Prince of Wales

The Prince of Wales lived up to much of its reputation, and we had an enjoyable stay with a few things that could be better. We were greeted and checked in easily, and got a free upgrade to a larger room with a fireplace without asking. A wedding had filled the parking lot, but the bellman helped us find a spot. The room was clean and spacious, though a little dated. The shower was clean and had great pressure, but needed some work where the wall had rusty chips. I appreciated the large mounted bottles of shampoo and conditioner instead of little plastic ones. The bed was quite firm and some blankets had small stains, though the pillows were comfortable. At the Churchill Lounge, dinner took a long time, but the food was excellent. We also returned to a remade bed both nights, with a rose on the pillow and a card about the next day’s weather, a really special touch. Our massages at the spa and high tea in the Drawing Room were both pleasant. I wish the front desk had told us to book high tea in advance, since it was included as an add-on to our package. Luckily they had room when we walked in, though it was busy. We were given specialty coffee vouchers, but nobody explained that they were only for alcoholic drinks. At the Churchill Lounge, we found all the specialty coffees had alcohol, and wished there had been non-alcoholic options to customize. We also signed up for a “Wine Cellar Tour” on the activity calendar. It was a tasting while standing in the historic cellar below the restaurant. The sommelier was knowledgeable and friendly, although he said he didn’t know why it was called a tour. Overall, we had a good time at the Price of Wales, with a few small areas for improvement.

We’d hoped to stay in the main building because the place is historic, but our room was in another building and we had to go outside to reach it. The room itself was clean and tidy, and okay. For dinner, we had booked an 8pm table and arrived at 7:55. The woman who greeted us asked if we had a booking and then said we were early, which stunned us. She took our coats and seated us in the main walkway for the waiters, even though we could see plenty of better-placed tables. Our waiter was lovely and agreed to move us. He said he couldn’t understand why she had put us there. The woman came back, saw we weren’t happy, and offered to give us a minute and find a better table. We agreed. The meal was such a disappointment. The steak was rock hard. We told the waiter the whole dining experience at the Prince of Wales had been very disappointing, and they didn’t charge us for one meal. That wasn’t the issue, though. We’d heard so much about the place and travelled from Wales in the UK, and sadly it wasn’t the nice experience we’d hoped for.

The staff are what made our milestone birthday weekend a success. Linda, Frank, Rebekah and Alexandra were kind, professional, knowledgeable about the food, and so friendly. They stayed with us throughout the event and made everything smooth and stress-free. Jake and Jason at the entrances and lobby were also very helpful and friendly, and looked very presentable. The food was all great, too, with no complaints. We booked several guest rooms, afternoon tea, dinner, breakfast and spa treatments for October 2025, so there was a lot to organize. There were a few hiccups with Nick and the event booking, including a double-booked room that meant we had to switch. It worked out fine since we liked the new room. Monica Forero took over organizing everything and was great: professional, capable and friendly. It was helpful to visit the venue and meet her a week beforehand. The spa, hotel rooms and events are handled by three separate organizations, so coordinating it all can feel like a project management job. Once Monica was involved, things got much less hectic. I’d suggest visiting in person before committing, to see the space and meet the key people. Also, don’t expect a discount for booking several things. The event is treated separately from the spa and room bookings, even though we booked seven rooms, and there were no discounts on any part of the weekend.

Jeremy and his team went above and beyond for my daughter’s bridal shower in the ballroom this past Sunday. The vintage feel of the room was beautiful, with flowers everywhere. The chef was phenomenal, the food was impeccable, and people kept saying how delicious it was. The staff were so helpful and accommodating, and made the day really special for my daughter. Thank you all, we appreciated it so much!