Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club (Lingfield, United Kingdom)

Located just ten minutes from Gatwick airport and a 45-minute drive from London, this hotel is easy to access via the M25. Whether you are in the area for the races or just touring the countryside, this is a centrally located hotel at which to hang your hat.

Marriott Lingfield Park and Country Club is a non-smoking property which is great for those who don’t imbibe and like their surroundings smelling fresh, rather than like second-hand smoke.

With a birds-eye-view of Lingfield Park Racecourse from the hotel’s restaurant and many guest rooms, this is an ideal place to stay if you are a racing fan. Stretching beyond the racecourse is the beautiful green expanse of the hotel’s 18-hole golf course and with 450 acres of outdoor space surrounding the property, the views go on for miles and miles.

The bar at Marriott Lingfield Park and Country Club is on the small side and can get crowded, very quickly, especially on race days. And of course, when the bar gets crowded, the service suffers, which means you can wait a long time to be waited on.

The spa allows children in their pool and during peak season and on weekends, the place is quite loud with the sound of screaming, excited voices and lots of kids running around. Add to that, the temperature of the pool, which is icy, and you have the makings of a less-than-relaxing spa visit.

The staff here is lacking in customer service skills, especially when it is busy. Perhaps they just need better training, but they don’t seem to measure up to Marriott’s brand of super service with a smile.