Local Reviews
In September 2018, Tayl0r3 said about Fermain Valley Hotel
Have just visited this hotel. picked because of its location, Fermain bay is lovely although it is a steep descent from the hotel but coming back through the lovely tiered gardens seemed easier.
the hotel room that we had was lovely and welcoming with chocolates and fruit awaiting us on arrival.
The decanter of sherry was a lovely extra.
The two meals we had in the Ocean restaurant were lovely and there was a good selection for breakfast.
i would not hesitate in recommending this hotel.
the hotel room that we had was lovely and welcoming with chocolates and fruit awaiting us on arrival.
The decanter of sherry was a lovely extra.
The two meals we had in the Ocean restaurant were lovely and there was a good selection for breakfast.
i would not hesitate in recommending this hotel.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In September 2018, phil_0123 said about Fermain Valley Hotel
We just returned from a weekend here to celebrate our anniversary - and it couldn’t have been better in my opinion. I was so surprised to read the recent bad reviews and wonder if we stayed at the same place!
We were welcomed to the hotel by the driver who collected us from the airport in the free shuttle bus, and then by the manager who gave us free anniversary prosecco! Staff were courteous and friendly.
We had lunch in the tea room, very good, and I’ve reviewed the restaurants separately (steak house not good in our opinion).
Room was a gold room in the main house, it was lovely, comfortable, nice balcony overlooking the valley. We ate breakfast out on the balcony one sunny morning which was perfect, and there was no tray charge either.
The beach at Fermain is well worth the steep walk back up, and it’s easier and shorter by cutting through the hotel’s gardens.
We were welcomed to the hotel by the driver who collected us from the airport in the free shuttle bus, and then by the manager who gave us free anniversary prosecco! Staff were courteous and friendly.
We had lunch in the tea room, very good, and I’ve reviewed the restaurants separately (steak house not good in our opinion).
Room was a gold room in the main house, it was lovely, comfortable, nice balcony overlooking the valley. We ate breakfast out on the balcony one sunny morning which was perfect, and there was no tray charge either.
The beach at Fermain is well worth the steep walk back up, and it’s easier and shorter by cutting through the hotel’s gardens.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In September 2018, Ken J said about Fermain Valley Hotel
We enjoyed a five day break at Fermain and then returned for an extra night when our return ferry was cancelled for three days. We had to move out for a couple of days and move back because the hotel was fully booked, but that was useful in drawing comparisons with the other similar hotels we stayed at or visited in the interim.
Fermain has a fabulous position, wonderful gardens and a lot of space, Standards are high and the food is very good, especially the breakfast. Staff were friendly and helpful and Shirley and Jamie deserve a special mention for their friendly manner and professional approach. The rooms are comfortable but the second one, although more expensive, had intermittent noise from the pipe work/ refrigerators? from the kitchen below. My wife found this more disruptive at night than I did. The hotel must be aware of this, so flagging it up as a potential issue should be a matter of course when offering this room. This is in-house plant noise not generated by people or traffic in the vicinity.
The swimming pool was out of action for part of our stay but that was acted on relatively quickly, The sauna was closed for the entirety of our stay and the lack of swift remedial action on this is why a 5 star rating would not be appropriate. The courtesy taxi service was a welcome surprise and the cinema was particularly impressive. More up-to-date DVDs would be appreciated. I think communication in the hotel could be better generally, but that struck me as true of Guernsey as a whole. Shame that a café breaks up an attractive resident lounge area and that the library was shut on one occasion because of a 'meeting in progress'. The non-resident market impacts the resident experience in this respect. If the hotel had a gym, even just a small one, it would be even more attractive to me. We will definitely come back and we see it as better than the other similar hotels we visited and stayed at during our stay. This was our first visit to the island and very much an information-gathering exercise. Fermain comes out very favourably by comparison with the other hotels we saw and could next time, with a little shift in response times and communication, quite easily become a 5 star experience.
