"Upon entering our room, we were delighted to find a spacious bed with a beautifully crafted old headboard—we loved it! The room included all the essentials: a kettle, tea and coffee, an iron, a suitcase stand, and even a spare blanket, which I definitely needed. The bathroom was ample and clean, though a bit outdated. However, I was taken aback to see a towel hanging above the toilet. The thought of drying my face with it was quite off-putting. To my dismay, it turned out to be the only towel provided, meaning I was not only wiping my face near the toilet but also drying off after bathing. We promptly went to the reception for additional towels; I refused to use the toilet towel for anything!
We also noticed that biscuits were missing from our room, indicating it hadn’t been properly prepared. While this wasn’t a major issue, it did detract from our feeling of being pampered (though, in the grand scheme, we weren't expecting much). We took a stroll around the grounds, which were limited but charming, before heading to the bar. The informational booklet suggested a quaint little pub, but it turned out to be a very small bar. Nonetheless, it was well-stocked, so no complaints there. When we inquired about the supposed sitting room mentioned in the booklet, we were met with confusion—"What sitting room?"—so we assumed we had misread the information.
After enjoying a couple of delicious gins (though I didn’t receive the one I initially ordered, it was still good), we settled in for dinner. The chef’s identity was unclear since the booklet mentioned two names, likely due to outdated information. However, whoever cooked our meal did a great job. We opted for the inclusive meal plan, which offered plenty of options. If you’re a big eater like me, you might find the portions a bit lacking (though we had eaten at a pub for lunch, so it was sufficient). I opted for some cheese (which was a bit pricey for a small amount, though very tasty), and by the end of the meal, I felt satisfied. My partner ordered what was supposed to be sticky toffee pudding, but it turned out dense and crispy, which he didn’t enjoy.
Overall, we were pleased with the good wine and mostly great food. After dinner, we decided to explore the hotel and stumbled upon the sitting room(s), which were quite nice—a pity we hadn’t relaxed there with our gins earlier. We also discovered an old safe, which was interesting.
Breakfast was passable—again included—but lacked a social atmosphere. The automatic toaster was the worst invention ever; it either undercooked or overcooked the bread while being environmentally unfriendly. We had standard sliced bread, either white or brown, paired with terrible plastic containers of overly sweet jam and tiny foil-wrapped butter pats. The coffee was decent, but the juice was unappetizing, as everything had settled at the bottom of the jug. We ate, but it wasn't a pleasurable experience, and we opted out of paying extra for cooked options.
While we enjoyed much of our stay and found the staff generally friendly, they seemed overwhelmed due to a wedding happening during our visit. This hotel, tucked away from the usual spots, definitely needs some improvements to become a destination. It felt a bit outdated, and the excessive use of plastic and towel placements were concerning. Don’t even get me started on the in-room coffee—it’s truly dreadful. I can’t help but wonder if the buyers have ever tried it, as it seems designed to push us to buy coffee rather than ensuring a good experience.
Would I return? If I had a corporate event nearby, perhaps, but I wouldn't choose this place for leisure. Overall, I’m glad I stayed, if only for the comfortable bed and enjoyable dinner."
