Corus Hotel Solihull

After reading the reviews, I wasn’t looking forward to my stay here, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s actually a really nice hotel. I stayed in a ground-floor room with a patio door leading out to a seating area. The rooms were clean and everything looks new. The hotel has a lovely garden with deck chairs and a bar area, which made it a great place to relax. The breakfast was also very nice and added to the overall experience. I would recommend not being put off by the reviews — my stay was enjoyable, and I would happily recommend this hotel.

We understand that occasionally things can go wrong when dining out. Staff can make mistakes, kitchens can become busy, and most customers are prepared to be reasonable when issues are dealt with properly. On the positive side, The Regency Solihull is a lovely venue and the surroundings are attractive. Unfortunately, that is where the positives end. Our first visit was on 23rd May when three of us attended for breakfast. We ordered tea, coffee and our breakfasts and then waited. After 45 minutes with no food arriving, we asked what had happened to our order. We were then informed that the staff member who took the order had failed to enter it correctly into the till system, meaning the kitchen had never received it. After waiting 45 minutes for food that was never even being prepared, we decided to leave. As we were leaving, Tom, the manager, apologised and offered us complimentary breakfasts as a goodwill gesture. He gave us his mobile number and asked us to contact him directly. We subsequently called him three times and sent two messages. We never received a response. Despite that disappointing experience, we decided to give The Regency a second chance. On 8th June, we returned for the lunch deal. We were the only diners in the restaurant at the time. We ordered two courses and received our main courses after approximately 20 minutes. After finishing our mains, we then waited a further 20 minutes for our plates to be cleared and for our dessert course to arrive. During this time, we observed four members of staff chatting amongst themselves and serving occasional drinks, yet nobody came to check on our table, clear our plates, or ask whether we wanted our dessert. Eventually, we left without receiving the second course that we had ordered. Two visits. Two disappointing experiences. The issue is not simply that mistakes were made. It is the apparent lack of customer care, attention to detail, and follow-through. The manager failed to respond after personally offering to put matters right, and on our return visit the service was inattentive despite the restaurant being virtually empty. A restaurant can have beautiful surroundings, but customers return because of service and professionalism. Sadly, based on our experiences, The Regency Solihull failed on both occasions. We will not be returning and cannot recommend it to others.

It has to be said that the food in Harry’s bar has gone downhill over the past 6-12 months. Had the fish and chips today and they were awful - small, tasteless. Beer and staff very good - avoid the food.