Sweetfield Manor

The property is beautiful, but the management issues were enough to put us off returning. We had been considering a big anniversary dinner here next year, but that’s off the table now. I wouldn’t come back. We asked twice to speak with a manager and never got to. During the champagne discussion on WhatsApp, I was told a manager was “aware” but wouldn’t email me. At checkout there was no manager on the property. It seemed like nobody wanted to step in, even though we were clearly having problems. We checked in on Friday with a bottle of champagne and fruit tray requested in advance. By Sunday I realized my wife is allergic to champagne, so we asked for the charge to be removed. The bottle had stayed sealed and untouched in the fridge the whole time. They refused, saying “the restaurant won’t accept the bottle back after more than 24 hours,” and said we should have taken it to the lobby on arrival if we didn’t want it, even though we hadn’t seen it until Sunday. That felt unnecessarily rigid. After our room check, the housekeeper carried it to the restaurant, so they could restock it. When I asked why they couldn’t have done that earlier, nobody answered. The whole thing came across as sneaky and extremely short-sighted. We paid in the end, but it left a bad taste and showed a real lack of common sense. Checkout took 30 minutes. Part of the delay was the champagne issue, and part was waiting for housekeeping to inspect the room before they would release our deposit. After ten minutes I asked whether the front desk agent could confirm the room herself, but she said she wasn’t allowed. More needless operational hurdles got in the way of a good guest experience. They also charge a “delivery fee” to bring room service about twenty steps from the restaurant to the room. We paid because it was pouring rain, but in such a small property it felt like more nickel-and-diming.

The staff were very friendly and courteous, and the restaurant had excellent food. Prices are half what they are in the US. It’s a beautiful, restful place with a colonial-period feel, and a great spot to recover after a long, tiring flight.

There are peacocks here, too. The place is a little gem, full of charm and character, with lovely rooms that are all different. The lush little pool and jacuzzi are surrounded by plants and trees. It’s close to everything, yet tucked away enough to stay calm and quiet. Couldn’t ask for better.

No one has replied to our WhatsApp messages, the only way to get in touch. There’s no milk in the room, so we can’t even make the complimentary tea, and no food is available on Mondays or Tuesdays. We weren’t told that when booking. It’s 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, and there are no staff around.