White Horse Hotel

The food was reasonable, though the prices felt above average. It was noisy and busy, with little intimacy or atmosphere, and service suffered because the staff seemed so rushed. I can only comment on the restaurant, as I didn’t stay overnight.

The pub was packed with several Sunday lunch parties, which they said was why service was delayed. Even though we’d pre-ordered our meals days beforehand, the food didn’t arrive until at least an hour after we did, around the time our booking had been for. We waited about half an hour just for drinks, and by then we were all exhausted. The food was okay, but nothing special. The attendant was courteous and friendly, and the bar staff were nice too. The outdoor area looked pleasant and probably more comfortable than our noisy spot inside, where the acoustics made conversation difficult. The surrounding area is really nice. I’d suggest coming with a smaller group and several hours to spare. If you’re in a rush, forget it.

The food was great, but the service was really poor and inattentive. When we asked for the optional service charge to be taken off, you could hear the server’s displeasure in her voice. As we left, we overheard that same server telling her colleague, who rolled her eyes in response. Would we come back? No.

The dining room felt cramped, cold and extremely noisy, and in my opinion the portions didn’t justify the expensive price. The food itself was enjoyable, though. We came for a family meal before Christmas, and I’d only return for another family gathering because it’s central for those of us travelling from different parts of the UK.