We've stayed at Buckland a few times over the years and it was charming. Our latest experience was…read moreless than optimal. The bell people were either too small or frail to help us bring our bags up the stairs. There is not a lift. The rooms need refreshing -badly. Everything including the service seemed "tired" - not quaint or charming. The bar service was inconsistent. Sometimes, the drinks were phenomenal and other times they were subpar. The dining experience was lackluster and the food was average. The chef and staff have changed since our last experiences and it shows in every detail. Would seriously reconsider staying here. What a shame, it had such charm and vibrancy that it is now lacking.

Tucked away right before the main Broadway strip, Buckland is a gorgeous manor…read more We didn't stay at the manor but went for afternoon tea. The lobby lounge area was very quaint and cozy for tea. We sat on some cushy couches to enjoy. The tea selections were plentiful and several options for the tea food as well. The service was also on point. The food was just ok - one of the finger sandwiches was dry around the edges, so it had clearly been pre-cut and sitting out. The fruit scone was also extremely dry, burnt, crumbled at the touch. Surprising and unfortunate. One of the sweet options on the top rack was stuck to the plate so it exploded as we tried to placate it and we didn't really get to eat it. Food was 3 stars at best but the ambiance was key. To note - there was a 10% service charge auto-added to our bill and parking is free.

Lovely little hotel close to the centre of the city. We were welcomed by warm and friendly staff…read more The room was very clean, comfortable, nicey styled and with a very good bed and decent shower. Breakfast was very good. We ate one night in the restaurant and again the food was excellent. A very comfortable and pleasant place to explore Cheltenham or the surrounding Cotswolds.

I found this place whilst searching for a cottage for 6 people in the Oxfordshire / Cotswold area…read more The photos and descriptions on the Internet do not do this place justice. It is far better than I ever expected. It is located in the village of Hazelton which is not far from all the beautiful villages in the Cotswold and whilst this village is very small and does not have a pub most of that is only a short distance away. The house itself is beautiful fully renovated and has a very well stocked kitchen and all pots and pans are of good quality. There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms in total so plenty of space for people to share. The beds are really good and the linen is of excellent quality. They have also provided excellent large towels and nice organic soap in the bathrooms. The outdoor area is also quite big and spacious and there is ample parking for 3-5 cars. All in all a really nice place and I would happily return here anytime to explore the Cotswold area. The view from the house is spectacular and it is located in a really quite village.

We just got back from a lovely two night stay here. We stayed in "the stables," which are a few…read moresuites off to the side of the main house. The property is well kept and spotless. The main rooms themselves were spot on and even better than the photos. They had the perfect rustic barn feeling. The bathrooms were huge but the design did not go at all with the aesthetic of the rest of the hotel/room. The tub and bathroom walls were covered with this ugly black tile and the sinks were this worn wood/bamboo. My favorite area was probably the dining room which over looks their beautiful gardens. There is seating outside for non rainy days. Breakfast is not to be missed. They have the basic spread of fresh fruit, cereals, juices, and pastries. The main thing keeping it from being five stars for me would be the amount of information they leave for you are the guest to figure out. When we arrived we were assisted with our luggage but there was no offer to provide tour or general explanation of the property or amenities ( spa, bar in the main house, bikes, maps of trails to bike or walk etc.) I was not familiar with a "turn down" service so I was confused as to why there were people lurking outside my door before dinner. We ended up borrowing their two of their bikes and taking a little ride around the area. It was very scenic and there were lots of sheep and horses to see. I also got a facial treatment at the spa which is tucked away behind the garden. The spa is really small but cute. I was really happy with the microdermabrasion. They also had an outdoor pool area which I didn't get a chance to try. This place is definitely pricey but if you are looking for a private, quiet, romantic get-away, this place is it.

