My husband and I have stayed at this beautiful hotel many times as we loved it so much, however we stayed recently and new owners have taken over.
On arrival the reception area was very cold, we were taken to our room which was also incredibly cold just a small convector heater in a high ceilinged large room, the bathroom also freezing and again very large has only a towel rail for warmth,so we went down to the bar for some tea, the gas coal effect fire was turned off however when we sat down the manager did turn it on. After tea we went back to our room, as I was so cold I decided to have a hot bath, sitting in the bath the water ran cold after about four inches of water had been run, the seperate shower was also cold but the shower only came out as a trickle as it was totally blocked. My husband phoned down to the manager who said he couldn't understand it but did offer us a room change which I declined as I was cold and wet.
We went down for dinner and were sat next to the log fire which was nice to feel the heat however by the end of the first course my eyes were streaming as the log fire was smoking so badly and we had to move tables, our clothes reeking of woodsmoke.
The meal was average, bread and butter pudding inedible as it was so dry and stodgy.
We went to bed disappointed, the bed was FREEZING, sheets so cold they felt damp but weren't.
Next morning we had a very nice cooked breakfast although my husband did request fried bread and was told they wouldn't do it, please bear in mind there were only two other couples staying at the hotel so they were far from busy, the cereals etc on offer are limited.
The new owner arrived for breakfast with his family for breakfast and very grandly sat at the prime table and never even greeted us or the other two tables that were taken, surely a nod or " Good Morning" would have been friendly.
When we checked out the receptionist asked how our stay had been so I told her about the cold room, the lack of hot water and she said that yes there had been a problem with water in our room before, apparently a Bride and all her family were getting ready and suddenly there was no water AT ALL!!, and that yes no one had stayed in our room for a while. Well I'm sorry but if you know there is a problem and you only have three couples staying either get it fixed or don't put your guests in Iffy rooms, our impression was that the hotel was quiet so all heating had been turned off including the boiler to save a few pennies, there was no problem with hot water the following morning so presumably the boiler had been switched on.
To be fair it is a beautiful hotel in wonderful countryside but certain areas are looking tired now, peeling wall paper on the landing and our bathroom certainly needed a fresh coat of paint but the staff were mostly friendly and helpful.
The new owner though does need to change his attitude if it is to remain as wonderful as it was when Mark was there.
We certainly will sadly not be going back as it is not a cheap stay and things should be better.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
No way!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older Travellers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older Travellers, Great pool scene, pet owners, Families with Small Children, Families with Teenagers
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Great food / Wine, Other