White Hart Inn

The White Hart is a beautifully designed building in a prime location, and the bar and restaurant have a pleasant atmosphere. We stayed Thursday, November 20th to Monday, November 24th. I'd seen rates online of £100 a night with breakfast, or a little less on Booking.com, but I prefer booking direct. We were charged £650 for four nights, or £162.50 per night. We were tired and hungry after the journey, so paid and went out for a meal. The dining area could use a thorough clean, with cobwebs in the corners. Our meal was enjoyable, though the menu was unusual. Thursday's “pie and a pint” special sounded good, but the vegetable pie didn't suit my vegetarian wife. We were also told the whole table had to order from the main menu if one person did, which felt restrictive. The room was spacious and the bed comfortable, but guests have to go outside to reach the bar and restaurant. The temperature was set to 16 deg, and the heating fan was particularly noisy when I turned the heat up. The TV was small for the room and had to be switched off and on to change channels. There was only one teabag per guest per day, the bedside light didn't work, and just one shower light was working. Reception closed by 7 PM, and we saw no staff again until Sunday evening. Breakfast was disappointing. The bacon was overcooked, the sausage seemed to have been reheated several times, and the beans were poor quality. The fried egg was the only redeeming part. On Friday night, friends hosted a party at the hotel and their guests had booked out the rooms. It was well organised, with a good buffet and brilliant bar staff. By Saturday lunchtime we were the only guests left. We went out for the day and came back to a wedding. Loud music and shouting in the hallways carried on late, making it hard to sleep. Sunday's breakfast was poor too, and the bacon was inedible. When reception was finally staffed Sunday evening, I asked about the difference from the listed prices and got the blunt reply, “it was what it was.” I emailed about the pricing, but after a week had received no acknowledgment. For £162.50 per night, there's a lot to improve. The hotel was not clean enough, with grubby carpets, a damaged wall at the top of the stairs where handles had banged into it, and lights that didn't work. The TV and one teabag per person per night were disappointing too. I'd recommend asking about weekend events such as parties or weddings before booking.

Some things made our stay really nice: dressing gowns and slippers, room snacks and drinks, a comfy bed, good food and amazing views. I got married here, so I love the place, but it was extremely quiet, especially on Sunday. I hope a few changes might help bring it back to life. We missed the Jacuzzi bath in the Hart Suite, which was a lovely selling point, and hope it can return. The bar and restaurant tables feel too tight for me as a 6ft larger man, and a few extra inches in length would make moving around easier. It would also be good to reopen the internal route from the rooms to the bar, since going outside in the rain for breakfast can feel like getting a cold shower. Staff could remind diners to discuss menu options: I forgot to ask for chips with my pie and got mashed potato instead, though it was still nice. I'd also appreciate salt and pepper on the tables, rather than having to ask halfway through a meal. We had a nice discount card while waiting for our wedding day. It'd be great to see offers after marriage too, to encourage couples married there to come back with their families. I'd welcome monthly deals. It's still a great place, and I was sad to see it so quiet on Sunday. Hopefully things pick up enough for Sunday evening dinner service to return, since that's when we usually eat out.

Stayed for the first time on 14/01/26. The food was really good, and I had a great night's sleep. Everything, from the service to the room, was brilliant and exceeded my expectations. Thanks.

My daughter's wedding day was an amazing experience, and the setting for the photos was beautiful. The rooms and staff were of a very high standard. Most of all, thanks to Mia, the Wedding Coordinator, for handling everything flawlessly and being professional while still so friendly. She helped make my daughter's and my new son in law's wedding a thoroughly memorable occasion for us all. Thanks to Mia and everyone at The White Hart. From Phil Hawdon.