Lord Bute Hotel & Restaurant

We expected to have the conservatory for our party of 19, but ended up with the whole place, which was fabulous. The food and service were excellent, and the team made our family’s Big Birthday celebration feel special from beginning to end. Thank you for looking after us so well. I’d recommend the Lord Bute for family gatherings.

The air conditioning was a surprise, and we ran it full blast. It made a huge difference. Our room was massive, with a good sized bathroom, a comfy bed and a nice range of tea and coffee, including a coffee machine. We mentioned it was our anniversary trip and the staff kindly upgraded us. We stayed for two lovely nights. We didn’t try the restaurant or the included breakfast, but liked the look of the menu and dining room, so we’re planning to come back.

The room and setting are still classic and comfortable, but the meal quality has really fallen. I used to think this was a first-class restaurant. At lunch with friends for my birthday, held to thank them for supporting me after my cancer diagnosis, almost everything apart from the soup was cold or reheated. The duck confit was so hard a knife wouldn’t cut it, the lamb was overcooked, and the vegetables came cold in two tiny dishes, just 3x4 for five people. The plates were hot, but the food wasn’t. I hadn’t been in for a few months because of my illness, and this was a disaster. Since I was hosting, I was worried about bringing down the mood, but my friends insisted I raise it with the chef. He sent out a few petit fois, but even those weren’t properly defrosted. Such a shame. Restaurants need to keep their standards up. Maybe the owner or manager could comment.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and gave us the space to enjoy our stay without fuss. When we needed an iron or fresh towels, they responded promptly. Our room was tidy and peaceful, with clean sheets and a good sized bathroom that two people could use to get ready together. The hotel is right by historic Highcliffe castle, and it was really quiet, with no road noise or disturbance from other guests. Breakfast was lovely too. We both thoroughly enjoyed the perfectly cooked eggs benedict, and the restaurant had a nice menu and plenty of seating.