St Elizabeths Hotel

The gardens were lovely, the room nicely decorated, and breakfast was generous and delicious. The two breakfast staff, the cleaner who chatted with us whenever we met, and the bar staff were all friendly and welcoming. The area itself was quiet. The reception lady made a poor first impression. She looked us up and down when we arrived and wasn’t friendly, so we didn’t feel welcomed by her. There was an event in the main area, and the route to the main staircase went through the crowded room. It was awkward getting our luggage through while people stared. We’d planned to work in the lounge, but the event had taken over the space, so we left. When we came back and found it empty, we asked the same receptionist if we could use it in case another event was on, since our standard room wasn’t big enough for both of us to work on our business. Her response was rude. We also overheard other guests in standard rooms being upgraded by her when the accommodation was quiet. The rest of the team seemed lovely, so that one bad welcome didn’t represent everyone. Fine, but not fantastic.

Had a birthday lunch here and the sea bass was incredible. The two-course meal was stunning and great value, and everyone serving us was friendly and professional.

They gave us such a thoughtful surprise for our anniversary, which made us feel really valued. The place is a beautiful old house with loads of charm, and the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. Every dish was full of flavour and made with care. The food was delicious, some of the best we’ve had in ages, and the price was really good too. Kind service all round. We’ll definitely return, and would happily recommend it.

The scones were the best part of our afternoon tea, and the cakes were nice. The sandwiches let it down, though: the bread tasted stale and there was hardly any filling. Staff were hard to find, and we had to ask for our tea and coffee. Cobwebs and a really dirty main conservatory window didn’t help the impression. It cost £25, which didn’t feel worth it. We came over the weekend for a birthday after friends recommended the place, but probably wouldn’t go back.