The Crown Manor House Hotel

I enjoyed my three-day stay, and the staff, atmosphere and location were all good to very good. But I wouldn't book this hotel again. It needs a deep upgrade, and I think a solid three-star rating would fit better than the four stars it claims. The biggest problem was the unheated bathrooms. There was a small towel heater, but showering in a room between 17.2 and 19.7 degrees, even after asking for the door to be left open during the day, was far from comfortable. The clinking toilet seat and heating that switched off overnight were minor annoyances.

We brought our five-month-old Cockapoo along to get him used to travel and hotel stays. The staff were brilliant, friendly and helpful. Stephen in the bar was very attentive, and reception were excellent. A big thank you to the night manager, who let my wife and dog head out early in the mornings. The breakfasts were great, and our room, the Scarlett suite, was spacious and warm.

Dinner was lovely, especially the tasty gnocchi, but breakfast was awful. The eggs were tasteless and may even have been powdered, though it's hard to tell. The tomatoes and potatoes were soggy and lukewarm, and the fruit salad sat in its own juice and felt soggy and old, though I don't think it actually was old. Breakfast really needs a revamp. I asked the breakfast staff for water to make a baby bottle, but they didn't seem to understand, so I had to go elsewhere. We booked the King Rufus Suite at the last minute. It was gorgeous, but there were several issues. Reception didn't have enough staff to answer the phone, though the staff themselves were very nice and clearly run off their feet. The elevator was broken, so we had to go up and down three or four times for food and a correctly sized sheet, which wasn't great from the top floor with two small kids. The master remote was broken, and the inside of the drinking cup had toothpaste marks. The hotel charged extra for everything: £7 for room service, plus charges for a cot, bottled water, food service and an adapter plug, even at £290 per night. Those little extras would have felt like nice service if they were included. It felt miserly, and we would have returned if not for that.

The hotel is well placed for exploring Lyndhurst, the New Forest and nearby attractions, and it was fairly priced. Our room was smart and comfortable, the staff attentive, and the cooked breakfast was good quality. There's also off-street parking. A great hotel full of history. Would recommend.