The Orwell is an old school hotel with some modern extensions...I stayed in room 102, part of the original building I would think...the room was a great size but the decor was tired, curling wallpaper, cracked paintwork and unfirm sash windows (especially in the bathroom which I could only hold open by wedging in a spare loo roll). The bed was very comfortable, unfortunately my nights sleep was wrecked by a family struggling to silence and control what sounded like a prebusecent unruly boy who was screaming, shouting and repeatedly slamming the door butting onto mine. Adults, I presume his parents, joined in the fun and games arguing loudly - the shenanigans continued almost unabated from eleven until one...Why reception/night staff didn't intervene I can only scratch my head over as the volume would surely have gone down to the front desk given the positioning...and before any points a finger at foreign influence the voices were very English...the repeated "f@@@ offs" were unmistakably native.

Our first time in this beautiful hotel. Rooms had lots of space and were comfortable and clean.

Cold breakfast not good

Straight out of train station to hotel which was opposite which was so convenient Staff friendly, hotel clean and tidy and rooms were perfect for both of us Bit of a walk to the beach but was a nice chilled walk and felt safe walking around area i didnt know

Great place to stay,well situated, friendly Staff all nice and tidy,I will definitely go back there again!

The Orwell unfortunately is rundown, and is in desperate need of a refurbishment. 40 years ago it was lovely. I'm giving it a 3 only because of the staff would were very good, not the hotel. Our room (124) overlooked the hotel garbage bins, dirty carpet, old mattresses (you could feel the coils), dirty cracked bathroom tiles, paint peeling from tub surrounding, and worse yet was the shower (moldy shower head which I believe gave me imflammed rash on my arms and legs which I still have and will have to make an appt with the doctor now that I'm back, plus hardly any water come out of it). Food not very good. I suggest going to 'Hotel Coco' which is half refurbished, beautiful restaurant and pub. Hopefully the Orwell gets the place back to what it used to be, but it's going to take a LOT of work sadly!

Well positioned hotel. We had a superior room which was very reasonable and I think it would be the best choice at this hotel. I would stay again. The bar staff weren't overly welcoming, but it was quite late when we ordered a drink. I guess they wanted to go.

Hotel in a good location for shops and beach. Clean and comfortable room but a bit dated both furniture and bathroom. Bar area is nice and friendly staff.

We have stayed at the Orwell several times now, we are generally happy with service, facilities etc. As with a lot of hotels a few areas need attention but this does seem to be ongoing.Staff are generally very helpful if a problem arises. The only issue this time was that the menus stated that food was available to order until 8.45p.m. When actually it was 7.45 so our order was refused by chef at 7.50!! The bar tender was most apologetic but not his fault- the menus need altering- an easy fix. We love the location of the Orwell,parking facilities, also the beautiful Edwardian features.

Read lots of really negative reviews before booking. Booked anyway as was cheap. Reception staff were friendly and polite. Room was dated however it was clean. Didnt use the bath as the enamel was yellowing, matress was old and lumpy. You get you pay for and for the money i paid i was satisfied

A number of issues with the bathroom facilities, reception was not consistently manned, and the breakfast was average at best!

Peaceful friendly pleasant ,good parking and lovely outdoor area. Thank-you

Hotel is very tired, not worth the money. Check in was conducted by a lad on his phone, he kept the call going whilst checking me in (albeit not talking to them) but made sure the check in was quick so he could get back to his conversation. No directions to where to go, where the restaurant is etc. Room was too hot, window open and the inner lining had bird poo on it. 100% won’t be staying here every again unless it’s fully refurbished!

Stayed one night in this rather dated hotel as a couple. Check in was seamless and friendly. The room was large and clean but in need of refurbishing with only a standard double bed rather than a Queen or King size, the shower was weak and available in only too hot or too cold. This is an old building and retains its character well with a library and porters lodge for storing luggage. There was a limited choice of bar food in the evening. The quality was good and the service friendly. HOWEVER having requested a Gluten Free meal I was served onion rings with my steak. Only my insistence on a double check averted disaster. Breakfast can only be described as chaotic. Reasonable choice, in a buffet style, but almost everything needed replenishing and when this was done, such a small quantity was brought out that it instantly ran out again. Not only food but plates and glasses. Hot water for tea was from a flask (really?). The two young staff present were helpful but clearly overwhelmed. A bit of supervision and forward planning would have worked wonders. They must know how many people are booked in for breakfast and should have had the required supplies ready, thus less running around when things get busy.

