I have just spent a few days at the Whitewater on a business trip. I would not recommend generally for business travellers as it has very poor telecommunications. The mobile phone signal is non-existent, which makes picking up work calls difficult, but more importantly makes ringing home without using the hotel phone, an impossibility. I had to drive up the road to get a signal. Also no sign of a broadband connection in the room, or indeed by wireless. In general more of a package tour type of hotel for older clientele.

My wife and I had a 4 day break here in July and as a Professional Fire & Safety Officer I always do a check of the fire safety arrangements - here is what I found:
1. Numerous Fire Doors "wedged open"
2. No evidence/out of date testing of electrical items
3. No Emergency Phone number
4. Fire Doors downgraded
5. No cold smoke sealing on fire doors
6. Storage of combustibles in fire stairs
7. Poor exit signage
8. Mouldy toast served for breakfast

I wrote to the General Manager enclosing photographs - at the end of 3 weeks when I did not receive a reply I forwarded my observations to the Fire Authority for their investigation. I also copied it to the CEO of the Heritage Group.

The pictures of the hotel are very decieving. Driving towards it there was a wow factor, upon walking in it smelt fusty and dirty.

Our room was nice and the veiw was great, out bathroom was not great the spa bath had a scum line around it and the panel has hanging off and the other end of the panel was rotten.

Our meal was ok, but no atmosphere in restaurant, no music and they were short staffed everytime we went in. There were very little staff around the hotel and we always had to ask to be served by reception at the bar.

It is miles from anywhere so you need a car.

The view was great tho

Stayed with my family for one night. The hotel is set in the most picturesque of surroundings and in a nice quiet retreat. It was disappointing to arrive and be told that due to a wedding reception taking place you could only use certain bars at certain times and that the restaurant opening times were being reduced. We decided to eat in the Fisherman's Bar, the patio area was disgusting, dirty tables, floor littered with rubbish with the smell of the kitchen wafting out over you. We decided to move inside where the bar manager was moaning about all and sundry in the hotel, whether it be the manager or his fellow bar staff. His manner and tone was verging on being rude when he dealt with the public, this was endorsed by people sitting near us. We moved to the back of the bar, when the food arrived the adult meals were acceptable but the kids meals were unedible. How you can manage to burn pizza and garlic bread and serve them is beyond me. The bar lady agreed that they were unacceptable and removed them from the bill. It was a shame because everywhere else in the hotel is very good, whether it be the staff or the facilities. What was also disappointing was that despite filling in the Customer Satisfaction proforma nobody has bothered to make contact with me from the hotel.