Norton Park Hotel, Spa & Manor House

We've attended this event for a charity we support twice now, and after two very poor experiences, we won't be back. We gave it another chance to support the Military Veterans charity, but the room rate quoted to us was over £200 a night, which felt extortionate, so we stayed elsewhere. Service at the bar was chaotic and the staff seemed undertrained, if trained at all. After waiting 20 minutes, we went to another bar. The food was better than last year, but still bad. Last year it was cold, undercooked and served on cold plates. This time the plates were hot, but the food was lukewarm and still not cooked properly. The starter was tiny. The salmon was rubbery, with one small piece of red pepper, five small pieces of courgette and a few little black bits that I think were mushrooms. The five small roast potatoes tasted stale, as if they'd been cooked earlier and reheated. Dessert was supposed to be mango and passionfruit mousse, but coconut flakes weren't mentioned. I don't have a nut allergy, but that omission could have been fatal for someone who does. The mousse was mostly whipped cream with very little fruit sauce. At £80 per person, it was nowhere near worth the price. In my opinion, even £25 would have been too much. Portions were smaller than what you'd serve young children. The service came with a smile, but it felt like they knew what we were about to be served. A four-star hotel? It felt more like two.

We couldn't find any managers while we were there, and I felt sorry for the staff left to deal with a badly run bar, restaurant and kitchen. The menu descriptions were misleading: the tomato and ravioli pasta with burrata had no burrata, and they didn't seem to know what it was. The children's ice cream was listed with raspberry sauce and sprinkles, but neither was available. They were advertising Jude's ice cream while having none in stock. The restaurant smelled strongly of off fish at breakfast, perhaps because it hadn't been properly cleaned after the previous night's service. A high chair was still covered with food, napkins and cutlery. We were first in for breakfast, thanks to having two young kids. It's an okay place to stay, but I'd avoid eating there if possible, or stick to something basic. The other food was overpriced, poor quality and misrepresented. The food and beverage management, if there is any, is terrible.

There are some nice walks nearby, particularly by the lake, and the property sits in a lovely location with beautiful grounds. The staff were welcoming and friendly, which added to the visit. The lake area could make better use of its space. It feels as though there's more potential there to make the walks even nicer. Still, a good stay with plenty going for it.

We all loved our treatments, and the staff were genuinely warm and friendly throughout. The facilities were clean and fairly priced. That made the day's disorganisation all the more puzzling, and somehow left us feeling we couldn't really complain. Six busy professionals came to Norton Park for a spa day, hoping to unwind. We arrived stressed and left stressed too, though at least we left laughing. Our booking had been confirmed by both email and phone, but the treatment times were wrong, the table was always set for five, and one person was forgotten for her treatment until she chased it herself. That's not what you expect after paying to be looked after. Lunch followed the same pattern. They wouldn't add another table, so we squeezed in at a table set for five, not six. Two salads arrived undressed, and one had onion despite the guest having flagged an allergy on the pre-arrival form. The Greek salads were mostly plain leaves with a little ambition, and one came on a hot plate. Even the server looked apologetic, and we felt for her. If you're planning a special occasion at Norton Park, you may have a lovely time, but it might not be the one you booked.