The Boathouse

A lovely, peaceful atmosphere, especially for people from the narrow canal. The wait staff were friendly and professional, and the service was impeccable. There are vegan choices on the menu, along with a variety of well-prepared options.

The restaurant itself is clean and lovely, with beautiful views, but the food and service put me off returning. I stopped for lunch after walking on the wall with my dog. We waited at the door for the hostess to seat us. The waitress said she'd bring a water bowl right over, but it never arrived. No cutlery came either, so I got some myself from the service area. My husband's beef cheek pie was lovely, but the instant mashed potatoes were like wallpaper paste, and the peas seemed frozen and only dipped in hot water. My burger was good, but its accompaniment was awful. I thought it was coleslaw. The chips were cold and broken into pieces. The server never came back to offer more coffee or water, and I didn't see a server during the rest of the meal.

The area is lovely for walking dogs, and the bar and restaurant are very dog friendly. Anne listened to our concerns and looked after us, and I appreciate that. It's a place with lots of potential, but it needs investment. We paid for a stay with basic expectations and slightly higher hopes. If you book, going direct is cheaper than using online booking sites. With investment, I can see them charging three times as much. Unless the hotel is refurbished, though, I won't be back. The food and staff were fine, but our room was very tired and clearly needed refurbishment. The carpet didn't feel clean, and there was a smell like a room where someone had smoked. On the second night, a constant extractor-like noise kept us awake all night. There are no staff on site from 10pm to 7am, so we couldn't report it until morning. The hotel is being let down by the room.

Zanetta was so helpful and accommodating, and the service she gave us for our little boy's first birthday was outstanding. We booked the private function room for tonight. It's a beautiful room and venue, and we'll definitely book again for future events.