The Chesterton Hotel

We booked two nights in January as an anniversary surprise for my girlfriend. After spending the day in Oxford, we arrived in the evening to a lovely-looking hotel. We dropped our bags, turned on the heating and went out to our dinner reservation. The room seemed great at first, and we really enjoyed our meal. When we got back, the room was still freezing. Neither radiator worked. A staff member came up from reception to check, but couldn't fix them. We were told the hotel was full and we couldn't change rooms. There was already a heater in the room, which made it seem as if they knew about the problem, and another heater was offered as the only fix. It was late, so we had no choice but to stay. We kept waking through the night because of the cold, which was miserable in the middle of winter. The next morning, we asked again to move, since we were staying for two nights, but were told once more that the hotel was full and nothing could be done. In the end they offered us a free drink, which didn't feel like enough, especially for a special anniversary trip after such a poor night's sleep. We spent most of the day looking for somewhere else to stay the second night. Booking at the last minute cost us much more, and took time away from what was meant to be a relaxing trip. We'd also paid extra for a deluxe room, but the bed was two singles pushed together with a gap in the middle, which made sleeping even harder. I waited before posting because I wanted to give the hotel the benefit of the doubt and hoped they'd offer some compensation. They haven't made any effort to address what happened. I don't usually leave negative reviews, but this ruined the two-day anniversary trip we had planned. We were left short on sleep, uncomfortable, out of pocket and disappointed.

The setting was just right, and the service was outstanding. We came for afternoon tea with two friends to celebrate my mum's birthday, and the food was fabulous with plenty to go around. A real gem. Thank you.

They made my son's birthday feel really special, and I'll be back. The food and atmosphere were lovely, and the service was wonderful from beginning to end. I'd absolutely recommend it.

The gardens and countryside around the Chesterton are beautiful, and waking up to the waterfall near our room was so relaxing. The staff were lovely throughout and clearly wanted us to have a great stay. Louise looked after us at dinner and suggested some local places to visit. The restaurant was stylish and very clean, with a good wine selection. We loved the French Rosé with the salmon. Breakfast was the best I've ever had at a hotel. There were pastries, fruit and yoghurts, plus a great cooked selection, including vegetarian choices. I loved the smoked salmon with poached eggs and hollandaise, and my mum had a lovely full English. Melvin took good care of us at breakfast and checked whether we needed anything. The portions were just right. We enjoyed the restaurant's Indian dishes too. The salmon was beautiful, the fillet steak cooked perfectly, and the food was presented so well. The cheese board felt original, and the honeycomb was lovely with a glass of Merlot.