Sophiendal Slotshotel

I cancelled my reservation three months before the planned arrival, but was still charged a £400 cancellation fee. The hotel wasn't even taking bookings for those dates when I cancelled, so we weren't keeping a room from anyone else. I tried contacting them about it and was ignored. When they finally replied, they were outright rude. I should have listened to the negative reviews and avoided this place.

The evening waitress was polite and knew her stuff. The buildings looked picturesque and were kept up reasonably well, and the atmosphere was nice. That's where the good points end. The stay costs far too much for what you get. On the way into reception, we saw a government food safety report giving the restaurant a "sad smile", the lowest hygiene rating. Dinner was ordinary and boring. The room itself was decent, but the heating was set so low that it was freezing when we arrived in winter. There were no tea or coffee facilities in the room, just two wine glasses, and they needed washing. Way too pricey for the experience. Give it a miss.

If you like the feeling of an old castle, this place is worth a visit. If you're after modern stuff and expensive luxury, you'd be better off choosing somewhere else. I loved it. I arrived in mid-November and found a Christmas Wonderland, though I'd never been there before. Dinner was delicious too. Thank you!

The castle atmosphere was intriguing, and the rooms were fun to explore. They're cozy and charming, with just the right old-castle feel. There were very few guests when we visited. The food was nice enough for a quiet time, and the chef did a wonderful job with the meat, which seemed especially good quality. Personally, I found the modern music from the kitchen too loud, especially with pleasant classical music playing in the restaurant. The rooms didn't have a kettle or minibar, and once the restaurant closed there wasn't an obvious place to get tea or coffee.