We came here for the English "smart tea experience." We chose the classic tea option that came…read morewith 4 different kinds of finger sandwiches (yes, cucumber sandwiches included), a scone with clotted cream and preserves, a variety of cakes and pastries, and a pot of tea. We chose Earl Grey and added pot of English Breakfast as well to share. Everything was delicious and I enjoyed every minute of the traditional afternoon tea experience! Staffs were very friendly and attentive which made it even better. They have a beautiful garden in the back, which is a big plus. Don't forget to check it out!

Location is in the hilltop town of Malmsbury. We ate at the Abbey Row restaurant inside the hotel…read more Reservations recommended. Very British menu. There is a set menu or large plates. We were able to mix and match. Good portions. Hotel itself is decorated interestingly with unusual artifacts . Parking outside restaurant is limited if you're lucky to find a spot or park in public parking nearby.

We stayed here and dined here on a Saturday night…read more I was actually very impressed with this hotel restaurant. We've been to a few country hotels around England and find the restaurants to be of very varying standards. The building is beautiful (claims to be the oldest hotel in England) but it is right next to Malmesbury Abbey - so picturesque. The actual dining room isn't anything special - a mix of modern and old but actually quite sparse in terms of decor etc. Not something I minded. It was pretty busy on a Saturday night but we got a nice seat by the window. Service was a bit grumpy at first but efficient. We had an avocado salad to start which was fresh with very generous portions of avocado. My only criticism would be not quite enough dressing. For main I had a delicious piece of sea bass but the best bit was the lemon and chilli linguine that accompanied it. So tangy and I'm pretty sure it was fresh home cooked pasta. Really delicious and something I will try to recreate at home. Service was a bit grumpy at first but efficient. It gets 4 stars vs 5 because of the service and also it is on the pricier side (15-20 per main) As an additional aside, we had breakfast here the next morning and my eggs royale was perfection. Rich and plentiful hollandaise sauce and tasty salmon. Good croissants and pastries too.

Thornbury Castle made my 55th birthday celebration truly unforgettable!…read more From the moment we arrived, we were treated like royalty. Ella at the front desk provided superb customer service. Every time we encountered her, she went above and beyond to assist us. She was attentive, incredibly helpful, detail-oriented, and made sure we had everything we needed. Our waitress, Jayle, along with the wonderful male and female cousins whose names I unfortunately cannot remember, provided exceptional service during our fine-dining experience. Each dinner course was presented and explained in wonderful detail. The food was absolutely delicious, and the cocktails and wine were superb. The castle grounds were breathtaking, and our room was simply out of this world! Renting Tudor costumes from the hotel made the experience even more authentic, fun, and memorable--it truly brought the history of the castle to life. I could not have chosen a better place to celebrate my 55th birthday. Thank you to the entire Thornbury Castle staff for your hospitality and for making us feel like a true king and queen. This was more than a hotel stay--it was an extraordinary experience that we will always remember!

Thornbury Castle has potential, but doesn't live up to expectations. Inconsistency is a recurrent…read moretheme. We stayed there four nights and these were my observations. The "kitchen" seems to rule the roost here as almost every question is met with "let me check with "the kitchen." "The kitchen" must be an omnipotent presence because the staff usually has a bit of trepidation when going to ask "the kitchen" questions. They have a small selection of items on the dining room menu and the food is not excellent and any deviation from items on the menu are strictly frowned upon. The menu does not change from day to day. Luckily, you may order from the bar menu in the library. This menu does not change either, but it does break up the monotony. We tended to enjoy this food more, but service was slow and inconsistent . Breakfast is the better option when dining in the dining room. The staff for the most part seems to operate with little or no training. They NEVER filled the water glasses. That's your job. They NEVER poured the wine, again, that's your job. This hotel seems to lack strong leadership. We had two rooms. The Queen Elizabeth room has extremely low beams. If one is over 5'3", one WILL hit their heads. We had to go to the front desk for ice to put on head bumps more than once. The third floor is for the most fit as there is no lift. Yes, I know we were staying in a castle and it was not going to be perfect, but for the price one is paying here, you expect first class service. Having said all of that, the gardens in the back are lovely, the visage from the front lawn is beautiful and the staff, though poorly, trained are friendly. Liam in the library area was very friendly and helpful. They need to have a rotating menu. The options in the nearby town are few to dine. It is possible to have a rotating menu, we also stayed at other manor houses which had wonderful menus and well-trained staff this trip.

