I’d seriously recommend AVOID, you won't want any long term relationship here.
Stayed at this hotel on 3 separate occasions. The Atlantic sets itself low standards and consistently manages to deliver them. The hotel is very much a low cost no frills budget experience though the room rates charged do not reflect this, expect to pay circa £100.
Let's start with the positive, not much to talk about here sadly; the double beds are really big so you can stretch out. The gentleman at breakfast is always very polite and they can cook perfect poached eggs. That’s where it ends.
Generally, I’ve found the staff, with one exception, disengaged and unmotivated, feels to me like they are getting hospitality experience before they move to somewhere where they might enjoy their work.
The rooms are basic; I’d give them an average ‘C’ for cleanliness. Cobwebs in the corner of the rooms for example. There is little attention to detail; my last room had a tissue box with only one sheet. Take your own toiletries, as the tiny soap and rubbish shampoo are exactly what they are, rubbish! There are no other amenities. The night-light had a bulb that needed replacing; it’s not that hard now is it.
I’ve had a room where the TV remote didn’t work, and if you can get the TV on you are treated to the very basic free to air channels though you qualify for Sky if you pay their ‘executive’ rate, I got ‘scolded’ by the reception staff for daring to ask one time. Some of the rooms have been refurbished, on one stay I was delighted to find it had air conditioning, the other two nights my room was cooled by opening the window. I’ve always found the rooms to be uncomfortably hot.
If you are unluckily enough to get the ground floor you’ll be aggravated by the busy car park noise or worse still the smoke from the designated smoking area which has been inconveniently situated right by the main entrance, top marks for the genius who thought that one through.
Generally, I’ve always been underwhelmed by my experiences at the Atlantic and aggravated by different things so much so I thought the Regional General Manager, Mr. Ricardo Santa-Rita might be interested in some feedback. To date, I’ve had no acknowledgment of my note and no response at all which demonstrates just how much this hotel takes business for granted. Many reading this, and probably Mr. Santa-Rita too will invite me to stay somewhere else if I don’t like it so that’s exactly what I shall be doing from now on. There is plenty of choice in Chelmsford so I shall be voting with my feet.
Good luck if you make a choice to stay there, expect a 2* experience and you won’t be disappointed.
