The Restaurant and Bar in Winchester

We have been staying at the Solent for years and in the past have always loved it. We have not been since lockdown, what a disappointment. It's gone really down hill, everything from the rooms , the staff and especially the food and drinks, awful. Won't be staying again.

Here is the outcome of disappointment🤷🏻‍♂️

I took some time to calm down and to don’t write straight after, so I can be more objective. But I still feel strongly disappointed. We live locally to Solent Hotel, so we visited restaurant and spa few times and were quiet happy about service and food quality until our last visit. After all complications last year brought we were finally allowed to reunite with family and wanted to go for treat in form of private hot tube and dinner. Everything was booked in advance. We asked for bottle of sweet Prosecco for hot tube to be ready in advance. We were told “no problem, just tell us when you are here and we will choose drink on your arrival”. This was promising treat for our family, we didn’t see each other for over a year. On day of visit: staff from spa has no idea about drink range, so we were offered cider, wine, gin. We asked for pretty basic Gin&tonic drinks and went to enjoy hot tube. Drinks arrived after 30 minutes. I have to say that staff tried and gave us 2 drinks free because of the delay, but it was just the start of horrible evening. After hot tube we moved to restaurant for dinner. When greeted, we asked if heaters and blankets are still available outside and if we can be seated there. We ordered drinks from drink menu, not everything on menu was available and waiter had troubles suggesting substitute. Famine part asked for blankets. When ordering out meal we also asked for heaters to be turned on and were informed, that we were seated under not working heater. After few questions waiter reluctantly agreed, that we can move to another table. I have to highlight that WE can move everything from our table to another (no help from waiter). We were still optimistic, as good food can make you forget about the rest. Unfortunately there comes biggest disappointment for me. We ordered 3x medium tomahawk steak and received 3 different steak doneness: 1 medium, medium well and rare. Unfortunately, for me again, I had rare one ( please see photo, I am not that picky, but this was too rare for my liking). When waiter asked if everything ok, I pointed out that steak is not cooked medium. 3/4 of my steak was sent back to the kitchen… no feedback, no comment from chef…we had desserts offered and served from another waiter, so I couldn’t ask what happened until we asked to pay. 1st waiter came with bill and I had to ask what happened to my steak and received answer: “It was done the way you asked for it”. When you are treated right and you get good food, you will close your eyes even on messy tables. But when staff walks constantly only to one table ( by attitude) with their friends and has no time to clean tables, take empty plates from your table and can’t be bothered to come back with feedback from chef, you just have enough. Gladly there is enough restaurants in the area which would accept £300 spend and treat us right.

Pretty average food at expensive prices. The burger is the only decent thing on the menu.