The Sandringham, Sandown 2010

Having stayed there previously and heard that they had now refurbished their top two floors we decided to stay at the Sandringham again. Unlike the Ocean Hotel, the rooms come in three standard sizes and you know just what your going to get.



The seaview room are worth paying extra for which also have balconies but stay up on the top two higher floors which are superior rooms, as the restaurant down below will obscure the beach and sea view of the floor below. Also the official front of the hotel over looks a main road behind the building in the photo and is very noisy, the traffic noise vibrates against high building both sides of the road. If you intend going by car, speak to the hotel first as they have favourable rates with the ferries and will absorb the complete cost if you stay with them.



Car parking on the seafront in the hotel car park is a nightmare, as doubling up of vehicles will cause one to get stuck in and guests will have to come out and move their cars. However, this nightmare can be resolved and recommended by me, as the hotel has use of a private car park just up the road for £2 a day but must be prebooked, as its on a first come first served basis for a reserved place

Private car park 200 metres away



The rooms had been done out reasonable well and we felt comfortable



since previously been four year earlier the refurbishment has included new beds, matching furniture and lighting. The walls had be stippled with plaster in a modern style and the ceiling artexed





However the bathroom had not changed and remained in the 60's advocado pattern and 60's tiling



The bath was not a standard size either, it was shorter but sort of made up for it by being deeper than most baths



The balcony views were fine but they are shared balconies, with only the odd chain dividing them up



no problems encountered but draw your curtains if your into nooky



Again plenty of shipping about, so worth taking binoculars



The restaurant looked very tidy and the meals were served efficiently by very pleasant staff. Breakfast included orange juice or prunes; various cereals; a cooked breakfast of 1 sausage, 1 egg, 1 rasher and half tomato/or beans; toast and marmalade and coffee/tea.



Evening meals included first course soup etc; a roast dinner or other choices like fish or lasagne; various puddings and coffee but strangely the main meal included roast pork was served both on Mon and Thurs. Wine was, in our opinion, too expensive ranging from £14 to £40 a bottle and £10 for half and we could not justify this cost whilst eating seaside meals.

The lounge and bar area had been completely been refurbished and unrecognisable from before. The beer sold was what I call conglomerate made beers and I would prefer some real ales. Entertainment was a duo on Mon/Wed/Fri and the lady singer was quite acceptable but I would not want to listen to the same act twice.





We were warned by previous a posting on TA that tea facilities provided in the room was somewhat mean, two teabags and two packets of coffee per day, so we brought our own with us including milk sticks.

Overall we now find this the best seafront hotel in Sandown and despite any niggles we may have, we will still come back.