Warner Hotel Bembridge

[Mervyn and Trish]

Yes, definitely not in the HPB league.

But despite the suspect seats we would go back sometime in the future. The entertainment sold it for us and we are not sit around in bar people anyway - unless it's Andersons or the Crows Nest of course.

[Stephen]

Yes, definitely not in the HPB league.

But despite the suspect seats we would go back sometime in the future. The entertainment sold it for us and we are not sit around in bar people anyway - unless it's Andersons or the Crows Nest of course.

........

........and someone else is buying

[Mervyn and Trish]

Yes, definitely not in the HPB league.

But despite the suspect seats we would go back sometime in the future. The entertainment sold it for us and we are not sit around in bar people anyway - unless it's Andersons or the Crows Nest of course.

........

........and someone else is buying

That's very kind Stephen. Mine's a double malt with ice please.

[Stephen]

with ICE ...heathen

[qbman1]

Nooo - ICE? What a Philistine

[Dark Knight]

sounds like a pando cruise without the water and the tips, suffice to say, I will avoid this type of holiday like the plague

[Mervyn and Trish]

Felt more like one of your ships than P&O Batty. Nonetheless as one who spends longer than us in the bar with the nice seats probably a wise decision!

[Mervyn and Trish]

with ICE ...heathen

All the serious malt drinkers like a little water. This is a good way of adding it gently.

[Stephen]

with ICE ...heathen

All the serious malt drinkers like a little water. This is a good way of adding it gently.

You might as well drink the blended stuff. But, if you like being a woosy......

[Silver_Shiney]

We went to the Johnny Walker distillery/bottling plant in Kilmarnock many moons ago and the guide said this business of looking down noses at the addition of ice, water, mixers etc was a load of tosh - if you want to put something in your Scotch, go ahead and enjoy. Personally, I found adding water spoiled the taste, and the stuff was never in the glass long enough to be diluted by melting ice.

Thanks for the review, Merv, it sounds a bit like a hotel we went to in Ilfracombe(?) several years ago - a time warp back to the 50s. Not for me.

[ChrisB]

We have stayed on the Isle of Wight many times but not in a Warner Hotel.

However, I can recommend the Warner Hotel Sinah Warren on Hayling Island. We tend to do weekends away and decided to try the Sinah Warren. Our first time at a Warner Hotel and it was very good. We upgraded to a Signature room, very clean and comfortable with a terrace and sea view. Plenty of parking close to our room. The food was very good and plenty of assortment. There were tribute bands on but we did not do the evening entertainment. Would thoroughly recommend the Sinah Warren.

A couple of weeks ago we decided to try a weekend at the Warner Lakeside on Hayling Island. We had a Harbour Suite which was lovely, a nice walk in shower, separate lounge, very clean with our own parking space outside, but that is where the loveliness stopped. The rest of the place was very tired looking. The food was terrible with such a small choice. Evening entertainment was an Elvis tribute......Terrible. Would not recommend Lakeside.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm guessing that much like a cruise company they can't refit every ship every year so they get done in sequence. If you hit on a recently refurb'd hotel it is probably a lot better than the one due next, though I do think the cruise companies keep the ships in better order between refits. I wonder if there is a Warner forum anywhere where you can pick up things like the refurb schedule, as this group always it's ear to the ground on plans for the ships.

I'm surprised about the food. I'd assumed it was a common menu across the group but I suppose it still depends on the local Executive/Head Chef's interpretation.

And the entertainment may be a bit independent of the hotel. Some of the acts seem to do the rounds so our Phil Collins would be great anywhere and your Elvis probably wouldn't be any better in a different setting.

[ChrisB]

I'm guessing that much like a cruise company they can't refit every ship every year so they get done in sequence. If you hit on a recently refurb'd hotel it is probably a lot better than the one due next, though I do think the cruise companies keep the ships in better order between refits. I wonder if there is a Warner forum anywhere where you can pick up things like the refurb schedule, as this group always it's ear to the ground on plans for the ships.

I'm surprised about the food. I'd assumed it was a common menu across the group but I suppose it still depends on the local Executive/Head Chef's interpretation.

And the entertainment may be a bit independent of the hotel. Some of the acts seem to do the rounds so our Phil Collins would be great anywhere and your Elvis probably wouldn't be any better in a different setting.

The menu was the same at both of the Warners but very badly cooked and presented at Lakeside, with overcooked vegetables and just a choice of two vegetables. It looked as if they were cutting back. We would still try other Warner's, its just the luck of the draw, as they say. Off on Aurora next week, I am sure the food will be great as usual.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Have a good trip. We were on Aurora before we went to the IOW - one of our favourite ships

[qbman1]

I'm guessing that much like a cruise company they can't refit every ship every year so they get done in sequence. If you hit on a recently refurb'd hotel it is probably a lot better than the one due next, though I do think the cruise companies keep the ships in better order between refits. I wonder if there is a Warner forum anywhere where you can pick up things like the refurb schedule, as this group always it's ear to the ground on plans for the ships.

I'm surprised about the food. I'd assumed it was a common menu across the group but I suppose it still depends on the local Executive/Head Chef's interpretation.

