Hilton House

We had a short honeymoon stay using a Red Letter Days voucher that had been bought for us. Martin, the owner, was friendly, easygoing and accommodating. The room was lovely and the bed really comfortable. It's a peaceful place among lots of trees, ideal if you're happy to walk up the hill for breakfast and aren't looking for pampering.

We cut our two-night weekend short and went home the next day. Finding black hairs in the bed when we pulled back the quilt was bad enough, and the pillows smelled. I felt the sheets, pillowcases and quilt covers hadn't been changed after the previous guest. The room had seemed OK when we arrived, though nothing special. Honestly, it completely ruined our break and we were gutted.

Windermere was as stunning as ever, but the stay was poor and didn't match what was advertised. There was no breakfast, and over our three days the room wasn't cleaned or the towels changed. The walls beside the bed were stained, the cushions were ripped, and the grounds looked neglected. We won't recommend staying here.

We had a lovely large room, and any problems were dealt with quickly. The room notice says it will be cleaned and the bed made if you leave by 9.30 in the morning. As holiday villa owners ourselves, we know some guests don't read the terms or the booklet explaining how things work, then end up bothering the housekeeper or reviewing an appliance they haven't used. Breakfast isn't advertised on the property's own website, and the booking clearly says “room only.” The owner can't make other websites change their listings.