Recently I was very lucky to have the opportunity to stay overnight in the latest addition to the Penarth hotel scene. The floating hotel rooms that are provided by The Deck in Penarth Marina, are a great addition to the town and have certainly brought some excitement. Here’s my review of my overnight stay at The Deck.
To check in and out, you have to enter the bar first, and upon arrival we were greeted by two very friendly staff members, who let the manager know we had arrived and allowed us to wait in the bar area while our room was being prepared. We then met the manager, Claire, who showed us to our room, offering us life jackets in case we’d like them, she said this was a big hit with the kids!
From the outside, the room (or pod as it’s sometimes referred to) looks very simple, with a block grey colour scheme covering the outside, to blend in with the nature of the marina. As you enter the room, you feel a slight bounce and rock as you step on to the pod. The balcony consists of two chairs, and a cupboard which contains personalised “The Deck” life jackets. This cupboard was very useful in circumstances like I had, where the rain was pouring down, giving us a place to put our umbrellas. The view we had was lovely, and being right next to the boats really adds to the marina life. In the evening myself and my partner enjoyed a hot chocolate under the cover of the balcony as it rained and found it such a relaxing and romantic moment. I’m sure this is just as easily enjoyed in the sunshine with a cocktail!
Upon entering the room, you really feel like you are stepping into a luxurious hotel room, the rocking of the pod seemingly goes away and it feels like you are being transported to a luxury hotel. The decoration makes the room feel cosy, with decoration throughout hinting to the marina, with even the glassware being “under the sea” themed. The room had many luxurious touches which made it feel 5 star and were much enjoyed such as slippers and robes waiting for us on our Super-King size bed, which was one of the best beds I have ever slept in. The large robes were very comfy too, and were a great size for someone like myself, who is plus size and struggles to find hotel robes that fit. The Super-King bed also separates to create a twin bed which is perfect for families or non-couples.
The room is modern and up to date technology wise too, with a remote controlled fan and skylight blind, a digital DAB radio and alarm clock, and a smart TV which allows you to watch terrestrial TV as well as Netflix and other apps such as BBC iPlayer. Within the wardrobe there was a Tassimo coffee machine, and a hair dryer, hanging space and a mini-fridge with a free bottle of still water. In the morning, I decided to make use of the skylight blind and open up the curtains which let in so much natural light. It was beautiful and even though the skies were grey, the sun still shone brightly into our room
The bathroom continues the luxury theme with dual sinks and a light-up vanity mirror covering the back wall. There is also a shelf underneath that hosts two hand towels and two bath towels. The walk-in shower is large and has a rainfall shower head that is perfect for even the tallest of people, there is also a slightly smaller detachable shower head for those that don’t enjoy the rainfall effect. You don’t need to bring any soaps along with you either, as the pod provides shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion as well as a vanity kit, shower cap and even earplugs for if you have any noisy sleepers! The toilet is separated from the bathroom too, which I feel was a great addition. Overall the pod itself is amazing and you can tell that The Deck team have really put thought into the floating suites.
While I didn’t dine there in the evening, it is worth mentioning that you have direct access to the restaurant itself, with a side door being left open until 11PM, so you don’t have to walk all the way round to the front entrance which makes you feel like a real VIP.
In the morning I headed up to the restaurant for breakfast. I ordered the pan breakfast which consisted of local sausage and bacon, alongside a fried egg, hash browns, black pudding, sourdough toast, beans, as well as mushrooms and tomatoes. The breakfast was one of the best I’ve ever had, with the hash browns being extremely crispy and the sausages and bacon being cooked to perfection. I even enjoyed the fried egg, which is something I usually take off when it comes to a classic fry up. My partner had the American waffles with ice-cream and they would be the perfect sweet treat for anybody with a sweet tooth. Our drinks were great as well, with my cappuccino being very smooth and chocolatey and my partner’s hot chocolate being wonderfully indulgent.
Nowhere is perfect so with that being said in full transparency, we had a few uneventful issues like the wrong instructions on the coffee machine and a mark on one of the towels. I made the manager aware and she was extremely apologetic and explained that they do have a third party company that wash and fold all of the towels and has assured us she will be in contact with them on how this issue has occurred. As well as reprinting the instructions on the coffee machines. Unfortunately things do happen and I was delighted it was handled so professionally. I have been lucky enough to stay in 5 star hotels in the past and am happy to compare the level of professionalism when dealing with issues and complaints on par with that level of service.
Overall, I would say I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at The Deck, from the cosy luxurious room, to the Michelin star level breakfast. I truly believe this is an experience that everyone should try, whether you’re a family looking to stay or a couple looking for a getaway, the floating hotel pods are definitely something that everyone would enjoy.
