The Sefton

“Great stay”

This our second time at the sefton,we stayed in a standard room before and this time a sea view room. On arrival it was an easy check in and the room had a lovely view. Everything was clean and tidy however the hotel and room was looking tired in places. The room/bathroom was spacious. Was grateful… more

This our second time at the sefton,we stayed in a standard room before and this time a sea view room. On arrival it was an easy check in and the room had a lovely view. Everything was clean and tidy however the hotel and room was looking tired in places. The room/bathroom was spacious. Was grateful for the fridge to keep milk and drinks cold. Wi fi slow at times. Bed was comfortable however it's advisable to bring your own pillow like we did as their own are not the best. There was a good choice for breakfast,the eggs had great yolks. We had porridge on request but it wasn't known unless you asked. The breakfast team were friendly & worked hard. We dined in the bonsai restaurant in the hotel which was really good,however in the encore bar wasn't good. Service slow. We recommend naadu,orange indya & fig & olive for meals all nearby. The hotel is perfectly situated for all local amenities,stones throw from the shops & beach. Walking distance to the transport. Getting a go explore/heritage card a must for saving money. Overall our stay was very enjoyable & will definitely return again sometime

less

“A complete review: the hotel needs some attention although provides a satisfactory stay in Douglas”

We’ve stayed in The Sefton several times over the last 20 years. This review is based on our most recent visit, which took place this month (April 2026) The Sefton is situated along Douglas promenade; if you’re travelling on foot, like we were, it’s ideally situated for basically everything - the … more

We’ve stayed in The Sefton several times over the last 20 years. This review is based on our most recent visit, which took place this month (April 2026) The Sefton is situated along Douglas promenade; if you’re travelling on foot, like we were, it’s ideally situated for basically everything - the Steam and Electric railways, restaurants and the ferry terminal. It has a very grand and impressive exterior. We had room 313, which is situated on the third floor overlooking Douglas bay. The view was as good as you could get. The room itself was generously sized, clean and had a very useful information folder, which told you everything you’d need to know when staying here. A hairdryer was provided. The bathroom was a tad dated although well equipped; it had a bath, shower, sink and bidet. A “one for all” liquid soap was provided (it acted as a body wash, shampoo and conditioner). I’m not really a fan of that, so consider bringing your own shampoo/conditioner. The water pressure in the bath was excellent. The bedroom was quite dated. Plugs had been haphazardly replaced with cheap white plastic sockets, whilst switches remained a (poorly maintained) gold. The radiator in the room was on when we arrived, which made the room very warm, although this could be ameliorated by opening the window and switching it off. At nighttime, you can hear traffic and footfall on the street below; this didn’t really bother us, although if you’re a very light sleeper, this is something to keep in mind. Whilst plug socket provision was good, these were all located at the dresser; there were no sockets within reach of the bed. In 2026, this should be seen as essential because everyone wants to charge (whilst also accessing) their phones etc. On the first full day, we returned to the room to be overwhelmed by the smell of stagnant water. It was repulsive. We immediately contacted reception, who sent a cleaner up. Said cleaner poured cleaning chemicals down the floor drain in the bathroom. Whilst the smell did disappear rapidly afterwards, this is something that should be included when rooms are being cleaned. The bed linen and towels were very clean. The room had a mini fridge which contained some bottled water and milk. It was very useful for storing snacks that we purchased. For what we got, we were happy with the value. The hotel has its own Pan-Asian inspired restaurant. Whilst we didn’t eat there, the menu looked good as did the restaurant itself. The bar was equally impressive although again we didn’t drink or eat in it. The main dining room for breakfast is located on the first floor; it overlooks Douglas bay. The setting and offering was excellent. All food was fresh and of good quality. The spa facilities are good although they are dated in parts. Only six people are allowed to use it at any given time, and you must check-in with reception before heading down. It’s open until 20:00 daily. More generally, the hotel is quite dated in many parts; eg, extremely dated and worn carpet heading to the breakfast room and in the same area, walls that haven’t been well looked after and appeared to be suffering from water damage. We also observed that cleaning standards in some public spaces are not very high and that certain things, such as printed and laminated signage, really detract from the overall aesthetic and lend to a more amateurish vibe. We were checking out at 06:00 on the Sunday to get the 07:00 ferry. As we’d paid for breakfast as part of the deal, they offered us packed lunches instead (sandwiches, crisps, fruit and water). These ended up being surprisingly tasty. Staff were generally extremely friendly and proficient, however when enquiring about the packed lunches, we were told a continental option was available from “about 05:30 or 06:00”. I’m sure you’ll appreciate such ambiguity isn’t helpful when we have to be somewhere at a specific time. Overall, If you’re in the area, you’ll probably get a decent stay here, although don’t be fooled by its 4-star rating. The hotel is more akin to a 3-star service. With some simple upgrades and attention to detail, this hotel could be easily turned around.

less

“Waste of money”

If this is a 4 star hotel I dread to think what a 1 star is like. The room was dated, in need of refurbishment and it would have helped if the taps gave out more than a slow trickle of water. The room was unbearably hot and there was no way to turn the radiators down. The worst feature was that the… more

If this is a 4 star hotel I dread to think what a 1 star is like. The room was dated, in need of refurbishment and it would have helped if the taps gave out more than a slow trickle of water. The room was unbearably hot and there was no way to turn the radiators down. The worst feature was that the room had frosted glass windows so there was no view whatever. A total waste of money and the only consolation was it was a 1 night stay before catching an early ferry.

less