Crowne Plaza Marlow Reviews 

Where do I start...
Before I made a booking for the Crowne Plaza Marlow by IHG, I asked if they can place a cot in our room and they confirmed that they will if we ask for it during booking. That's what we did. After doing the booking, I asked them to confirm if they will have the cot. They didn't answer. I asked three times with no response at all. I tried to reach out to IHG so that they can help me to get the answer, no luck. The hotel replied only after I've put an official complaint through booking.com
You think they'd confirm that they will have the cot available free of charge with an apology for the late response. No, the answer was this; "Cots are provided"

From now on, there is no way we would stay in any Crowne Plaza hotels, not for leisure not for business.

EDIT: It is funny that the hotel replied with the wrong answer, I don't have a daughter and my stay isn't February.

From the moment we arrived the check in employee was so friendly we had been up graded to an executive room and it’s one of the best hotel rooms I have stayed in , spa facilities were ok not enough seats around outside but pool and sauna , steam room and jacuzzi all ok , had dinner in the restaurant , dinner was amazing , staff a bit rushed in the restaurant and not great service from them but each course once ordered was amazing ,the bar area seemed to be very slow at cleaning tables and a lot of plates sitting around were we just sitting having a drink but not the end of the world , breakfast the best , usually it can be a bit dried out but eating breakfast and over looking the lake was so nice and amazing scrambled egg !
This is a hotel i definitely would come back to and plan to in August so we can sit and enjoy the views over the lake , so quiet. !

To keep this concise, I'll bullet point my issues, but I'm sure you can imagine the details around it!
1. Check in ardours, so many questions and info, given used scrap of paper to take notes!
2. Room key didn't work x3 trips back to reception (Was demonstrated to whack/hit door to open!)
3. Couldn't get hold of spa on phone either prior to visit or during in stay nor could reception
4. Spa treatment dreadful. Poor quality, dirty room, no music, awful start to end. It wasn't a massage, I was stroked for 30 mins leading me to question if staff are qualified.
5. On to dinner, food ok, but staff intrusive and over whelming. I was asked 6 times if my cauliflower was ok. I think they wanted to join us for dinner, they were at table so much!
6. The pool is tired, small and not clean.
7. Did raise issues with spa reception and desk reception but neither are interested and since deny.
8. Complained afterwards but had to email ceo to even get a response, to be told I'd missed my opportunity to give feedback as they only accept it during a visit.

They have zero interest in addressing issues and despite now seeing lots of other poor reviews they insist I'm the first person to complain! It's crazy. Please stay elsewhere and save yourself the issue.

I'm adding this below as an edit on 22 April. As despite several emails back and forth on the same email this review was logged against, I'm being questioned if my review is genuine, so expecting a post from hotel dismissing my experience. Either that or they get so many complaints with same issues they can't identify me" You decide!! Neither is a surprise given, and I quote "the appropriate time to mention any dissatisfaction was during your stay....Our hospitality promise requires you to notify any issues during your stay" I've never asked for compensations, refund or return visit but for clarity I've never been asked how I wanted issue resolved either.

Later on the 22nd!!
As predicted another dose of non-sense from the hotel. For the record I didn't not threaten negative social media. I tried repeatedly to address issue via email and as THEY shut down all communication I said I'd share my experience. Which I've done. There was no threat just advance notice.

I first contacted the hotel 4 days after my stay!
I didn't demand evidence of qualifications I asked what qualifications a therapist could hold that let them massage the public but not allow them to do manicures or pedicures. I enquired about two therapists and was given one generic certificate with no name (so meaningless) IF either were highly experienced I can only assume they don't care as myself and sister were stroked, not massaged!
As previously said I did make comment to both spa reception and front desk, but conveniently they have amnesia about this!! But that aside you obviously have to acknowledge you did have opportunity to investigate and resolve following my stay and chose not to!
It is normal to check on customers eating a meal but I'm not exaggerating to say we were asked more than 15 times if everything was ok! That isn't normal
It amusing regarding the bedrooms doors now, your front staff who checked us in (so presumable identifiable) whacked and I mean hard beside the keypad for it to work and open the door. He said they just get stuck sometimes!
You don't ask feedback as standard practice so no wonder you don't have any. And with your staff suffering from amnesia so it's bound to be overlooked!

The question for review readers is what possible motivation do I have to make this up! I have never asked for compensation.

I recently spent a Mother’s Day weekend at Crowne Plaza Marlow, and it was a mix of positives and disappointments. Overall, the experience had its highs, but strong issues stood out that affected the quality of our stay.

