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Summary of reviewsThe Aqua excels in providing a memorable stay primarily attributed to its exceptional location, cleanliness and friendly staff. Ideally situated next to the port and beach, the hotel offers superb access for diving enthusiasts and visitors wanting to explore the marina, Chesil Beach, Portland Castle and the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy. Guests appreciate the serene harbor views and the location's practicality for excursions to nearby attractions such as Weymouth and Durdle Door.
The hotel's breakfast service is widely praised for its quality and variety, offering a hot buffet with vegan options that most guests find satisfying and delicious. Despite some instances of mediocrity and minor service issues, the breakfast experience is generally positive, further enhanced by friendly and accommodating staff. However, the evening dining experience is inconsistent due to frequent restaurant and bar closures, sometimes leaving guests to find alternative dining options.
Rooms at The Aqua are consistently commended for their cleanliness and comfort. Recently renovated, they feature modern décor and amenities with many rooms offering scenic sea views. While some find the smaller rooms a bit cramped and note occasional noise, overall feedback highlights the rooms as spacious, well-furnished and spotless.
Cleanliness is a standout feature of The Aqua with guests regularly complimenting the impeccably maintained rooms and public areas. The hotel's commitment to cleanliness is evident in the fresh white linens and towels, adding to the guests' comfort.
The staff's friendliness and helpfulness are repeatedly praised with many guests noting the warm and welcoming atmosphere created by the attentive team. Individual staff members and the hotel's owner receive specific commendations for their exceptional service, which significantly enhances the overall guest experience.
Although there are mixed opinions on the beds with some guests finding them too soft or uncomfortable, many still describe the beds as comfortable and of good quality. The Aqua offers good value for money, providing a comfortable stay despite some service and dining challenges, meeting expectations for a three-star hotel. Overall, the combination of a prime location, cleanliness, friendly staff and quality breakfast contributes to a positive and enjoyable stay at The Aqua. Show more
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Categories
Hotel near Golf Courses
Family Friendly Hotel
Cheap Hotel
3-Star Hotel
Room Types
Guest Reviews
7.8
Good
Location
'The Aqua' boasts an exceptional location that is consistently praised by guests for its proximity to key attractions and activities. Situated next to the port and beach, the hotel offers superb access for diving enthusiasts and those looking to explore the stunning marina. Many reviews highlight its convenience for visiting Chesil Beach, Portland Castle and the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy.
The hotel's setting right by the harbor provides not only easy access to local interests but also offers lovely views of the water from many rooms. Guests appreciate being barely 0.5 miles from essential destinations, making it ideal for both adventure and relaxation. The location is also noted as being quiet and peaceful, perfect for a serene getaway.
Guests also find the location practical for trips to Weymouth, Durdle Door and local manufacturers. It's an excellent base for exploring the area, offering a blend of natural beauty and convenience. Friendly staff and clean, comfortable rooms further enhance the positive experience at this hotel, making it a favored spot for both tourists and business travelers alike.
Breakfast
The Aqua hotel delivers a breakfast experience that has garnered a largely positive reception from its guests. Visitors frequently highlight the quality and variety of food available with descriptions such as "awesome," "delicious breakfasts," and "great choice of high quality food" painting a picture of a satisfying morning meal. The breakfast is typically served as a hot buffet, which many found to be generous and inclusive of vegan options.
Guests appreciated the "lovely" and "tasty" breakfasts, often noting the traditional British breakfast as a standout. The presence of friendly and accommodating staff also enhances the breakfast experience. Many praised the "fabulous" and "fantastic" food, noting that both the breakfast and the evening meals were excellent.
However, some criticisms were mentioned with a few finding the breakfast to be mediocre or chaotic at times, partly due to staff shortages. There were also remarks about limited choices and occasional issues with the quality of specific items such as scrambled eggs. Despite this, the overall sentiment was positive with guests expressing satisfaction with the well-cooked meals that met their expectations.
In summary, while there are areas for improvement, The Aqua’s breakfast offerings generally receive commendation for variety, quality and the friendliness of the staff, making it a comforting start to the day for many guests.
