Dormy House

The room we were first given was beside an outside door that wouldn’t shut properly, so it banged through the night and we slept badly. The team were brilliant the next morning, moving us to a much better room for the following night. We’re sure the door has been fixed since. The staff are a real strength here. Reception, dining staff and spa therapists were consistently warm and helpful, and the welcome and service felt thoughtful from the start. The spa is clean and nicely laid out, with excellent treatments and a cafe we enjoyed spending time in. I’d swap the underused snow shower for a second or larger sauna, though. I and others I spoke with felt that children in the spa didn’t quite suit Dormy House’s luxury feel. The extended school holiday hours for children were especially unwelcome. Even with few families in the pool, the atmosphere shifted from restful to high energy, affecting the other guests, who seemed to make up most of the hotel’s customers. Since The Fish on the estate is more family friendly, a small children’s pool there and an adults-only spa at Dormy would be a big improvement. Honestly, if we found somewhere like Dormy with a great restaurant and spa but a strict no-children policy, we might book there instead.