The Fenwick Hotel

The food was a highlight. My chicken fajitas were spicy, sweet and mouth-wateringly good, while my partner’s steak pie may be the best I’ve ever tried. Before dinner we had cocktails at the bar, and the Starburst one was amazing. We stayed in room 4 for Valentine’s Day. It was spotless, warm and cosy, with very comfortable beds. I’d been concerned about noise from the bypass, but with the window shut we couldn’t hear a thing. Everywhere inside was beautiful, clean and cosy, and every staff member we spoke to had a big smile and was so pleasant. We’ll be back plenty more times. Highly recommend.

We stayed two nights through myhotel break. Our room, number 9, was ready when we arrived at 1:30pm, but we had to pay £10 to get in early. I don’t see what difference it makes if the room is already ready. It was a nice room facing the car park, though the view wasn’t much. The bathroom needs refurbishing, as some floor tiles were loose. At dinner we were told the included menu had only three main options: steak pie, fish or macaroni. I asked if that was all and was told we could upgrade for £14.95. I didn’t want to pay extra, so we both had steak pie. I don’t eat stew, so I had the pastry and chips, while my husband loved the pie. Breakfast was good, and the Sunday carvery was delicious. The staff were all very friendly. On Sunday morning, banging and drilling woke us up right outside the window. There was a white van and men working, with their things spread over the grass. I asked how long it would go on and was told all day. They left around 5pm. I didn’t want to see or hear that when I was away trying to relax, and the Sunday was a write-off for us.

The staff were nice, but the Sunday carvery was disappointing. The food was excellent, though it wasn’t very hot. The serving utensils looked disgusting: old, used wooden spoons and old, used plastic ones. They didn’t seem suitable for hotel service. My glass was cracked, so I sent it back, but they just poured my drink into a fresh glass.

We chose the Fenwick Hotel and were glad we did. We had a lovely meal with a large family group, and everyone agreed the food was excellent. My steak pie was very good. The next day we had afternoon tea after a funeral, and the tables and food were beautifully done. The staff were excellent, and the family members who stayed at the hotel had plenty of good things to say too.