Dinner
Guests at The Aqua have noted a mixed experience regarding the availability of evening meals at the hotel. When the restaurant was open, it garnered positive feedback for the quality of its food with terms like "good" and "excellent" highlighting guest satisfaction. However, many guests experienced inconvenience due to the restaurant and bar being frequently closed, sometimes attributed to staff shortages or ongoing work. This meant that guests often had to venture out to find dinner, which was particularly frustrating when nearby dining options were limited, especially after 8 pm. The irregular availability of the bar also added to the inconvenience. Despite the quality of the food when available, the overall dining experience at The Aqua seemed inconsistent for many guests.
Rooms
The Aqua offers rooms that are consistently praised for their cleanliness and comfort. Guests commend the modern and fresh decor of these well-maintained spaces, which are often described as spotless and adequately furnished. Many rooms provide pleasant views, including lovely sea views that add a special touch to the stay. The hotel features a mix of spacious and more compact rooms with visitors noting the comfort and functionality of even the smaller, basic accommodations.
Despite some comments about the room size and noise, the overall sentiment is positive. Many appreciated the rooms being spacious enough for two people with comfortable beds and modern amenities, including large shower rooms.
Some guests mentioned the presence of stylish and clean decor, contributing to a very pleasant experience. The positive reviews indicate that Aqua's rooms cater well to a variety of preferences, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and functionality post-renovation, making it a satisfactory choice for many travelers.
Beds
The beds at The Aqua receive mixed reviews from guests. Many found the beds to be comfortable with some describing them as extremely comfortable and praising their good quality. The hotel also features large, comfortable beds that add to the overall comfort of the stay. However, there are some recurring comments about the beds being a bit too soft or slightly uncomfortable. Specific mentions include a hard mattress on a single bed and instances where the beds were found to be extremely uncomfortable. Despite these varied experiences, guests generally comment positively on the hotel's amenities, including good WiFi, breakfast, cleanliness and friendly staff.
Cleanliness
Visitors to The Aqua consistently praise the hotel's outstanding cleanliness, highlighting it as a defining feature of their stay. Guests frequently describe the rooms as very clean, spotlessly clean and exceptionally clean, including both the rooms and the bathrooms. Fresh, modern rooms with sparkling cleanliness appear to be a standard expectation that the hotel consistently meets.
Moreover, positive mentions about the staff are numerous with many guests noting the staff's friendliness and helpful nature. The combination of a clean environment and welcoming staff seems to create a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere, making guests feel well cared for. Reports of clean and fresh-smelling rooms, spotless public areas and prompt responses to any issues, notably a small plumbing problem, reinforce the hotel's commitment to maintaining high cleanliness standards.
Fresh white linens and towels, clean and simple décor and exceptionally tidy rooms further enhance the guests' experience. The property is described as always very clean and tidy, which appears to be a priority for the staff who are consistently mentioned as being friendly and helpful. Overall, the hotel's cleanliness and the helpful demeanor of its staff contribute significantly to a consistently positive guest experience.
Staff
The staff at The Aqua has been consistently praised for their outstanding friendliness and helpfulness, significantly enhancing the guest experience. Reviews highlight a welcoming atmosphere where staff members strike the perfect balance between professionalism and a personal touch. Guests appreciated the accommodating nature of the staff, noting they were courteous and attentive to various needs.
There were several mentions of individuals going above and beyond with specific accolades for exemplary service from employees like Martin. The hotel's owner also received commendation for exceptional efforts to ensure guest satisfaction. Frequently described as extremely friendly, the staff's kindness was deemed remarkable by numerous visitors.
Guests felt immediately welcomed, thanks to the pleasant and approachable demeanor of the team. Whether it was the smiley and polite reception staff or the overall relaxed and pleasant interactions, the friendly service fostered a comfortable and enjoyable stay. The consistent theme across the reviews is clear: The Aqua's staff contributes significantly to a positive and memorable experience for its guests.
3 Star
The Aqua offers good value for money with a happy stay for its guests. The hotel facilities are fine and the staff are known to be super helpful during check-in, friendly and welcoming. However, some aspects such as room size and general service quality could improve. Rooms, though basic, are kept spotless, providing a comfortable budget quality experience. Challenges include some delays in staff availability and a chaotic service experience, particularly in the dining area, attributed to a lack of staffing. Overall, while some services could be better optimized, the hotel generally meets the expectations for a three-star rating.
No, The Aqua doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at The Aqua.
No, The Aqua doesn't allow dogs.
No, parking facilities aren't available at The Aqua.