And the entertainment may be a bit independent of the hotel. Some of the acts seem to do the rounds so our Phil Collins would be great anywhere and your Elvis probably wouldn't be any better in a different setting.

Do they take them to dry dock in Frankfurt for a refit ?

[Mervyn and Trish]

No. I believe they send a bloke called Tony round with his mate Dave and a big box of hammers and screwdrivers.

[Gill W]

We have stayed on the Isle of Wight many times but not in a Warner Hotel.

However, I can recommend the Warner Hotel Sinah Warren on Hayling Island. We tend to do weekends away and decided to try the Sinah Warren. Our first time at a Warner Hotel and it was very good. We upgraded to a Signature room, very clean and comfortable with a terrace and sea view. Plenty of parking close to our room. The food was very good and plenty of assortment. There were tribute bands on but we did not do the evening entertainment. Would thoroughly recommend the Sinah Warren.

A couple of weeks ago we decided to try a weekend at the Warner Lakeside on Hayling Island. We had a Harbour Suite which was lovely, a nice walk in shower, separate lounge, very clean with our own parking space outside, but that is where the loveliness stopped. The rest of the place was very tired looking. The food was terrible with such a small choice. Evening entertainment was an Elvis tribute......Terrible. Would not recommend Lakeside.

I'm reviving this thread, as I've just returned Warner's Sinah Warren, for a four night break.

This was our first Warner break and it's a general thumbs up from me.

We had a Signature room, with a sea view, but no balcony or patio. It was a good sized room, and compared to a cruise cabin the bathroom was huge.

We enjoyed the food, although the buffet was a full on melee at times.

It was themed as a 'West End to Warner Break.' On the first night the entertainment was a comedian, who was quite funny. The next two nights, we had female singers. Both had similar repertoires and the girl on the first night got a much better reception. The girl on the second night was always going to struggle, as she had to wait until the end of the England semi final. After all that, a lot of people didn't stay for her show. On the last night, there was the Warner production show, which may not have been as lavish as some cruise shows, but the entertainment team was very talented, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When you book, you can now book your table in the entertainment lounge, so you don't have to rush your meal and 'get a seat' for the show - your table is waiting for you. It worked well.

It was a lovely location, and one day we went for a long walk around a nature reserve and for miles along the sea front. We also went to Arundel Castle, and joined a Warner coach to Chichester. At £10.95 each, this was good value, as it included tea and a cake in the hotel lounge when we got back to the hotel. The coach also picked up guests from Lakeside, and like Chris said, Lakeside didn't look nearly as nice. I doubt if I'd book there, based on what I saw

The guests were very elderly. I'm not exaggerating, but the average age must easily have been late 70's. I'm 58 now, as far as I could see I was the youngest guest by some margin. my husband is 66, and I think he was the next youngest! At mealtimes, the mobility scooters were parked in a long line outside of the restaurant, I've never seen anything like it! However, the guests were up for a good time, and there wasnt the moaning that you can get on a cruise.

We'd go to Sinah Warren again, without a doubt, and we intend to try another Warner Hotel next year. Probably Littlecote, as I have family history in that area.

[Whynd1]

I have now reached the heady heights if Warners concierge membership, more perks.

Lindsey

[Gill W]

I have now reached the heady heights if Warners concierge membership, more perks.

Lindsey

That's our next life goal, and to get to gold level in Fred Olsen's loyalty scheme!

[rita17]

We recently went to Warners Bodelwyddan Castle. We had a signature room with a patio which we loved as we could sit outside with our glass of wine or G&T when we came back from our day out. We also were able to choose our tables in the entertainment lounge when we booked our holiday. This worked well for us. The entertainment was ok but not brilliant. A Tom Jones tribute, a comedian and the entertainment team "show" on the last night. We found the food to be good and there were never queues for the buffet. The other guests were, I should say, fifty plus although there was one young couple in their twenties who seemed to be enjoying themselves. While we were there we visited Conway, Llandudno and Bodnant Garden which was really beautiful at that time. We first went to Warners for my husbands 50th birthday, he's now 72 and would really recommend them.

Rita

[daib GC]

We are going to Bembridge a week on Monday. We have done a few now and have also reached the dizzy heights of Concierge.

We shall see if there have been any improvements.

Dai

[Manoverboard]

We went to Warner's at Bembridge-ish when it was a holiday camp circa 1970 … watch out for hippies smoking funny fags is my advice.

[Stephen]

We have been to:

Holme Lacey x 4
Bodelwyddan Castle x 1
Cricket St Thomas x 2

[GillD46]

We went to Warner's at Bembridge-ish when it was a holiday camp circa 1970 … watch out for hippies smoking funny fags is my advice.

I might have been amongst that group you saw, minus the funny fag, or any fag for that matter. I went to the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival to see Jimi Hendrix and all the rest.

[Manoverboard]

We went to Warner's at Bembridge-ish when it was a holiday camp circa 1970 … watch out for hippies smoking funny fags is my advice.

I might have been amongst that group you saw, minus the funny fag, or any fag for that matter. I went to the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival to see Jimi Hendrix and all the rest.

Were you with the group pinching pints of milk from the local delivery milk trucks ?

ps … I recall we got as far as the entrance but couldn't possibly go in as we were restricted by a prudey two year old in a push chair.