Burford House

We stayed in the apartment cottage just off the courtyard for the weekend. Friends we met there had a beautiful four-poster room in the main hotel. The location is fabulous, the staff were very friendly, and both dinner and breakfast were superb. We’d happily stay again.

This is about lunch, not a hotel stay. The building is beautiful, the pub is nicely decorated, and the front of house staff were amazing. The food, though, was a huge letdown. The Korean BBQ Pork was so salty it was inedible. I can’t overstate how extreme it was. After trying to eat some, I sent half back, thinking someone might have dropped the salt pot into it. I was told that was how the chef liked it, even though customers had complained before. I was stunned. The cheeseburger came to £19.75, including the £16.95 beefburger, £1 cheddar and 10% service fee. For that price, I was disappointed to get what seemed like a cheap industrial frozen patty, like one from a kebab truck at 1am. I wouldn’t expect a £20 lunch burger in Burford to be the same quality as a £5 food truck burger. The menu and specials were broad. Maybe a smaller menu would help the food quality, though if the chef has already been told several times that dishes are too salty and doesn’t listen, perhaps that won’t help either. The staff out front were excellent, so I’d warmly recommend stopping for a drink and a bag of crisps.

The bed was comfortable and the room quiet, but the bathroom needs a complete renovation. We paid £148 for one night in a deluxe double, breakfast included. The roll-top bath was lovely but stained green, and its taps dripped. There was black mould on the shower head and door, which needed a good clean. The basin had no plug, and the cold tap needs replacing.

The shrimp curry was amazing, and I’m glad I changed my mind at the last minute after looking at the menu and specials instead of ordering “just a pizza.” The staff were lovely too, especially with my dog.