A NIGHT alone?

In a hotel? Without little Elsie?

Well that’s something of a rare treat for the husband and I, so we were thrilled to be invited to stay at the Great Victoria hotel in Bradford just last month.

We had a smashing time. Relaxed lots. Ate lots. Drank lots. And even managed a bit of a lie in too.

But enough about what we go up to (although I’ll let your thoughts run wild on this one!), here’s my thoughts on our stay at this landmark hotel.

First up, and the most important, our bedroom.

Our room was lovely. Simple but very lovely, with a super comfy four poster bed. (Oh how I love a four poster!) and tasteful furnishings.

Packed with charm, the room boasted not one, not two, but three stunning Victorian windows, which provided lots of light on a grey October day and a pleasant view of the city. (They reminded me a little of Paris too.)

The room had everything we needed and was clean and comfortable but sadly the bathroom let it down a little.

Whenever I’m away, I always love to have a soak in the tub, with a cup of tea or glass of wine in hand. But this was impossible on this occasion because sadly the taps on our bath didn’t work.

The bathroom itself was spotlessly clean (big thumbs up for that) but needs some care and attention. Little things like the taps not working and a blind which had long seen better days, were disappointing but are things which could (and will hopefully) be quickly fixed.

Sadly though, this lack of attention to detail is a theme which continues to run throughout the hotel. And it is so frustrating, because the building itself is absolutely beautiful and packed with period character and features.

From the outside, it looks glorious, majestic almost.

And the inside looks pretty special too with it’s long corridors, grand reception area and chandeliers.

But when you look closely, your eye is drawn to lots of little things that you just cannot overlook. Stains on the carpet. Patches on walls. A slightly shabby entrance.

It just needs lots of love and attention. (Like us all).

Thankfully, the glory of the building is absolutely not lost with its magnificent sweeping staircase and elegant interiors.

And the staff were wonderful.

I cannot praise them highly enough. Everyone we met at the hotel was friendly, welcoming and incredibly helpful. So all is definitely not lost.

In the evening, we were very kindly invited to dine in the restaurant and were brilliantly looked after by the staff, yet again.

Our three course meal was tasty and satisfying. Nothing fancy, but very pleasant and really reasonably priced.

The restaurant itself is a stunning room as is the hotel bar, both exuding elegance and all the charm of a bygone glamorous era.

But on a Saturday night, we were the only ones dining, which didn’t bother us at all, but did leave me thinking; “where one earth is everyone?!”

All in all, we enjoyed our stay at the Great Victoria and would stay again.

It’s in a fantastic location, parking is free (for guests), the hotel is totally charming and the staff are wonderful. But I cannot help feel a little sad that this historic and elegant hotel doesn’t quite deliver the luxury you really want it to.

A ‘great’ hotel? Sadly no, not yet, but it certainly has all the potential to be one. Here’s hoping.

Many thanks to the team at the Great Victoria for inviting us to stay.

With love,

Kate