Shipton Grange House

The room's bed linen and bathroom were clean, but much of the rest of the house needed attention. It felt tired and antique, and the carpets were black around the edges and needed cleaning or replacing. Breakfast was limited to cereal, take it or leave it, and on the first day we had to fend for ourselves. At checkout we were told it was cash only, which isn't easy to manage when trying to find a cash point on a Sunday morning. We booked through Last Minute, and this felt like a last resort. The property is part of a walled manor house. On arrival, it took ages for the lady to answer the bell at the closed gate, and getting a car through the gate into the courtyard is tight. If you can't thread a needle, park on the road. The lady was pleasant, though a little eccentric. If you don't like dogs, go elsewhere.

RATING -0 OUT OF 5 BOOKED THROUGH LAST MINUTE 1. The address had no post code. 2. There was no roadside sign. 3. The gates were locked. 4. We had to park on the grass pavement. 5. There were three dogs, one of them very aggressive. 6. The owner was away. 7. A guest let us in while she went to fetch the owner. 8. One dog BIT MY HUSBAND. I am not usually scared of dogs, but I was this time. 9. When the owner returned, we said we would not stay because her dogs were aggressive. She refused to believe us. 10. SHE REFUSED TO REFUND US. 11. DON'T BOOK - SHIPTON GRANGE HOUSE

We asked for a refund, but were refused because we had used the water. We were also asked to leave, and at 9:00pm, tired and unfamiliar with the area, I found that upsetting. It made me want to cry. We ended up being kicked out in the middle of the night. There was nowhere proper to park, so we had to leave the car on the grass. The locked gates were unwelcoming, and my call went to voicemail. There was no clear sign from the road, just an A4 printed sheet on the door saying "Shipton Grange House", which was hard to spot while driving alone. The hygiene was far from good. There were dead insects in the bath, and black gunk came out as it filled. I found dog combs in the bedroom, gunk on the mirrors, dust everywhere, and personal belongings scattered around our room. There was no en suite. The dining room smelled musky from the dogs, which wasn't pleasant while eating. One of the whippets barked and growled at me within 10 minutes of entering. I adore dogs, but these canines are NOT NEUTERED and showed signs of aggression. The owner seemed to care more about money than guests. She said she'd only breed whippets to sell for money if she wanted something, which backed up that impression. The place has a lot of potential, but it wasn't worth the price. Drive another 30 minutes for somewhere better and cheaper. Spare yourself the trouble and money.

It sits opposite the cricket club in a very nice, peaceful spot. The rooms are okay, with an antique feel, and there are three dogs on the property. An older lady looks after the place, so you may have to wait a while for someone to attend to you. Breakfast was okay, with eggs, cereal, toast and yogurt.