We stayed at Walton Hall as a timeshare exchange in August 2003. It was at the end of the terrible heatwave that the UK and Europe were experiencing that summer.

We flew in to Birmingham to find no hire car (EasyCar -avoid them like the plague, they were shut even though we had booked & paid and arrived during their advertised opening hours), so had to get a taxi to Walton Hall. No sign posting, it was almost impossible to find. 50 GPB later we arrived. We were unable to get to the supermarket to buy any basics supplies. We explained and asked in reception if it would be possible to buy some milk and bread from the restaurant and were rudely told no, go to the shops 3 miles away. We're used to timeshare in Australia, where you are given a small welcome pack to tide you over!

The 1 br apartment was in a converted stable block, it was dark, drab and very tired. It was hot, no air flow, no fan or air-con. No screens on the windows or door, so were inundated with flying bugs of all sorts.

There was no shower just a bath, toilet flushed erratically. The furniture was hard and uncomfortable. The kitchen was well stocked with cutlery, pans, utensils etc. The rooms had high ceilings, but the curtains only went up to 7 ft. Beyond that was clear glass - the light from the 2-storey apartments across the way shone all night making it impossible to sleep without a pillow over your face! Beds were fairly comfortable, two large singles pushed together.

There is a bar in the main house, and a restaurant which was a bit overpriced but the food was o.k. Same problem with the staff there as in reception - we really felt like we were inconveniencing them, and we didn't ask for anything unusual or complain.

The grounds were pleasant to stroll through. A small family chapel and cemetary were also on the site, which was interesting to look around. There's tennis courts, indoor pool, tourist information etc all in the activities centre - staff here were helpful and friendly. You do need a car for this place (which they do stipulate). It is relatively isolated, but with a car you can easily access all the local eateries and supermarkets. Plenty of on-site car parking. It's about a 15 minute drive into Stratford-upon-Avon.

I won't recommend Walton Hall for anything other than it's location. I wouldn't stay here again.