Best Western Derwent Manor Hotel

We were disappointed by the leisure facilities. The pool was quite small, the changing rooms were cramped, and the sauna was okay, but there was no steam room. The jacuzzi was fine, while the plunge pool outside the sauna was empty. At Sunday lunchtime the area felt like a free for all, with lots of outside visitors and children, which we hadn't expected. The rest of the hotel was super, and we'll come back, but probably skip the swimming. We had a lovely three-night stay: check-in was easy and welcoming, our beautiful, spotless room had a complimentary bottle of red wine, and the garden view was amazing. The Antler bar was cosy, and both breakfast at Prego and Sunday lunch in the Antler bar were lovely. On Sunday evening, our fillet steak and flat iron steak were cooked perfectly. There was plenty of good quality, well-cooked food at breakfast, and all the staff were friendly and helpful.

We liked the small pool, sauna, and hot tub so much that we came back just to use the pool. We first stayed overnight, in a very nice room, and enjoyed lovely food and friendly, professional staff. Parts of the place are being discreetly upgraded, with the work carried out quietly and without bothering guests. I recommend a visit.

The little things let this stay down. The bar was packed with just one person serving, the TV remote didn't work, and the shower was cold both that evening and the next morning. At Prego, my potato skins were very dry, seemed to have been sitting under a heater for ages, and barely had any potato in them. My husband's bacon chop came with a hard fried egg, and the eggs at breakfast were hard too. We stayed one night on a dinner, bed, and breakfast deal. The rooms, bar, and restaurant were all furnished to a high standard. The spa was disappointing, though we knew they were building a new one, so that was to be expected. It was a nice stay, but more attention to detail would have made it better.

The grounds are lovely, with amazing views, and the bar is beautifully decorated in the old stone buildings. The restaurant food was delicious. Our room, the Haven, was lovely but on the small side and far too hot. We couldn't find a thermostat, so kept opening the back door. The pool water was cold, and the pool area needs updating. We knew the spa facilities were taking a long time to get fixed, which is a shame. A hot tub came with our room, though it hadn't been advertised and we hadn't expected it, but it wasn't available. It felt a little like being shown what we might have had, though it wasn't a big worry. We enjoyed the stay and would recommend it, but at £147 a night it wasn't quite worth the price. It could be, but unfortunately wasn't.