Ravenwood Hall Hotel

The breakfast and dinner were amazing, and the lounge was such a cosy place to relax beside the roaring natural wood fire. We stayed in a Mews room, which was okay. A full length mirror inside the wardrobe door and a hook on the bathroom door would’ve been useful, but those are small niggles. It was an enjoyable weekend, and we’d absolutely come again, if only for Samie’s hospitality. He’s a real asset. Ravenwood Hall sits among beautiful grounds, down a long driveway. After our drive up from London, Daisy greeted us warmly when we arrived early, and we had a drink at the bar. That’s where we met Samie, who was friendly, attentive and charming. He made our stay much more enjoyable, gave us a fascinating history of Ravenwood Hall, and made time for us even when things were busy. Nothing seemed too much trouble.

The menu online was out of date, and the food choices were pub basics at best. We suspect some of it was bought in. Peas and basic salad seemed to be the only vegetables with everything. The chips were great, but the fish and scampi were dry and overcooked. I wonder if they’ve lost their chef since the earlier reviews. It’s a shame, because we wouldn’t have gone if we’d known the current menu. We went for a midweek anniversary lunch with my parents and uncle. I didn’t raise the food issue at the time because I didn’t want to spoil the outing for my very elderly relatives. After getting home, I checked the website menu. In response from the hotel, I want to clarify that we weren’t offered a choice of menu. The pleasant waitress simply said that was the menu for the day.

The room was above the toilets, so I could hear the hand dryer each time someone used it. The background music also started around 4 or 5am and woke me early. I’m a light sleeper, so others might not have noticed, but I didn’t think music was needed that early. We stayed two nights for a friend’s christening and to unwind after a busy few months. The hotel is traditional, cosy and set in lovely gardens, with a great location. Everyone we spoke to was friendly and helpful. We only had breakfast, which was good quality with a decent selection, though service felt slower than it should have been.

We had a great time here and have no hesitation recommending the hotel, especially if you need to bring a dog. We booked a room that allowed our little Jack Russell to stay with us. She’s very nervous, but the staff went out of their way to make friends with her, which helped a lot.