Fermain has a fabulous position, wonderful gardens and a lot of space, Standards are high and the food is very good, especially the breakfast. Staff were friendly and helpful and Shirley and Jamie deserve a special mention for their friendly manner and professional approach. The rooms are comfortable but the second one, although more expensive, had intermittent noise from the pipe work/ refrigerators? from the kitchen below. My wife found this more disruptive at night than I did. The hotel must be aware of this, so flagging it up as a potential issue should be a matter of course when offering this room. This is in-house plant noise not generated by people or traffic in the vicinity.
The swimming pool was out of action for part of our stay but that was acted on relatively quickly, The sauna was closed for the entirety of our stay and the lack of swift remedial action on this is why a 5 star rating would not be appropriate. The courtesy taxi service was a welcome surprise and the cinema was particularly impressive. More up-to-date DVDs would be appreciated. I think communication in the hotel could be better generally, but that struck me as true of Guernsey as a whole. Shame that a café breaks up an attractive resident lounge area and that the library was shut on one occasion because of a 'meeting in progress'. The non-resident market impacts the resident experience in this respect. If the hotel had a gym, even just a small one, it would be even more attractive to me. We will definitely come back and we see it as better than the other similar hotels we visited and stayed at during our stay. This was our first visit to the island and very much an information-gathering exercise. Fermain comes out very favourably by comparison with the other hotels we saw and could next time, with a little shift in response times and communication, quite easily become a 5 star experience.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In September 2018, MichelleMDDC said about Fermain Valley Hotel
For a four-star hotel in this price range, the service was shockingly poor. It’s not just that all the employees gave the impression that they were brand new, it’s also that most of them were unhelpful or rude. I’m tempted to say it’s the difference between staying in the main building versus the annex (we were supposed to be in the main bldg, we were in the annex, don’t know why, we tried to move, they were full) but it was everything. What others have written about the difficulty transporting bags to the annex is true. It’s steep, lots of stairs, no elevator, no porter (things I don’t normally care about but that nice/pricey hotels take care of).
Examples: 1) We were supposed to be met at the ferry port by the hotel courtesy van at 7PM but when we called to reconfirm the day before, were told that it stops running at 5PM. When we arrived at the hotel, we were told that it stops at 6PM. 2) That evening we ordered a simple vodka martini in the main hotel bar and after watching the bartender struggle to make it, realized he didn’t know how and talked him through it. 3) We asked about a courtesy late check out and were told, yes, at 30 pounds per hour. It was just lots of little things that kept reminding us that this hotel, which has all the outward appearances of an upscale hotel, just isn’t.
Examples: 1) We were supposed to be met at the ferry port by the hotel courtesy van at 7PM but when we called to reconfirm the day before, were told that it stops running at 5PM. When we arrived at the hotel, we were told that it stops at 6PM. 2) That evening we ordered a simple vodka martini in the main hotel bar and after watching the bartender struggle to make it, realized he didn’t know how and talked him through it. 3) We asked about a courtesy late check out and were told, yes, at 30 pounds per hour. It was just lots of little things that kept reminding us that this hotel, which has all the outward appearances of an upscale hotel, just isn’t.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In September 2018, Isabelle D said about Fermain Valley Hotel
The hotel and surrounding areas are beautiful, but the service is below expectations.
Make sure you add a comment requesting to stay in the main building and not the Venue, which is the small annex building close to the main road (and up a steep hill). Although we booked 8 months ahead (family of four) we were located in the annex building, which is simply not the same experience. The beds are quite small.
Also make sure to book a driver beforehand to pick you up at the airport. We thought a shuttle was being organized and waited around at Guernsey Airport until we phoned the hotel (their phone line seemed disconnected, had to call 3 times) at around 6pm. The receptionist asked us angrily if we had arranged a driver and we said no... she then said ok the next available time for the driver to come pick us up is 8pm. So we just grabbed a cab (ride to hotel is approx. 10 pounds).
All in all the hotel is a lovely place, the food is delicious, but you might have a disappointing experience if you are unlucky.
Make sure you add a comment requesting to stay in the main building and not the Venue, which is the small annex building close to the main road (and up a steep hill). Although we booked 8 months ahead (family of four) we were located in the annex building, which is simply not the same experience. The beds are quite small.
