The Brew House Hotel is a boutique style hotel in Tunbridge Wells. It’s a modern hotel that has been given the star treatment to appeal to the modern traveller. It is ideally situated, close to the famous Pantiles area of the city.
First impressions were not entirely positive. When we drove up, it seemed that the hotel was the first building on the corner. The general appearance was that of a low-budget hotel with bill posters plastered all over the windows. This, in fact, was the gym, and a separate building to the hotel.
The actual hotel exterior is an impressive building, and original features have been kept. This gives a feeling of history and character which is lacking in many, more modern buildings. The interior was also of a very high standard. The management had obviously paid great attention to detail and wanted to create that boutique feel.
Being a city centre hotel, parking is limited. There is a small car park a short walk from the hotel, but none on the site itself. We had to walk our own bags from the car to the reception, as there are double yellow lines outside.
Once inside, we were given a warm, friendly welcome by the receptionist, which quickly shook off any misgivings we had about the exterior of the hotel.
"The Brew House Hotel has a feeling of history and character which is lacking in many, more modern hotels."
Our deluxe room was very spacious, very clean and very stylish. The queen-sized bed was very comfortable, with soft, luxurious pillows and comfortable linen. There were jelly babies on the pillow, which made a nice change from chocolate.
The hotel prides itself on being technically innovative, which is evident by the presence of a Bang and Olufsen television and creative lighting. There was also a pretty neat coffee machine, which made a great cup. There are also the usual facilities such as safe, Wi-Fi, wardrobe, phone and so on.
I remember feeling a little alarmed when we noticed the toilet was on full view from the bedroom, through a clear glass door. It soon became apparent that by clicking a switch, the door became clouded to enable privacy. The receptionist mentioned this as we were checking out, telling us that is constructed of “smart” glass. It would have been nice to have been told, instead of having to figure it out for ourselves.
The bathroom was of a good size. It had a wet room with a shower that literally cascades down and drenches you in seconds. The towels were thick and soft, and the room itself was very light. The only downside, was the lack of toiletries. Apart from that, we were pleasantly surprised at the room.
The furnishing throughout is very plush, and everything seemed to be finished to a high standard. The atmosphere of the hotel was relaxed for a city centre place. There was an air of calm quiet which pervaded the entire building. Staff wandered about their business in a professional dignified manner, and guests talked in hushed tones throughout the building.
There is a gym, which we mistook for the main building, which is well-equipped for a hotel. There is also conference and banqueting facilities for larger parties. We had a look in each, and saw the same attention to detail we had come to expect.
Overall, the Brew House Hotel offers high quality accommodation at a reasonable price. Service is good, the facilities are excellent and the experience a good one. Despite our initial misgivings, we would happily stay here again.
The Bill: £199 per night