The welcome we received was top-notch. Dinesh, who greeted us at check-in, was an absolute gem. He wished my mum a Happy Mother’s Day and even upgraded our room at no extra charge, which was a lovely surprise. He made the effort to ensure we could check in a bit earlier and check out later, which made our stay feel all the more special. His warm and helpful service set a great tone for the beginning of our visit.

The room itself was lovely – clean and comfortable. The bed was cozy, and the bathroom was spacious and modern.

The spa experience, however, left much to be desired to put it very politely. We had booked a "relaxing" spa day, which included use of the spa facilities and a 25-minute massage each. Unfortunately, we were informed ahead of time that one of the masseuses had called in sick, so our treatments were rearranged. While I understood this, it did throw off our plans a bit, and we ended up having massages at different times.

Things went considerably downhill further when we arrived at the spa. First, the key card wouldn’t work, and despite notifying staff, it never got fixed. The spa facilities themselves were basic but functional, and we enjoyed relaxing in them for about 1.5 hours at best. Things took a turn when a group of schoolboys arrived. A full football/rugby team – yes, a whole team of 20+ kids – seemed to take over the spa area. Earlier, while having our lunch we’d noticed them playing football on the lawn and no staff intervened to stop them from throwing the ball into the glass conservatory.

Once they entered the pool area, it quickly became chaotic. There was screaming, shouting, running, and jumping into the pool, which led me to cut my swim short. I was getting splashed continuously and almost hit with a ball being thrown around the pool. The adults supervising them were three dads who barely attempted to control the situation until about 1.5 hours in. The noise was unbearable, and I couldn’t even hear my mum speaking to me next to me. We eventually left the pool because of the overwhelming noise.

I went to the receptionist to address the issue, but was told there wasn’t much they could do because the boys had paid to be there, were booked until 7:45pm, and in the T&C's it said children were allowed between those times. I understand that the hotel wants to cater to families, but this wasn’t the right setting for a peaceful spa experience as clearly advertised. My mum's massage was also stopped at the 20-minute mark I assume because of lack of staff, with the noise from the kids clearly making it impossible for her to relax. Eventually, the staff asked the boys to stay on one side of the pool, but by this point, the damage was done and the spashing, shouting, and jumping in the pool still continued. We were never able to fully enjoy the spa as intended and found the spa staff unhelpful and unsympathetic.

While I don’t have an issue with children at a spa, the experience felt more like a waterpark than a relaxing getaway. It’s hard to understand why the hotel thought it was a good idea to schedule a large children's football team on Mother’s Day weekend, especially given that the guests paying for the spa experience weren’t being considered. It felt like the hotel was more interested in the money from the parents than ensuring a peaceful and relaxing environment for other guests.

In summary, the hotel were fantastic, the room was great, but the spa experience was marred by the chaos caused by the kids and nothing was done to resolve it. If you’re looking for a relaxing spa weekend, I’d recommend checking if there are any group bookings like this one beforehand, as it really detracted from what should have been a chilled experience.

We had a very very bad experience at this hotel.

We went last weekend to celebrate my fiancee’s birthday.

First, we tried to book a treatment and was told that the person doing the treatments does not do men.

We went for a relaxing weekend and it was far from this, with several children running around the hotel and causing havoc.

The spa had several children who were unaccompanied and also causing havoc in what should have been a calm place. There was nowhere we could go on site to get away from them and the noise and bad behaviour.

Your rules specifically states that children should be accompanied by an adult and this most definitely was not the case.

I walked into the reception area to see children playing in the revolving door, block the path of guests trying to enter the building.

I thought the hotel was over priced and was unhappy to see that you added a service charge to our restaurant bill, without asking.

My fiancee booked a treatment which was very unpleasant due to the amount of noise coming from the pool, by the children who had taken it over. They had to turn the music up in the treatment room to try and block out the noise, but this was not relaxing and did not help.

It would have been nice if we had been told about the children’s rugby team being there when we booked, or at the very least on arrival.

After driving for 3 hours to get to this hotel, we have come away more stressed than when we arrived.

Others issues were that the tables and floors were left dirty and on one occasion we had to clear a table so we could have our breakfast in the conservatory. I also saw other guest doing the same. Considering the price the hotel charges, I would expect a higher standard and more attention to detail.

We had to go to reception several times to get our key sorted because they would not let us back into our room.

The remote control stoped work and this was sorted quickly.

There was a few members of staff who tried their best to make the hotel feel welcoming. Kareem, the black lad on reception and the European young lady in the spa. I gave you one star only because of them.

Breakfast was cheap and some of it was not cooked well. This had to be the worst hotel breakfast I have ever had.

My main meal looked like it had been heated up in a microwave and lacked flavour. The afternoon tea was dry and tasteless.

