Villaggio Hotel & Restaurant

They took a booking even though the place wasn’t open. Don’t go here, people, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

The staff were pleasant and kind, and the meal was enjoyable overall. Portions were good value and the dishes looked lovely, with nice presentation. Taste-wise, though, the food was only average, maybe a star above a ready meal. It seemed a little under-seasoned, and perhaps the meat was too wet going into the dishes, leaving the bottoms a bit soggy.

The staff really made our stay. They were friendly, worked incredibly hard, and nothing was too much trouble. Breakfast had plenty of food and a good choice, and dinner at the 9 Curries restaurant was excellent, with very good portions and quality. If we lived nearby, we’d return. We also went to a garden festival at Arley Hall the next day, about 25 minutes away, and it was excellent. The hotel is now called "9 Curries". There’s plenty of free parking, and the honeymoon suite, which we got at a great offer after 35 years of marriage, was spacious, clean and had a sofa and lovely shower. Still, the hotel needs a revamp. The decor was very dated, and the step tracks at the edge of every tread creaked badly. Our room looked inward onto a square in the middle of the hotel. Cooking in the restaurant stopped at about 10.30, but the loud extraction fan meant we had to close the windows on a warm night. It stopped at midnight, but spoiled the evening for us.

My children and I came to eat and were very happy with both the food and the service. They ate almost all of their meals, and I finished every last bit of mine. My steak was cooked perfectly. The staff were very friendly, and the atmosphere was comfortable. We’d definitely visit again.