The Gem Stansted

Everything impressed us at The Gem over the weekend, from the food and attentive service to the quality of the rooms. You can see the new owner has put thought into lots of small details, which made the stay especially enjoyable. I'd highly recommend a visit. We can't praise it enough and hope to be back very soon.

I stayed at The Gem before and after classes at Arther Findley collage, and it was a relaxing place to come back to. My room was clean and cosy, the restaurant had charming character and good food at a reasonable price, and the employees were pleasant. The grounds had nice places to sit outside, and the neighborhood felt safe. I walked up the hill from the train drop-off. The owner is a really nice guy who works hard to make sure guests have a pleasant stay. Thanks, The Gem!

My wife and I spent four nights at the newly opened Gem Hotel for our son's wedding in the U.K. The room was beautiful, and the restaurant had an excellent menu at very keen prices. Staff were welcoming and accommodating, even while still finding their rhythm as a new team. Nothing was too much trouble. A special thank you to Patrick and Charlotte, and to all the wonderful staff. The new incarnation of this boutique hotel is lovely. We'll stay again if we're in the area and recommend it to friends and family.

The management's response to my partly completed review, when I'd only left the stars, was so unprofessional that I later finished writing this and felt even less surprised by the three-star service I received two weeks earlier. It's sad when management reacts defensively instead of taking useful feedback on board. I work in global leadership consulting, and I believe everything rises and falls on leadership. If owners have such a poor attitude to customer feedback, it's no surprise that the young staff need to improve their hospitality. Good luck to them. I first heard about The Gem from a friend who suggested I check it out for a future gathering with girlfriends. I happened to be nearby after getting my hair cut at Linos, so I went in. Three staff members were looking after the restaurant, and they seemed young and inexperienced. Having worked in restaurants as a young person in the US, I tried not to judge them for that, but I did notice it. When I asked the waitress questions about the menu, she didn't know the answers. At the end, I asked what sorbet they had and she said vanilla. I'd never heard of vanilla sorbet, and since sorbet is usually fruit-based and served to cleanse the palate, I questioned it. She went away and quickly took back her answer. I wanted a non-alcoholic drink because I had to return to work, so I asked the same waitress for a mocktail menu or suggestions. She said it depended on what I wanted, which wasn't helpful when I was hoping the staff could inspire me and I didn't know what they had or could make. The bartender came out and said much the same, that she could make almost anything with syrup and soda, then suggested a Bloody Mary. I was tempted, as I hadn't had a decent one since I was last home in Texas. After a long wait and a lot of giggling between the two women, the bartender returned with it and admitted she'd never made one before, offering to replace it if I didn't like it. I appreciated her honesty, but it was the worst Bloody Mary I've ever had. I was too kind to tell her that. The waitress took an order for a starter and main. The scallops were decent, but the risotto was stodgy and disappointing. I left most of the risotto and had only two sips of the drink, yet the bill still included the Bloody Mary, which surprised me given how far it fell short of expectations. The three staff spent more time giggling and speaking loudly than checking on me, even though I was the only customer in the restaurant. I'd have serious reservations about visiting with a large group or when it's busier, as I can only imagine the service would be worse. I'm seeing the friend who recommended The Gem tonight. If she suggests going again, I'll tell her about my visit, especially management's unprofessional reply to the star-only review I later completed.