White Hart Hotel

The wedding noise carried on until around midnight, which is why I can't give it five stars. Otherwise, it would have been a five-star stay. James on reception gave fantastic service, and the room was fabulous with a view of the Cathedral. The location was excellent, breakfast very good, and the tasting menu at the Antlers restaurant was fabulous.

Our top-floor room was great, but in the heatwave it was hard to stay in and sleep there. The history of the place was an added bonus, and the hotel itself was amazing, with top service, good amenities and very friendly staff. Great location too.

Our work Christmas party here cost over £1,000, and it turned into one of the most disappointing nights we've had. Service was painfully slow, we sat around for ages without much communication, and then the food service was a mess. Tables got mixed up, with some mains arriving before starters. For that price, I'd expected smooth, professional service, not chaos. The itinerary said the disco would start at 7pm, but it didn't get going until after 10pm. By then the atmosphere had fizzled out. There wasn't a designated dance floor, so we had to dance around tables while other guests were still eating dessert. It felt awkward and badly organised, nothing like the festive party we'd been promised. I emailed the hotel afterwards to complain. I expected at least a partial refund or a goodwill gesture such as complimentary drinks, but instead they offered a small discount on next year's Christmas party. After that experience, why would we book again? There was no refund, just an offer to spend more money there. For over £1,000, it was extremely poor value and nowhere near the standard I'd expect for a Christmas event. We won't be returning, and I wouldn't recommend it for a special occasion.

The lift was a definite plus, though it was a wheelchair lift rather than a regular elevator, and you had to hold the button for the whole trip. The rooms were clean, but small, which was expected in a converted medieval building. There was no air conditioning, also as expected, and that normally wouldn't be an issue. We happened to visit during record-breaking heat, though. The windows wouldn't open all the way and the provided fan barely moved any air, so sleeping was pretty miserable. The location is great, right in the middle of historic Lincoln, just blocks from the cathedral and castle.