I would not recommend this hotel.

If I could give this 0 stars, I would!

The staff in the hotel and the spa are terrible. I didn’t get told the full information and my check in and spa was both at 3. Because I had to wait at check in (people were in front of me) I was late to the spa and the woman behind the desk was smirking as she told us she refused to give us our treatments. It looked like she was enjoying telling us it. Spoke to the manager of the hotel and he kept speaking to us like we were kids. Was told to go wait in our rooms for a phone call that never came. Totally ruined the whole experience. There was also a collection of plasters beside the pool which is gross and unsanitary. I wouldn’t even recommend this place to someone I dislike! When asked to see the manager of the spa we got told she was refused to come and speak to us. Absolutely terrible

So, I hate sitting at motorway EV charge points. Marlow now has EV Charge points and while lower power means I can sit, work and enjoy the surroundings. Plus a fabulous cup of coffee and marvellous (salt beef) sandwich. Service was excellent 👌. I'll be stopping again.

paid for our room in advance, charged my card twice then said they don’t have access to the statements and to call back and they say the same thing over and over! then they said i have to contact the park and fly company and still is not resolved! avoid this scam

We have stayed at many hotels but we have never come across a 4star hotel so disappointing as this one. It was terrible from start to finish.
I called the hotel on the phone number listed on their website and booked a king room for two adults and a child, and paid for the first night in advance. However, when we got to the hotel the receptionist told us we had to upgrade and pay extra £40/night for the child as we were not allowed to stay in a king room with a child. We told them we were never informed about this. They said it had nothing to do with them and there was nothing they could do. We asked to speak to the hotel manager who came to see us after 10minutes and told us the same thing and said we needed to call the hotel’s booking people and ask them to sort it out. The booking team apologised for failing to inform us and offered to pay the difference. We were checked in after 45min.
The hotel manger repeatedly told me that they were full and that our room was the last family room available.
The receptionist then said it was a quiet room with a nice view. It was neither: The view was to the car park, although you couldn’t see it through the cloud of condensation inside the double glazing. They said they will send maintenance to sort it out but didn’t. Ours was the only room with this problem, which is visible from the front of the hotel.
We were told that was the last room available so we didn’t mention it at first. However, checking online, they had several similar rooms still available, and cheaper.
I guess this was their thank you for all the convenience!

Regarding noise we were woken and kept awake on the first night from about midnight to 3am by loud guests in the corridors, laughing, singing and slamming the door several times.
In addition, the safe didn’t work.
Our booking included breakfast and dinner although when we went for dinner we were told that the booking was only for two adults and that we would have to pay for our child. Dinner on the first night was okay. For the amount they charged there wasn’t a wide choice with half the menu being Indian dishes.
Sauces, including salad dressing, cost extra.
The first day lunchtime and evening salads used was starting to rot.
Breakfast buffet was horrible and far below standard.
The second night it was only me and my child who went for dinner, which was pre paid for two. We asked for children’s menu as the main menu had nothing suitable for a children then we were told we will have to pay extra for the child as the prepayment is only for a three course main menu. Mind you, the price for the children’s menu is a fraction of what we had paid. I told the waiter what they were doing wasn’t fair and we were about to leave as they made us feel really uncomfortable in front of other guests. He then said i will speak to the manager and came back apologised and said it is ok to order from the children’s menu.
Breakfast the next day was terrible. There was hardly anything decent to eat. Everyone around was complaining about the luck of bread, vegetables and even cups …
I saw several guests complaining about something throughout our stay so it makes me doubt the genuineness of their 5* reviews. I know most people are not bothered to leave a review but we were fulled by these fake reviews and we don’t want others to go through the same. This place is not child friendly at all.

The swimming pool floor was dirty and slippery.
Overall, a very expensive mistake.

We will never stay at IHG hotel again.

We supplied furniture for an event recently and were shocked by how poorly things were handled. We followed their instructions and logged our two vans as required, only to receive parking fines a week later! We've been in the event business for over 10 years and have worked with numerous hotels, but this experience was by far one of the worst.

The staff were rude and seemed to have no idea what they were doing. Their attitude was dismissive, and instead of resolving the issue, we had to go back and forth through phone calls and emails with no clear answers or resolution. It's beyond frustrating and reflects a lack of professionalism.

Update.....
You can see lack of professionalism in the manner of reply below. As said before We logged in our vans, you want to go check CCTV you will see that we are there, and we did log them.
We are a business, why should we threaten negative review? But if something is wrong, it must be shared.

