The Family Tree

We only stayed one night on a spontaneous getaway, but we’d gladly come back. The room was just right, breakfast was excellent, and the staff were friendly and efficient. Linda went out of her way to help us with something. There aren’t many places we’re keen to revisit, but this is one of them.

Our walking group had a very good Christmas lunch at The Family Tree, and the price was good too. I organised the group, and it seemed everyone was happy with their meal. Nobody complained to me, which was a relief after Christmas dinners elsewhere that haven’t always impressed me. If Putin doesn’t drop his bomb, we may well come back in a year.

The staff were friendly and helpful without being in your face, and the breakfast tray had plenty to choose from. My partner said his cooked breakfast was delicious. I was surprised with a weekend here and had a wonderful time. It’s also a handy distance from the opera house, gardens, places to eat and my favourite bookshop in Buxton. For a comfortable, welcoming place to stay, I wouldn’t look further.

We booked the King Deluxe Room, one of the larger upstairs rooms, because the listing showed a bath and it looked more comfortable than the cheaper Traditional Room. We don’t currently have a bath at home because of renovations, and I’d recently had surgery, so we were hoping for a restful stay while I recovered. Instead, we were put in the Traditional Room. The bathroom smelled strongly of mould, and squealing plumbing woke us at 11:30 pm, 1:30 am and 4:30 am. We barely slept. When we arrived, the family were busy hosting a private birthday party for their child. Nobody greeted us, and we stood awkwardly in the entrance until an employee showed us to the room. Once we realised it was the wrong one, I showed the Hotels.com listing photos as evidence of our booking. We got conflicting explanations and dismissive responses from family members. Then we spent over two hours on the phone with Hotels.com, while the hotel and the booking site blamed each other. The correct room was clearly empty. Hotels.com offered to pay the difference so we could move, but the hotel refused to cooperate. By morning we were so uncomfortable that we skipped breakfast and just wanted to leave. We try to support independent local businesses, but this was shocking. The Family Tree’s lack of care and unwillingness to take responsibility ruined what should have been a peaceful, restorative break. Hotels.com later refunded us because of the hotel’s dismissive response. The whole experience was deeply disappointing.