Elveden Inn

A nice spot to unwind on a Friday after work. The atmosphere was good, the staff were friendly and the food was great, especially the venison. I’d only suggest a different choice of beers on tap. We’ll be back soon.

The room was peaceful at night thanks to the double glazing, which kept the road traffic out. It was spacious, nicely decorated and comfortable, with an excellent bed and a bathroom that had plenty of room and everything we needed. The staff were welcoming throughout our stay, and the restaurant was quiet and relaxing with decent food at reasonable prices. We were surprised that housekeeping hadn’t come in automatically. We later learned that we needed to hang a sign on the door handle to request cleaning, but nobody had told us at check-in, since we’re used to rooms being serviced by default. The staff apologised for the mix-up, which we appreciated. We had a pleasant stay, with communication about housekeeping being the one small thing that could have been better.

There was a cheeky service charge on the bill, and nobody asked us about it. The starters took quite a while even though it wasn’t very busy, and the waitress didn’t crack a smile. The portions were small and overpriced compared with other establishments. I came here for a meal, but unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend it or eat here again.

I’ve been coming here for nearly 30 years and the food is superb, so yesterday was a real disappointment. The service was terrible. Our table was still dirty from the previous guests, and we had to ask for it to be cleared. There was also a half-hour wait between the starter and mains. With some areas being painted and others cordoned off ready for painting, it felt like there were too many new staff without any direction.