The Lavender House Hotel

The signs made it a nightmare to find, but the venue itself was lovely and the staff were exceptional. I was there for a friend’s party and didn’t rent a room. If we’re in the area again, I’d definitely plan to stay.

AVOID! We booked the cottage for one night, but arrived to find hair and debris all over the room and bathroom, including torn toilet paper and plastic gems. It clearly hadn’t been cleaned, and the whole thing was bizarre. We were moved to room 5, which was a little better, but there were still soap stains in the shower, toothpaste flecks above the sink, and dirty teaspoons with fresh tea stains. We skipped breakfast because we were worried about the hygiene standards. If the rooms looked like that, we could only imagine the state of the kitchen. It was hugely inconvenient to be moved at 9pm, and when we asked for a discount at checkout, the so-called discount was actually more than the price of the new room listed on their website. There was no apology the next day, and they clearly didn’t seem bothered. Never again.

The grounds are pretty and well kept, a lovely place to sit with a cold beer or a cocktail or two, especially in the glorious weather we had. We’ve just had another lovely break at this homely, family-run hotel, and we’re leaving refreshed after four days of being so well looked after by friendly, attentive staff. Our clean, comfortable room was in the summer house, where our dogs got plenty of attention and fuss. The management go above and beyond to make sure you have what you need for a relaxing, stress-free holiday. The food is very good: breakfast has cereals and fresh fruit, plus a full English served piping hot and presented well. In the evening there’s a good choice for different tastes, with generous portions of delicious, freshly made food. We’ve already booked to come back in September for more of the same pampering.

We stayed midweek and it was nice and quiet. The location is great, right at the edge of the moors and away from road noise. Breakfast and dinner were both freshly cooked and really good. The rooms are being updated, with modern USB charging outlets and other changes. It’s also a popular wedding venue.