Popinjay Hotel and Spa

The service made an awful stay even worse. Our keys failed repeatedly, so we kept going up and down the stairs. The receptionist didn't seem bothered. They changed our room after the key for the first one failed three times, but the replacement key didn't work either. We were told to push the door as hard as possible because its lock was broken. The rooms were dirty, with things left on the floor by previous guests, and badly needed a proper clean and an upgrade. I wouldn't go back even if it were free.

I wanted this to be a good experience, and I'm writing in the hope it helps the place improve. The main restaurant window was very dirty, and the table setup was disappointing too. No one helped my wife with seating or our jackets, so we put them over the backs of the chairs. The glasses were smudged, and one knife had a bent tip, as if it had been used as a screwdriver. It didn't match the other cutlery. We had the Valentine's lunch. There were three tables seated when we arrived. The pakora starter was just two pieces. My steak pie had hardly any meat, only bite-sized pieces in very thin, watery gravy. It came with one small potato cut in half, and it was hard and undercooked, as were the carrots. We ordered chunky chips on the side but got very thin frozen chips in a basket, with no plate. We had to set the basket on the table, so any salt, vinegar, or ketchup went straight onto it. My wife chose chips instead of potatoes with her pie and counted ten small frozen chips, probably taken from my basket. With a wedding on, we expected a nice steak pie, but perhaps ours was a diluted version. These things seem easy to fix, and honesty might help the place earn a good reputation. It was simply not a good start.

The chef's special lasagne was so cheesy and delicious that I honestly can't put it into words. I'd have it every day. We also loved the sweet honey chicken starter, especially that mouth-watering sauce. We walked in for dinner last night and were happily accommodated. The room was lovely, the service was great, and our food arrived quickly even though a couple of other tables were occupied. Best. Lasagne. Ever. Please check this place out.

Had a lovely lunch today in the popinjay. The Indian starter and main were fabulous, and the service was excellent. I can't remember the server's name, but he was lovely and took a moment to chat and make sure we were happy with the meal. Will definitely be back!