Also make sure to book a driver beforehand to pick you up at the airport. We thought a shuttle was being organized and waited around at Guernsey Airport until we phoned the hotel (their phone line seemed disconnected, had to call 3 times) at around 6pm. The receptionist asked us angrily if we had arranged a driver and we said no... she then said ok the next available time for the driver to come pick us up is 8pm. So we just grabbed a cab (ride to hotel is approx. 10 pounds).
All in all the hotel is a lovely place, the food is delicious, but you might have a disappointing experience if you are unlucky.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2018, Suzy134 said about Fermain Valley Hotel
My husband and I stayed here for a 3 night break, for our wedding anniversary, it is a friendly, clean and very relaxing hotel. The staff are all friendly and helpful, if a bit under pressure at times, this however did not detract from a lovely stay. The hotel is a 10 minute shuttle bus ride in to St. Peter Port, set in a tranquil valley with walks down to the bay and cafe, which unfortunately was closed when we were there, you can then walk the coastal path to St. Peter Port, which is undulating but not hard, it took us a leisurely hour, stopping to take in the stunning views. Our room number 26, was perfect, comfortable clean with everything you need , including loads of tea, coffee, milk etc. The view was a spectacular uninterrupted view of the valley and sea beyond. Breakfast was well cooked, well presented and very good portions, with an excellent selection to suit all tastes. I would definitely recommend this if your looking for a relaxing and friendly break without having to worry about anything, except what cocktails to choose from the bar or what’s for dinner. I would recommend eating in their own restaurant The Rock Garden , it was the best of all meals we had on Guernsey.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2018, Burnell-Wilcox said about Fermain Valley Hotel
My wife and I can be called GUERNSEYPHII.ES. We love so much about the island, which we have visited many times. In the last ten plus years, since an old hotel was enlarged and refurbished as the delightful 4 star Fermain Valley Hotel, we have stayed there frequenly. This August we booked for the first week of October. Alas we had great disappointment. The staff were typically courteous and appreciative of our comments and suggested we put them in writing, which we will now share.
We asked the hotel to have their courtesy car meet us at the airport. That could not be since the driver ends his duty at 6 p.m and we arrived at 7 p.m., so we had to take a taxi.
We then asked for a dinner reservation in the main restaurant for 8.15, and were told that restaurant was closing for dinners from October. We could eat in The Rock Garden, a very pleasant, more expensive specialist, principally Steak restaurant or the Mexican restaurant. Such are excellent, but do guests eat nothing but steak and Mexican for their week's stay? Of course not, and on twos nights we ate out.
For whatever reason, there was a distinct shortage of staff. Those there seemed to be working as fast as they knew how, but one lunch time, when all we wanted was a sandwich, that took nearly an hour to be served! We were not alone in being unhappy. The staff seemed to be embarrassed that they could not do better. They were splendid, the trouble was staff shortage.
Of the hotel itself, much is good, BUT over the years we have noted little ways in which attention is not paid to detail. In our platinum room, No 28, the arms of the chairs were threadbare. There is little evidence of repainting, and such needs a rolling programme.
We will not say further. We have enjoyed staying here. We have introduced our family and friends, and they too have very happy. But, the points made here need consideration and attention. Whether we will remain loyal, remains to be seen.
We asked the hotel to have their courtesy car meet us at the airport. That could not be since the driver ends his duty at 6 p.m and we arrived at 7 p.m., so we had to take a taxi.
We then asked for a dinner reservation in the main restaurant for 8.15, and were told that restaurant was closing for dinners from October. We could eat in The Rock Garden, a very pleasant, more expensive specialist, principally Steak restaurant or the Mexican restaurant. Such are excellent, but do guests eat nothing but steak and Mexican for their week's stay? Of course not, and on twos nights we ate out.
For whatever reason, there was a distinct shortage of staff. Those there seemed to be working as fast as they knew how, but one lunch time, when all we wanted was a sandwich, that took nearly an hour to be served! We were not alone in being unhappy. The staff seemed to be embarrassed that they could not do better. They were splendid, the trouble was staff shortage.
Of the hotel itself, much is good, BUT over the years we have noted little ways in which attention is not paid to detail. In our platinum room, No 28, the arms of the chairs were threadbare. There is little evidence of repainting, and such needs a rolling programme.