The room and bathroom were a bit tired and dated but otherwise a very pleasant stay.

We have visited the Orwell Hotel several times now and is always a very enjoyable stay. Staff friendly, Rooms always clean, meals very good. Car parking is excellent and the hotel is very conveniently placed to walk into town, and visiting places of interest.

The hotel and staff where lovely. Unfortunately the mattress was awful, I couldn't handle that for more than a couple of nights. I used the spare duvet as a mattress topper

Since delivering papers to the Orwell Hotel as a boy I have wanted to stay here. It did not disappoint and was an interesting mix of old and new. We think some of the staff were new as a couple of times we had to remind them for the milk to complete the tea order. The rooms were convenient and clean modern bathrooms and the decor was definitely a bird theme. Everyone was friendly and helpful. My only gripe was that I had phoned the hotel prior and arranged a bottle of Prosseco to be in my friend's room as a Birthday treat. This did not happen and no apology, otherwise check in was fine.

Perfect location to the train station.

Room was very spacious but very dated for price, shower was awedul, will nkt be returning

Hotel was tired , dirty and things didn’t function too well in the room . Bar area poorly staffed .

All public areas clean and tidy, decor olde worlde with beautiful chandeliers. Bedrooms clean and tidy although need updating. Ideal to walk down to town and beach front, lovely quiet area

I felt like home! Thank you for all!

Overall a good stay. Staff were friendly and efficient . Room was cofortable although the carpet had some threadbare spots. Furniture was very outdated and could do with a refresh. Shower controls were very temperamentle trying to get a consistent temperature. There was not a toilet cleaning brush in the bathroom. The price was reasonable considering these minor faults.

Disappointing stay. Lift out of order. Fire alarm at almost midnight. Restaurant could not come up with anything for husband to eat due to allergies. Steaks are pre marinaded and cooking is with rapeseed oil. Menu in the room is not the menu on offer in the restaurant. Jute misleading. No gluten free beer. Shabby appearance. Needs a good refurb

It is a lovely building from outside it looks amazing but the interior does not match the exterior, nothing major, just a little tired and in need of some refurbishment in places, room sizes varied enormously between huge (double suite) and very cramped (twin room).

Booked at short notice, nothing to fault

The hotel is a historical building with attendant charm and features. However, the decor is a little shabby in place and has seen better days.

The hotel itself is lovely and full of character however the room I had was a bit tired, and was in need of renovation. Breakfast tasted good even though they had ran out of orange juice

Sadly, this hotel is no longer fit for purpose. Due to ongoing lack of maintenance and care the facilities are shabby to say the least! Rooms have peeling paint (which clung to a sweaty back overnight:( ), heating pipes that are constantly on meaning the room is unbearably hot at night. The bathrooms have ancient amenities, with screws on show everywhere, dirty walls and doors. Very outdated BAMBOO furniture in bedrooms, covered in dust. Some areas downstairs have been kept nice, but these are NOT the story of what lies beneath! In the main dining room tables had very sharp staples on the edges, causing clothing to catch and be damaged. No sign of a tablecloth anywhere. Breakfast was like something from Fawlty Towers. The poor staff running around like headless chickens, unable to keep up with the flow of guests... tables covered in used crockery, bare tables, no welcoming greeting (only one inexperienced lady). Food was poor quality. Coffee like sludge. On providing feedback, the hotel manager was about a much use is a butter teapot. Totally uninterested, I suspect due to having heard it all before! Overall a real shame for what could be a jewel in the Felixstowe crown.

Nice basic hotel Twin room was half price of a double for some reason so we took a twin. Beds were very small and squeaky. Otherwise nothing much to complain about.

Upon arrival we discovered that pillows, bed sheets and duvet all have stains. We immediately informed the manager and it was changed. But no other compensation was given. Don’t stay