use this hotel again with a great location opposite the railway station.

Lovely old English hotel with lots of original features. rooms a little dated, but for the price were perfectly fine. good location just at the end of the high street, we walked down the high street and down to the beach past the pier, then back into the town for evening meal.

Perfect location to the train station.

Traditional hotel, good location and value for money.

Great location, easy to park onsite, short walk to town centre & beach. Clean rooms & very helpful and friendly staff.

Great place to stay,well situated, friendly Staff all nice and tidy,I will definitely go back there again!

Perfect Area

Staff very welcoming. Felt very safe as a single lady on their own. The Shops were very close and the seafront was in walking distance. Next to the railway station and easy to find.

We only stayed one night, but it was a lovely trip. The hotel is centrally located and it is full of character. The decor is classical, but could do with a revamp. The staff are friendly and the food is good, there’s plenty of variety and is reasonably priced. The only issue is that despite having a large car park, there aren’t any EV chargers. We had to travel out to find a charging point. There are very limited number of these in Felixstowe generally, so the hotel is missing a trick by not having a few on site. It would boost their eco credentials and also generate income, if they allowed non-guests limited access as well. Overall, a lovely place and we’d happily stay again for a longer period.

Beautiful ground floor rooms and lounges, my bedroom a bit dated but clean and a comfortable bed. Reception helpful and dealt with a complaint satisfactorily. Would use this hotel again with a great location opposite the railway station.

A Really Relaxing stay in a perfect location with everything accessible within 10 minutes walking time. Friendly and professional staff with excellent customer service and perfect training. Ideal for a short break or a longer stay in a nice, quiet location but within 5 to 10 minutes walking distance of sea front, high street, cinema, train station and bus routes. For the more able walkers and sightseers there are excellent coastal paths and country walk. It's like staying in your own stately home but with the added comfort of peace of mind.

This hotel is going extensive refurbishment. Could not have dinner as the kitchen was being re-eqiped. Excellent public rooms. Friendly staff who did everything they could to make your stay enjoyable. Hotel has an older part and a more modern extension. I had a large double room in the original part of the hotel. No central hearing but there was an efficient stand alone heater. Bathroom had a radiator. The room was bright and airy and was well furnished. No traffic noise. Would definitely stay again.

The property was undergoing a refurbishment during our visit so I can see that there will be improvements to the decor in the future, the room I stayed in 125 was in great condition and seemed to be one of the newer rooms, there was no evening dining on site during our stay due to kitchen refitting, we were provided with plates and cutlery for our takeaway, the staff were always attentive and helpful during our stay so I would return to the hotel in the future if in the area and would like to see the hotel after the refurbishment.

We stayed here for two nights and we were astounded how good the hotel was for the price that we paid. The room was ample size, spotlessly clean and had everything that we needed. The staff were all really friendly and welcoming. The food (both breakfast and dinner) were excellent and great value for money. We have already booked to return next year. Particular praise must go to the lady (I don't know her name) that served behind the bar, served the dinners and worked in the breakfast room in the morning. She was really friendly and she didn't stop working. Whatever they are paying her, it's not enough !

Very nice rooms comfortable. Add to that the delicious food served in the restaurant, a great stay!

Clean tidy rooms, limited evening food options, help yourself breakfast Helpful staff, onsite parking Stayed before will stay again

We have stayed at the Orwell several times now, we are generally happy with service, facilities etc. As with a lot of hotels a few areas need attention but this does seem to be ongoing.Staff are generally very helpful if a problem arises. The only issue this time was that the menus stated that food was available to order until 8.45p.m. When actually it was 7.45 so our order was refused by chef at 7.50!! The bar tender was most apologetic but not his fault- the menus need altering- an easy fix. We love the location of the Orwell,parking facilities, also the beautiful Edwardian features.

One night stay in one of the refurbished double rooms, room was well finished and a good size with a good shower in the bathroom and modern illuminated mirror. Beds were comfortable and the room was supplied with a fan, tea, coffee, biscuits and bottled water provided in the room but it would benefit from a kettle that removes from the base so you do not have to unplug from under the table every time. There was an extractor outlet by the window which started up at about 6:30 in preparation for breakfast, maybe an issue for some but did not bother us, view from the room was limited to the roof area but again this was not a problem for us. Breakfast was an improvement on our last stay as the Bain Marie heaters were working under the food which kept it hotter, there was as always a good hot buffet breakfast selection and a continental selection also, good value for money, ample free car parking and staff were as previously very efficient and helpful.

We arrived and were assinged a ‘suite’, room 200, which did not have a seating area separate from the bedroom as in the pictures. It was a large-ish room that was fine, but had the single worst view out of any hotel window i’d ever stayed at! No exaggeration, a couple of walls with corridor windows and a filthy flat roof, with ducting and beer cans. We asked to be moved but the hotel was full. They told us this was the only suite without a view (lucky me). We were comped breakfast for our disappointment. After a day exploring the town in the sunshine, we came back and decided to try the newly refurbished and reopened restaurant. It looks amazing, but unfortunately the processes involved in delivering food leaves much to be desired. We waited an hour for our order to arrive, as did other diners. When it finally did turn up, they’d got my partner’s order wrong, delivering a dish with cheese despite us telling them she was intolerant. This was taken away and it was a further 10 or so minute wait until a new dish arrived, during which time she sat watching me eat my food and sampling a little of what i had. Not ideal. The food was good but the wait, apparently due to communication and teething isdues, was way, way too long. This didn’t seem to affect the large table of hotel management, who arrived after us but were served straight away. This hotel could be really good and obviously they are starting to invest after years of neglect but right now it falls well short.

Things got off to a bad start - there was a problem with the booking, Expedia failed to sort it, we ended up in a room that was below the standard we booked and overall our expectations were not met. The hotel put all of the blame on Expedia and said they often have problems with Expedia bookings. Some things to note: None of the superior double rooms have a bathtub (contrary to the room description) and the room we were offered (202) was very small, having only a 4ft. 6in bed. and a shower cubicle. The room was certainly not big enough to fit in the sofa that was depicted in the photos on the room description. So to get a bathtub we had to accept a standard double room and our request for a refund of the price difference was refused. The dinner menu is a bit limited and basic, but okay if you are hungry and a bit tired to go out to get supper. Reviews of the buffet breakfast put us off trying it. There are some cafes nearby that serve good coffee.

instant coffee, cold plates for hot food and a mouldy orange in the fruit bowl - all for £10.95!