We booked last minute for a Christmas stay as the hotel we originally booked had to close due to tier changes. We didn't know what to expect, but can honestly say we've been blown away since the moment we arrived....starting with the tasteful lights and decorations! We've stayed in a lake view room and found it to be cosy and comfortable - good tv channels and lots of nice touches such as the Molton brown products, mince pies plus a lovely view over the lake. Beds are comfortable although we did have to ask for extra pillows as they were so soft they went flat, but this was no problem. We've dined in Brown's restaurant, 2 dinners and an evening buffet on Christmas day. The food has been exceptional. My husband was a bit dubious over portion sizes at dinner on our first night, but after 3 courses acknowledged the portions were right. Good selection of wines and friendly service. I have to say the buffet on Christmas day evening was AMAZING. Despite not really being hungry after our dinner we managed to indulge as we couldn't resist 😉 Breakfast was also lovely on the suite overlooking the lake. Food again was fantastic. Only downside was having to pay extra if you didn't want a full English (which I didn't) as others have mentioned. However, quality was really good and it's Christmas so it was worth it..... Spa was an added bonus. Booked in to use the pool, pleasantly surprised to find other facilities such as sauna and steam were also open with covid measures in place. No issues booking a slot for access like we've had in other places and the pool was so warm, like a bath....perfect after our winter walk after breakfast. All in all, we are feeling very relaxed and content and so happy we stayed. Thank you to all the staff for making our Christmas so special! …
I booked for my husband and l for his 50th birthday in January. We absolutely love it. The room was lovely, very clean and quite huge for a junior suite, love the Molton brown minis. We loved the pool and spa. The staff are very helpful and attentive and made the whole experience wonderful. We loved it for a special occasion. Highly recommend 👍🏻
The five star ratings here baffle me and demonstrate why Trip Advisor reviews should always be taken with a pinch of salt. The hotel is nice enough, the rooms are warm and the beds comfortable. But they are quite dated, dark and definitely not ‘luxurious’. The heated floor in the bathroom and the Molton Brown toiletries are a nice touch but are probably the most luxurious thing about the place. The rest of the hotel is similarly bland with generic hotel decor - nothing special. The staff are polite enough but again the service is just OK. Not what I would’ve expected from the reviews or hotel write up. Brown’s Restaurant is situated in the lobby and has a high vaulted glass ceiling so it’s not very intimate (or warm) which creates a bit of a weird atmosphere. However, dinner was delicious and well presented and probably the best thing about the stay. Lello (who I assumed was the head waiter) was excellent and provided attentive service. Breakfast on the other hand (again in Browns) was very average and the service was slow. It’s also disappointing that you have to pay extra if you want something other than a Full English. The menu is only very small (as expected during Covid times) but I begrudged paying extra for my breakfast when I already felt we’d paid more than enough for an average hotel. The coffee was poor and the toast was cold (brought out a good 15 minutes before our breakfast arrived). Again, not what you’d expect from a ‘luxurious’ hotel. If you’re playing golf or attending an event then the hotel is probably more than adequate for your needs. If you want something special with a bit of atmosphere and attention to service and detail then don’t go here. Don’t bother upgrading your room either unless your going for the most expensive suite, save your money and spend it in the restaurant. Or just stay elsewhere. Although there’s nothing definitively bad about the place, there’s nothing that good either. Unless you like bland. …
We booked a stay with dinner, bed and breakfast and afternoon tea, via a well known voucher website. The price was great for what we got so I could not fault it from that point of view, but I have to say whilst it was nice, it’s not somewhere I would be rushing back to. The good bits: The food was lovely and the afternoon tea was also really nice, this was served in “Browns” which is kind of a mezzanine style restaurant just off the lobby. It’s nice but it’s really just like an extension of the hotel lobby. The hotel room was again nice but seems a little dated. Lots of dark wood but nice touches such as Molton Brown miniatures and well stocked tea/coffee etc The bad bits: Unfortunately it was the service, the staff worked hard but they seemed unorganised, and were not working together as a team, as there was obvious tensions. At breakfast we were seated by one staff member but he failed to come back to take our order and we waited approx 15 mins before I had to ask someone to take our order. This waiter didn’t seem to pleased to be asked this and so when we again had to ask for further drinks that didn’t arrive, salt and pepper, Jams to go with the toast etc. it felt like we were being a nuisance to them. In my opinion this shouldn’t be hard, Little things like this should be easy to do, already set up to take out to guests and a set waiter/waitress serving a particular area. Unfortunately this wasn’t happening and it was obvious, as guests were waiting a long time for cooked breakfasts and other items. The icing on the cake was when I heard the waiter tell a guest that “the chef was in a mood” and so she may not get the modification the the breakfast that she asked for! That is completely unacceptable! What happed to the customer comes first?? I couldn’t believe what I heard, the fact was she only asked for items to be omitted and when it did finally arrive these items were still on the plate.. it’s extremely worrying for people if they suffer from allergies and even worse for them if the chef is in a “mood”. Overall it seemed as though the staff were utterly fed up, and not working together which is not great when you expect a certain level of service especially from a prestigious hotel. Overall we did enjoy the stay and we had a nice time, but it’s not somewhere I would rush back to with or without a voucher. …
Very impressed with this hotel. Excellent check in with covid restrictions in place. Our room was spotless. A tip of you cant get your towel rail warm, there is a switch above the bathroom door! Our evening meal was excellent,with the staff being very helpful. Our spa treatments were wonderful. We would highly recommend this hotel
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