Having paid in advance for this hotel located near an industrial estate it went wrong from checking in to leaving.
The man on reception decided we didn't have the correct card checking in alth.ough crown plaza was paid in advance. Concerned about a £75 deposit for potential extras we had to encourage him to use a normal credit card. We had an average dinner that night and to avoid further hassle I paid the bill.
Checking out a very aggressive man who over talked us with" bulging eyes" again refused to listen but talked AT us.
He decided we owed the room and extra costs. He said he was refunding the £75 unused security amount. What happened then shocked an offended us. He took the whole amount from our card! So we now paid twice. Phone calls and emails were continously ignored. 3rd attempt we spoke to someone with zero empathy. Again we chased and over one week later a refund appeared. No apology No email No professionalism from a so called large crown plaza group.
We use many hotels and never had such a rude ignorant and stressful experience. Sadly this night was to celebrate a birthday.
Bad hotel Terrible location and very rude staff!

Afternoon tea about 18 months ago was amazing. Amy the waitress was really friendly and helpful, bringing more tea etc throughout afternoon and we never felt rushed.
I am vegetarian and diabetic, so couldn’t eat some of the sweeter things. This got swapped for a little less cake and a few more sandwiches instead and scones.
Thank you Amy xx

Don't waste your time and money in the spa. The treatments are sub-quality, the staff are horrifically rude and when you try to speak to management to flag concerns they fob you off. The spa itself has no seating room, it's just a pool with a small jacuzzi.. It's outdated and overpriced - stay clear!

Check-in was smooth the guy (sorry didn't catch his name) was welcoming and friendly, gave us all the information we needed for our 1 night stay.
we had access to the spa the pool, steam room and jacuzzi was good. we had dinner and breakfast included as well, dinner service was good, food was nice was surprised that they had a selection of vegetarian food. they charged us for the dinner which was rectified immediately.
Breakfast seem to be a chaos was told to sit wherever
the staff didn't seem to care had to ask if there was a waffle as part of the breakfast (I only knew this as someone I know had been there before and was given a menu which you can order omelettes, veggie sausage desserts) which we didn't get was a disappointment as everything was going so good.
check-out was ok wasn't asked if we had a good stay. Overall room was really nice would come back again.

What a wonderful day!
We thoroughly enjoyed our Spa day which was definitely enhanced by the happy and attentive staff from the moment we entered.
A big ‘shout out’ to:-
Kitty & Ide on the Spa reception (SO lovely) and Rubendde (again so lovely and the best massage we’ve ever had).
Beautiful views on the outside terrace and very friendly service.
Well done to everyone for making our day memorable.
We’ll be back, Jacqui and Mary. 👍

The stay we had in this hotel was an absolute SCAM!!!! We were sold a night spa break to then discovered the spa was not accessible. Tried to complaint at reception on arrival and was answered that there was nothing could be done . Very frustrated we stayed and realised this was a complete waste of money! After we made the complaint with the service they have said other customer service were offered alternatives in a sister hotel and this made us even more frustrated as instead we were absolutely neglected!!! Can you imagine about spending 200 pounds for one night , organise nanny for your kids, dogsitting , travel two hours and to then discover there is no spa and is close? No enough words to describe this ridiculous service!!!

Unfortunately our stay this time wasn't as good as previous one. If not for lovely food it would be 1 star. Although room was clean, we can't say this same for the rest of the hotel. Cobwebs everywhere, dead dragon fly's all over the ceiling in sitting area close to the lake,jacuzzi not working properly, filthy bar mirror, I could go on.
I had full body massage, and it felt like the lady isn't qualified at all. The room this was provided was poor standard with everything falling apart.

Had lovely stay room was lovely and it was upgraded . Food was lovely and staff where very helpful and kind . Pool was lovely and heated . My pregancy massage was amazing she really worked my back .

We stay on hotel over night,next day for breakfast we have to wait 1 hour for coffee cups,just one machine for all hotel,after I was buy coffee on bar was cost me 4,50£ over price…!!!! Breakfast was completely rubbish very old meat and fruits,after I got very strong pain stomach and diarrhea,I got as well treatment for massage,when I go in the therapist English woman was very rasist told me I’m from Rumania…!?!?! Was not true I come from Spain,I didn’t recommend this horrible hotel which one is very expensive and Rasist stuff…!!!
I will take legal action with them …!!!!

Like many on here, I bought 2 spa treatments on their website after their reservations team emailed me the link. There are no instructions on the website, zero availability to book, just options to add treatments to your basket and pay for them. I bought £100 worth, which low and behold were unredeemable when I got there because their therapists were busy.

Fine, I'll just get a refund... Nope! Not allowed. Disgusting and cowardly customer service which I'm honestly not surprised about these days. The experience was completely ruined by these crooks and I'd strongly advise against going to this hotel