The Imperial Hotel

The staff were lovely, and the surroundings felt plush and inviting. We had a festive afternoon tea with tasty sandwiches, cakes and scones with jam and cream. There was mulled wine jelly and a delicious chocolate Bailey's ganache fondant biscuit too, along with good tea and filter coffee. A smashing start to the festive season. I’d definitely go again.

We had a lovely three night DBB stay. Our spacious room looked out over the river, and they’d thought of everything, including our request for sheets and blankets. On arrival, there was a fridge with complimentary drinks, chocolates and fruit. The staff were first class, with lots of young people learning hospitality skills. Breakfast and dinner were faultless, with a superb choice. We’d visit again if we were in the area.

We’ve had lunch here twice, and the restaurant staff and manager were very pleasant. The awkward part was using our gift voucher. My husband showed the details on his phone, but the hotel receptionist insisted on the original email, which my daughter had sent me with the voucher attached. It included a personal birthday message to me, and I might not have wanted someone else to see that. It felt unnecessary, and we felt disbelieved. She could easily have taken the voucher number from my husband’s screen.

The food was plentiful and okay, but the service really let the visit down. We had to ask twice for a box to take the leftovers home, then go and ask for our coats and the bill. We were sat in huge chairs that made eating difficult, and were mostly ignored. Other guests were checked on, while some staff walked away when we tried to get their attention. We had to catch someone just to get water. Others were given hot water and sugar with their tea and asked if they wanted more. We got neither, and nobody checked with us. I went today for festive afternoon tea, hoping to make a good memory with my daughter. When I said we’d been ignored, the man said they were extremely busy. That felt like a cop out when other guests were being attended to. The service wasn’t worth what we paid, and I hadn’t expected to feel like we shouldn’t have gone into the restaurant.