GreyFriars

A highly professional attitude from the staff on the front desk…

Liked large quiet room, outside seating area, lift, soft carpet, comfortable bed, nice shower. Didn't like poor lighting in bathroom by washbasin and toilet.

My parents stayed here for a night. Everything was great.

GreyFriars is probably the best hotel in Colchester I believe it was once a public school and has retained the character of the building The staff although somewhat distant are really good at there jobs The upgrade that was given to us was really appreciated Thank you

Second stay here so can’t be that bad I guess. The hotel lacks atmosphere and the staff are efficient but lack warmth. Room was great and clean. Ate out in the evening as restaraunt lacks any atmosphere with very strange seating arrangement. Similar at breakfast and just one lady to serve every table so pretty slow affair though food was great.

A feeling of luxury, well located, beautiful decor

From the time we checked in to when we left, the service was first class....can we call out Katein the dining room for special mention. She was a brilliant server and an asset to the Hotel

This was my third time back at this hotel and unfortunately it feels like things are not moving in the right direction. We stayed in one of the largest suites and found hairs in the bathroom, the sink tap leaked, we didn’t have enough towels and the shower heads were positioned in a way that soaked us upon turning on and the rest of the bathroom (it’s the small things but I expect better). My husband and I were staying with our two year old and even though our room was over £300 a night they still required an additional £15 crib rental charge which is terrible service. Check in took around 15 minutes (again for a 4* hotel I’d expect it to be more efficient) and there was no one to help us with bags (again family with 2 year old and I was 7 months pregnant). Breakfast (included) was really good & location is super easy to walk into town or spend some time relaxing in the nearby castle park. Overall this stay was a disappointment for the price paid.

As usual the stay was lovely. I wish they had usb ports in the rooms though. Dressing gowns need to be bigger sizes too

We did not think this Hotel warrented 4 stars. We were required to make a £50 credit card provisional deposit to cover any possible damage to room but no documents with terms or conditions, or indication of how any claim against our deposit could be verified. No evidence of condition was agreed at outset. Breakfast arrangements were farcical. Usually certain foods are laid out for guests to take such as fruit juice cereals etc and tea and coffee is ordered so guests can eat whist waiting for the cooked breakfast. Here, one day there was no juice out. Coffee was provided but only enough for one small cup. One morning tea leaves emerged from the teapot which held teabags, possibley because it had not been cleaned properly from an earlier use. Staff seem have had no training. They did not take notes and on an adjoining table they forgot what had been ordered. I asked for toast, one day one I had two slices which was fine, the next day one slice of barely toasted, which was sent back and 2 the next day. The waiters were alway polite and friendy but it seemed there was no system or training. Complimentry water was provided on day 1 only . A half used bottle was left the next morning and glasses of tap water were left so the glasses had not been cleaned.Tea and coffee was in the room but in multiples of 3 ie 3 milks and 3 coffee pods. The set dinner menu was limited for a three night stay, so we went elsewhere. Red wine served cold. Most disapointing stay

Lovely stay

The property was excellent in many ways , the highlight was the young lady receptionist whom we think was quite new , went put of her way to accommodate our needs as im partially disabled with mobility after a stroke , this is our 2nd /3rd time of staying here , The downside was the breakfast, not sure were to start the waitress never took correct details & it meant my wife & I ate at different intervals , etc etc , & We all know what makes a great breakfast yip you got it , nope not here , Bland , tight ( not succulent Sausages !!!!! Along with dried burnt bacon , Apart from that it was ok

Staff were excellent. Very attentive & helpful. Hotel was very comfortable & well maintained. Finding hitel car oark was a little difficult so a sign at the front of the hotel on main road would be really helpful

Traffic kept us awake

Fabulous hotel great staff, loved the bar and a fire in the evening

A lovely one night stay. Friendly staff. A complimentary room upgrade was given. We enjoyed our evening here.

Great stay. Quiet end of the high street and short walk to the shopping and restaurant. Really smart hotel with a 5 star feel. Nice, Small and intimate. Private parking to the rear of the hotel. Would highly recommend.

Bland, dated and massively overpriced. We checked out early with a sigh of relief. It was meant to be a treat. I booked the best suite at Greyfriars for a weekend away with my wife. It was a Christmas present and we paid £720 for two nights. For £720, I could've bought her a Hermes scarf and had change. We could've gone to somewhere sunny for a week, but no, I booked us into Greyfriars in Colchester. I don't think my relationship will ever recover. When you pay £720 you do expect a certain standard, a level of luxury. You don't expect to have to pay a security deposit of £50 as you check in, but that's the "welcome" that we got on arrival. The decor was dated, stuck in the 1970s, all swirly carpets and peacock curtains. The furniture felt like it been bulk bought from Beefeater Inns. There was no hint of luxury. The first suite (Suite 1) to which we were shown was unheated (and the heating couldn't be made to work), a higgledy-piggledy mess spread out over three floors. We got switched to Suite 17. It was at least heated (for now), but still a random collection of rooms and bathrooms dysfunctionally organised. The meals were fodder rather than a pleasure. The staff were pleasant enough, but I think that they would be happier if they could work in a place of which they could be proud

The staff make this such a great place to staff; always well taken care of!

My recent stay at Greyfriars Hotel in Colchester was a disaster, and I must warn others about their incompetence, lack of accountability, and disregard for guests. If you value your time, money, and sanity, avoid this establishment at all costs. The Car Park Fiasco – A Catastrophe of Incompetence The hotel’s car park gate failed on the morning of my departure, trapping me inside. I had an important appointment that could not be rescheduled, yet I was left stranded. Their excuse? “Extreme weather conditions.” A bit of cold rendered their car park unusable—an unacceptable failure in the UK, where freezing temperatures are hardly rare. Preventative measures like de-icing or proper maintenance would have avoided this, yet they had no plan. Management’s Response – Deflection and Excuses After complaining, I received a response full of corporate gaslighting. Instead of taking responsibility, they claimed this had “never happened before.” That does not excuse the lack of contingency planning. Even worse, they refused any form of compensation, despite my significant inconvenience. A Complete Failure in Hospitality No emergency support, no effective solution, and no accountability. Their refusal to acknowledge their failure proves guest satisfaction is not a priority. Avoid Greyfriars at all costs.