The Rutland

Jill welcomed us so warmly and made sure we had everything we needed. Our apartment had a fireplace controlled by remote, a fully stocked kitchen and incredibly high ceilings, yet it still felt cosy. Everything was spotless and very well appointed. I usually sleep badly away from home, but the bed was so comfortable and the room stayed quiet despite the central location. We had gorgeous castle views, and The Huxley was just a short walk around the corner for breakfast. We had an incredible stay at The Rutland last weekend.

The staff we met were all lovely and easy to approach. We slept comfortably in the beds with the good pillows, and there was no outside noise overnight. It was nice having our own apartment while still getting daily service. The kitchen was well stocked, as was the minibar, with plenty of choice; tea and coffee came with complimentary water and milk each day. We were on the top floor. It was only two flights of stairs, but could be difficult for anyone with knee or back problems.

The apartment was beautiful, with grand, high ceilings in a boutique setting, and it was much more than we expected. We booked it for a city break because of the perfect location. The team were so helpful and welcoming, and we’re very grateful. Next time we visit, we won’t stay anywhere else. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

The restaurant staff were decent, accommodating us and apologising after the problems. At the hotel, though, nothing was done when we complained on the first night and were told they’d look into moving us. We had to chase it up. The two complimentary drink vouchers they gave us weren’t explained as promotions for a particular gin and tonic. For what we paid, I expected staff to go above and beyond. Instead, the experience left me feeling ripped off, forgotten and discarded. I would have appreciated a refund, as this felt like false advertising, and we won’t return. I’d saved all year for our first anniversary and started out with a budget of £500-600 for three nights. The Rutland listing on booking.com showed a big bath and castle views in the photos, so I stretched to an eye-watering £900 to surprise my wife. When we arrived at 11 at night, we had to push through a crowd of drunk people on the stoop, then wait around for 20 minutes while the card machine had issues. We could have sorted payment in the morning. I’d called earlier in the week to say it was our anniversary and ask if they could do something special. I didn’t specifically request the bath or castle views, but with that price, I hadn’t thought I needed to. Upstairs, we found a small room that definitely wasn’t the one advertised, with no bath and no castle view. I was gutted and embarrassed because I’d promised my wife I’d gone all out.