The Crown Hotel Bawtry, Doncaster

We come here regularly for drinks and are always made to feel welcome. It’s a lovely venue in the centre of the beautiful village of Bawtry. My first pint of the pulled beer didn’t taste right, but the bar staff replaced it straight away, and the next one was perfect.

Don’t come here for coffee. Mine had a really odd, funky taste, as if the machine hadn’t been cleaned in ages. It seemed like they were using a cheap pod machine instead of an espresso machine. I asked them to remake it, but the new cup tasted just as bad. I got a much better coffee across the road at Coopland's, where they use freshly ground beans. For a 4 star hotel, I expected better. Is that rating out of 10?

The location was great, but that was the end of the good points. The waiting staff were poor and spent more time on their phones by the till or gossiping about customers, apparently unaware that we could hear. The wine was poor too, and they just left it on the table without letting us taste it. The food was below average for the price, and we barely touched it before sending it back. The room was cold enough that I put my coat back on. Disappointing and expensive for the quality of both food and service. There are much better places to eat in Bawtry.

The restaurant food was okay and the service there was good. The hotel itself isn’t bad, but it needs work to become great. I was apparently given a superior room, though it felt ordinary. The bed was okay, and the usual tea and coffee were provided, but there was no bottled water. Making coffee meant trying to squeeze the kettle under the bathroom tap, which wasn’t fun. The sash windows banged in the wind, and there was no soundproofing from the main road. The lighting was poor, with two bedside switches but only one doing anything. The room stayed cold even though its radiator was on full, and the towel radiator in the bathroom was cold too. The bathroom extractor fan didn’t work, so the room steamed up after a shower.