We will not say further. We have enjoyed staying here. We have introduced our family and friends, and they too have very happy. But, the points made here need consideration and attention. Whether we will remain loyal, remains to be seen.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2018, James M said about Fermain Valley Hotel
Stayed for a couple of days in October. The hotel has a great hidden away location with it's own gardens and a path that leads down to the coast where you can access the beach or the coastal path for some great walks.
There is plenty of parking and the hotel has several restaurants onsite that are really very good (Mexican and Steakhouse) and both worth a visit in their own right.
Within the hotel there are several areas where you can find space to relax, including a library and drawing room, not to mention a charming tea room, serving afternoon tea and cakes.
The room was great with almost everything you need, including fresh fruit, water, chocolate and even a decanter of sherry to sip whilst you look at the view.
The mobile coverage is patchy, but you can switch your network to a different network which sorts this.
The one issue I had with the room, was that most of the sockets were lamp / 3 pin design and the few normal plugs sockets in the room were a very long way from the bed, so charging your phone/laptop whilst in bed meant not having access to it, unless you bought a 3M cable. A silly thing, but there isn't many people who don't have this requirement nowadays and this is the first hotel I have stayed in for a very long time where I had this issue. It's also a simple fix for the hotel.
Other than that minor niggle, this hotel was perfect. I would stay here again for sure and highly recommend it.
There is plenty of parking and the hotel has several restaurants onsite that are really very good (Mexican and Steakhouse) and both worth a visit in their own right.
Within the hotel there are several areas where you can find space to relax, including a library and drawing room, not to mention a charming tea room, serving afternoon tea and cakes.
The room was great with almost everything you need, including fresh fruit, water, chocolate and even a decanter of sherry to sip whilst you look at the view.
The mobile coverage is patchy, but you can switch your network to a different network which sorts this.
The one issue I had with the room, was that most of the sockets were lamp / 3 pin design and the few normal plugs sockets in the room were a very long way from the bed, so charging your phone/laptop whilst in bed meant not having access to it, unless you bought a 3M cable. A silly thing, but there isn't many people who don't have this requirement nowadays and this is the first hotel I have stayed in for a very long time where I had this issue. It's also a simple fix for the hotel.
Other than that minor niggle, this hotel was perfect. I would stay here again for sure and highly recommend it.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2018, Alison23lufbra said about Fermain Valley Hotel
Lovely hotel down a lane with sea views .. nice light and airy coffee shop and with seating inside and out. Helpful service, nice coffee , and good cakes too. Hotel looks very attractive with gardens on a slope towards the beach and balconies looking over the sea.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2018, Pharehaven said about Fermain Valley Hotel
Before talking about the hotel, the service and staff need a special mention. The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff was second to none, especially those on the reception desk.
Check-in was efficient and plenty of advice on things to do, and places to eat locally was provided. Some of the rooms are in a remote annex (a few minutes walk up a hill) and a car is available to transport you to them. The rooms themselves were large and clean. The bed was extra large. There is a TV, a safe, tea and coffee facilities, fresh water, fresh fruit and even a bottle of sherry for you in the rooms. The room also had a desk and chair to work at. The bathroom had a bath and shower and a good choice of toiletries which were topped up each day.
Breakfast consists of a continental buffet, as well as a hot menu which you can order one item from in addition to the buffet. There are also three restaurants on the site so you don't need to travel far if you wish to have dinner. There is a swimming pool and also a cinema on site, which shows films in the evening on request and even has popcorn.
Check-in was efficient and plenty of advice on things to do, and places to eat locally was provided. Some of the rooms are in a remote annex (a few minutes walk up a hill) and a car is available to transport you to them. The rooms themselves were large and clean. The bed was extra large. There is a TV, a safe, tea and coffee facilities, fresh water, fresh fruit and even a bottle of sherry for you in the rooms. The room also had a desk and chair to work at. The bathroom had a bath and shower and a good choice of toiletries which were topped up each day.
Breakfast consists of a continental buffet, as well as a hot menu which you can order one item from in addition to the buffet. There are also three restaurants on the site so you don't need to travel far if you wish to have dinner. There is a swimming pool and also a cinema on site, which shows films in the evening on request and even has popcorn.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk