This lah-de-dah hotel famous for its "pudding club" and located in a very attractive little Cotswold village looks great at first glance, but made for a thoroughly disappointing stay. The room decor is old and tired (there were stains and tears on the dowdy chair in our room); the breakfast room crowded and cramped; and after an initial warm welcome, the staff later seemed just about willing to tolerate us. Simple requests were refused, only begrudgingly met or ignored entirely. We became uncomfortable asking them to accommodate any small need, which is just as well because they seem to charge "extra" for everything.
In the morning, the cleaning staff un-hygienically placed our (and all other guests') "fresh" towels on the hall carpet(!) outside the door when changing the linens in each room. Downstairs, the breakfast room was packed full with a loud party of wedding guests, so we were once again ignored. I had to ask three times for utensils, and each time I was made to feel as if I was a great inconvenience for needing them. When the hostess finally placed a set on a tray in front of me, before I could get any food on my plate, a random guest reached past me and grabbed the utensils. It was too disorganized, so people were grabbing what they could. It was incongruous with the impression of a luxury hotel that is presented upon arrival. There were no rolls or bread visible, so I waited 15 minutes for a slice of bread from the same uppity hostess unable to mask her contempt. Although the cooked breakfast was plentiful, to top it all off, we got unwell stomachs shortly after.
It seems that if you're just a one-night guest stopping in and not staying for a pudding club or expensive Cotswold weekend package, the service is not as good. I couldn't wait to check out. For the hefty price, I expected much more. This drab hotel masquerading as a luxurious unfortunately doesn't live up to its reputation. How disappointing. read more