Riviera Hotel

4 readers found this review helpful

Our room was very dated and shabby pink. The first thing that hits you is the smell. There were carpet tiles in the bathroom that someone had urinated on (probably a disappointed customer). When I tried to run a bath the water came out so slowly that I could have peed faster. When I tried to turn the hot tap on the whole tap moved. The breakfast was not very nice and both mine and my husbands glass were cracked. When I told a member of staff, they didn't even apologise. I can honestly say that we have never stayed in a hotel this bad before. It was dreadful and we will never return.

1 reader found this review helpful

On arrival at the Riviera Hotel, we were impressed by the look of the hotel, UNTIL we went back in time to the 1950's. We were advised not to eat in the hotel as food was poor. we booked in for a meal only to find the food was pureed and cold. Complained about the food and given refund as well as complimentry bottle of wine. We spent the evening in the bar and the bar Manager was amazing. He kept us entertained and kept the bar open until 3am for us and another couple.
Pool was also closed!!
All in all, hotel Awful, Staff amazing.

1 reader found this review helpful

We stayed at this (hotel?)in October 2009.The room(?) was so tiny we couldn't pass each other.The door opens to the outdoors and we couldn't sleep till everyone beyond our door had passed by,chattering on their way to bed.There is very little storage space and the bathroom ought to be called a cubicle.However if you like ballroom dancing, the ballroom is excellent.There was a superb snooker room with two full sized tables,but no rests.I understand these vintage tables are being removed and the room turned into offices.Shame!

2 readers found this review helpful

This was booked for a Jazz Weekend. Room was like a cell - musty, dreadful decor, unwashed counterpane on the bed. Cold shower room with inadequate cold water supply therefore if we had used the shower we would have been scalded. The reception staff made you feel like a nuisance, they were constantly complaining about how stressed they were. We would never ever use this hotel again or recommend it to anyone.

1 reader found this review helpful

Having read the reviews prior to our sixties weekend visit I must admit my wife and I were pleasantly surprised. Having spoken to a few guests who had stayed there previously it appears the hotel is in new ownership and although the infrastructure is in need of some TLC the food, entertainment and staff were superb. The evening meal menu was of much higher quality than I expected, perhaps I should be wary of other reviews. It will certainly take a good deal of investment to put the complex back to its former glory, however, I will return to see if the improvement continues.

1 reader found this review helpful

after coming for about nine or ten years for the new year break, we were very dissapointed,as the entertainment was almost non existant and there were hours that there was not anything to do, especially for the time of the year it was awful,and we felt very sorry for other people not so able bodied as us,they must have been bored to death because we were, other years the staff have organised so much going on,it was fabulous, we are so dissapointed because we also come for our anniversary in March and this year wanted to take some friends with us but not now, we were bored out of our brain.usually there has been Tea dancing and fab shows made up by the fabulous youngsters who are so talented,ie: Olivia Jones who is so talented herself what a waste.instead you had a comedien who was a waste of space as i object to making the show using his audience dont forget we are the ones that pay for the entertainment, and we did expect some,it was winter and cannot just go out in the pool or on the beach to take away the boredom,and we felt it was expencive this year and i expect it will be more so this next new year, so i hope you rethink your mistakes other wise Riviera will be no more because a lot more people were very unhappy this year, people we have met there many times.but must say the resident band is excellent always,also Helen Jones on reception is so good at her job very very caring and very helpful,also the staff in the dining room lovely and excellent food,think very quickly before it is too late, there are three of us who are very sad about this last break we had in the Riviera and dont intend to return.

1 reader found this review helpful

I read the reviews on the hotel before we left with a coach load, we was quite worried about our 3 night stay but when we got there, the veiw was breath taking, and the rooms were small but very clean as was the bathroom, the shower was powerful and hot, a bit small but nice all the same.The staff were fantastic, and food was great, great choice and very quick service. We was lucky enough to be on the turkey and tinsell weekend,and the evening meal was roast turkey and all the trimmings, and we even got pressies in the evening If you are used to 5 star hotels then this is not the place for you but if your looking for somewhere clean and warm to sleep ( you got to be sad to stay in your room anyway for any lenght of time) and good choice of food, then you will love it. The gym was small but does the trick, and swimming pools great. The ballroom and and bar was lovely, and just a short cab or bus ride away from weymouth town centre or a fantastic stroll along the beach to it, or back, We enjoyed it, well done riviera. from karen and jason smart

5 readers found this review helpful

After staying at the Riv for many years we did not realise how one owner could run the hotel into the ground.
The food was at best to say rotten the toast in the morning really had mold on the crust not just us but 2 other tables.
The cutlery was dirty and the china still had food attached.
The entertainment was the same for 3 nights but other was good.
They even rain out of beer on a Friday night!!
The shower in our room was so funny that to get hot water you had to run the sink cold tap.
Watch out for the indoor pool they shut it for private parties.
Won't be going their again!!!!

4 readers found this review helpful

True it has taken me a year to add my comments regarding last years holiday but that is merely because we still have not received a refund which we were told we would get.
We booked the hotel before looking at the reviews and then realised we had made a mistake.
Firstly on arrival we were booked into two rooms, one of which was being occupied by someone already??? Raises security issues ..... however, this was sorted out quickly. The rooms were clean but very dated and no real home comforts. We had booked half board but were told that having paid in advance for all meals that if we decided against dinner on any given evening, at the end of our stay this would be refunded.
As one member of our party was a vegetarian and they catered very poorly for this we only ate one evening meal and then went into Weymouth every other evening for dinner. A note about the food in general, the quality was not fresh but frozen fish, meat etc heated up and in my opinion not a good standard of catering. You also had to walk all the way to the bar which was in another part of the hotel to get a drink to have with your meal, which we found to be bizarre.
We did contemplate booking out and finding alternative accomodation but then reasoned that we did not intend to spend much time at the hotel, with day trips so we would rough it and stayed to the bitter end.
All in all, we found the food below standard, the rooms and facilities below standard and are still trying to obtain a refund for meals paid for in advance, although at this stage we have resigned ourselves to the fact that we waved goodbye to our money when we made our initial booking.
One thing I will say is that Weymouth was a lovely place and the surrounding villages and countryside/coast are a pleasure to visit and I would definately visit Weymouth again but with sooooooo many lovely hotels in the town centre and locally, would not consider "The Riveria" if it were the last place on earth!!!!!

2 readers found this review helpful

having stay at riviera hotel for last nine years this year was so dissapointing the hotel has really gone down hill .six weeks a year they open for kids there is no entertainment for children in past years there has been lilo races,poolvolley ball,clowns games,football,fancydress,treasure hunts,kids bingo,kareoke,films,and disco these things are not done any more . the new owners are only interested in the older clientel you can always get a foxtrot or dances that are okay if your over fifty i think they should have stayed in the buisiness of running rest homes.no blame can be put on the staff as they can only work with what they are given.the restaurant is understaffed most times so be prepared to wait.if you have childern i would think long and hard before you choose this hotel,sad to say but we will no longer be using it . a big thankyou to livvy,james,karen,for trying so hard .