I'm a wildlife photographer and the main purpose of the trip was to photograph Red Squirrels. We didn't even need to leave the hotel grounds to do so! Lovely hotel with beautiful woodland surroundings. Not the most modern hotel, but full of character and we like that. The staff were friendly and very helpful. We hadn't informed the hotel that we were bringing our little Jack Russell because there we weren't prompted to do so on Booking.com's online form, but that wasn't a problem, because we were moved to a dog friendly block only yards from the Red Squirrel woodland! I guess we were lucky that there were dog friendly rooms available at the time, so my advice would be to mention it in the comments section on the booking form if you are bringing pets.

No complaints, I read the reviews beforehand and everything was as expected.

The hotel is located in a very quiet place. The building is 130 years old and gives off a special atmosphere. Breakfast is served in a very rich and comfortable buffet. The food is delicious and the service is pleasant.

No

It was nice and quiet, my room was lovely and in a very peaceful area, it had all it needed to make a very pleasant stay. The staff were lovely, super friendly and excellent customer service. Food was very very nice, I had roast beef first night and steak pie the second and the breakfast was fantastic with a great choice. I went on the red squirrel walk saw 3 of them eating nuts, took pictures and videos, beautiful, I went on a lovely walk, beautiful waterfalls, scenery. I would definitely go back again.

It depends on what type of stay your looking for, if you want nightlife not the place to stay. I just wanted somewhere to chill and relax, was perfect for me.

Helpful, friendly staff, rooms were adequate and clean, comfy bed, breakfast was enjoyable and plenty. Stayed here for work so did not really explore surroundings but looked good from what we saw. The best value around.

Beautiful hotel, staff were very helpful, especially one of the cleaning staff who was extra helpful when I mislaid my phone connector, she went out of her way to assist me. Breakfast was amazing, the setting of the hotel was perfect just a shame I was not staying longer!

It was a little out in the country, by water and with access to a small wooded area. Here you could see and feed red squirrels! Inside, it was full of character, interesting features and beautiful period detail. It was clearly well looked after and maintained. The staff were very friendly, polite, helpful and knowledgeable about the hotel and area. We enjoyed a lovely evening meal and buffet breakfast. The lounge/bar area was comfortable and spacious and there were games and books available for anyone who wished to use them. It was booked as a handy stop over on our way North (it’s just off the motorway) and was a delightful surprise!

Nothing!

Location and ambience

It was understaffed and getting staff attention was difficult, including at reception.

We loved the feel of the history of the hotel, in some way a living museum piece. Please preserve that during any future refurb. The room was adequate and the bed was comfortable. The walks through the woods and the Red Squirrels were a bonus. Large evening meal the night before left us only needing a fairly light breakfast. There was far more on offer than we needed so the continental choice available was ample, even thought cooked breakfast looked tempting.

Though nicely off the beaten track the track itself could do with upgrading.

The staff was amazing. Very kind caring and helpful. I didn't like being put in a separate restaurant/breakfast room far away from where breakfast was served especially after noticed there were lots cobwebs in the room. Overall: amazing reception staff, the hotel needs a bit of touch and cleaners need to look up. I think I would like to come back

Advertising as a dog friendly, dog owners are being put in a small room far away from the restaurant. And after booking with a dog apparently additional charges taken at the check in

The hotel was in a great location just off the M6 and the main hotel was full of wood paneling, stag heads on walls, lounge area had comfortable Winchester sofas. Where we stayed (bath house annex) was lovely. If you have a dog with you the hotel has a small separate dinning room. The BIG Plus with this hotel is that they have a colony of red squirrels which you can see at very close range and watch them feeding. This was the highlight of our stay. ROOM. Was very comfortable, very clean and plenty of space. The bath room was clean and bright with a walk-in shower. There was also a entrance lobby within the room so you could keep your dog/s there over night if you wish. FOOD - DINNER The evening meal was very tasty, hot and a good portion. The only negative was that we felt the menu was not good value for money. FOOD - BREAKFAST Breakfast service is an issue at this hotel as it has a buffet style service and as dogs are not allowed in main dining room and have to use the small separate dining room you have to carry everything on trays so the cooked breakfasts get cold. It would have been nice if the hotel had allowed dog owners with their dogs to eat in the adjoining dining room next to main dining area (not been used at time of stay) to be closer to the buffet area for breakfast.

The hotel does not allow dogs in the bar. Dog friendly dining area is quite a distance from the main dinning area. Some of the plates in the plate warmer at breakfast time were dirty and I have to remove several plates before finding a clean one.