The Hotel at Mill Farm

After a horrifically wet walk down from Scafell Pike, the 1.5-2 hour drive to Preston felt endless. Then I walked into the room and all was forgiven. I’d originally booked thinking the hotel was in Kendal, in the Lake District, so that mix-up was down to my own lack of diligence. The bedroom had a real wow factor: spacious, modern and beautifully designed, with a luxurious bathroom and heated floors. It felt like a high-end city suite, and the mattress was like sinking into a cloud after hiking. There was a fun bean-in-bag coffee setup with fresh cow’s milk in little glass bottles. The LED ceiling lights and wardrobe spotlights added a sleek feel. Our room looked out over a lush green view at the front, not the football pitch side, which was a welcome sight for sore eyes. It’s a hotel for a divisional football team, so the sporty atmosphere felt a bit strange as a traveller. Parking was up on the street outside the hotel line. If there’s a match on, reception will tell you where to park. A wonderful surprise at the end of a long, wet hike.

The rooms have been spotless and really spacious on both of our visits, and the housekeeping staff are lovely and go the extra mile. For my birthday, they’d arranged the towels into swans with roses, such a lovely touch. We’ve loved the rooms we’ve stayed in. The one issue this time was Saturday’s match day parking. The receptionist called our room only 15 minutes before the game and asked us to move the car, which really should have been sorted earlier. I didn’t find her very helpful, but management let us park closer than she’d said because of my disability. It’s a beautiful hotel and well worth a visit. We stayed for my birthday, and this was our second time here.

A stunning place, but two rooms next to mine were noisy until 3 in the morning, with people running, shouting and the TV blaring. I got no sleep. I told the porter and reception, and they apologised for their behaviour. It was my first time at this hotel.

We went to AFC Fylde’s FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round match against Bamber Bridge FC and decided to stay overnight as well. The hotel was excellent value, with high quality bedding, towels and soaps. Staff were very friendly, and breakfast was excellent. I’ll definitely stay again.