Glewstone Court Hotel is a lovely country house which is owned and cherished into a wonderful place…read moreto eat and stay. My parents used to live about 10 miles from Glewstone and it was a regular lunch and occasional special dinner stop, now it is a useful stop for lunch on travelling from South Wales to the Midlands and North. Over the years little has changed and the owners Christine and Bill remain excellent hosts and restaurateurs. On our last visit the sun was shining enough to sit outside and have a delicious lunch, wonderful goat's cheese salad. The garden is beautiful and makes one feel like the lady/lord of the manor. A little more expensive than stopping at motorway services but only a little, so next time you're passing Ross on Wye give it a try.

We were supposed to stay four nights at Ellenborough Park Hotel over Christmas, and booked based on…read moreits reputation as a 5-star hotel. Unfortunately, our experience was very disappointing, and the conditions were unsafe and unclean and we felt we had to leave after the first night. I don't usually write reviews, but morally, I felt I had to say something. There was no effective heating, noticeable musty stains on the floors and ceilings and the whole hotel smelled like mildew - my whole family woke up sick. mildew and mold in a hotel is serious and you cannot be charging people (especially for these prices) for unsafe conditions. While one staff member at the concierge was friendly, the manager we dealt with was rude, which was especially unsettling considering the high price we were paying for a Christmas stay. Our room was unclean with mold stains, and overall felt far below what you would expect at a five-star hotel. when we told him this, he said that "we had the cheapest room." our family paid $6,872 USD for this stay. I was absolutely appalled with his response. The property has 5-star prices but, based on our experience, not even 3-star standards for basic cleanliness. We came here with our family to enjoy Christmas, but ended up leaving early at a loss of $6,872 USD due to how poor our experience was.

Disappointed Christmas Review of Ellenborough Park…read moreReviewed 6 days ago via mobile I made the decision to join family at the Ellenborough Park. Not feeling particularly in the Christmas spirit I thought the get away would be a chance to get away and forget about things for a few days after losing my mother 5 months previously. Maybe I was expecting to much from a 5 star hotel, but must say I have stayed in better 4 star. The very young covering staff were very polite and capable but just a couple let the side down. Twice we were served but a slightly older lady in the dining room who had an excuse for every thing. At breakfast we ordered drinks and were asked to order the hot food we wanted. We went to get our cereal, toast, yoghurt etc and when we came back our hot food was already waiting for us. We asked our waitress why it had come up so quickly and she said it's always been like that, which is a lie. She offered to reheat it. You can't reheat eggs/ cooked breakfasts. The following morning we had a different server and I ordered scramble eggs on toast. Not a problem v nice. The next morning the same older lady we had from the previous day served us and I asked for scrambled eggs on toast and was told chef doesn't do it and that I could have the eggs but to cook my own toast. So as before it came up quickly and was left sitting there whilst I was in the other room cooking toast. So warm toast cold eggs! Christmas day was a let down, the main meal was awful. We were served a thick slab of Turkey without hardly any sauce or gravy which made it hard to swallow. The thickness of the meat was enough for 2 people which made hard to eat and dry. The tiny Christmas pudding looked liked it had come from a tin, it was an odd shape. The chocolate dessert on Boxing Day was inedible, the chocolate dessert was like 100 % dark chocolate and the honeycomb taste like a mouthful of burt bicarbonate soda. I noticed quite a lot of food went back uneaten. Also evenings in the lounge were ruined buy guests who thought it was ok to keep putting logs on the fire. You really need a sign about it. Apart from the lousy weather it wasn't cold. So why these people felt compelled to do this I really don't know. My family members who have stayed with you on previous occasions even said it wasn't the same as previous visits. I'm sure they will give you another chance due to work etc, but I don't think I will be