Chilston Park

Afternoon tea was disappointing for the price. We got two pots of tea after a 10 minute wait, then had to ask twice for milk, which arrived about 15 minutes later. Another 10 minutes passed before the sandwiches turned up. It was three fingers of the same sandwich in three flavours. The two scones and four cakes were a bit better. Service was okay, but nothing special.

The setting was perfect for a wedding, with beautiful surroundings. We were there to do makeup for the wedding, so I can’t speak from experience about staying in the rooms, though they looked very nice. Service was outstanding for what we needed, helping provide the makeup service Keyt Artehan was doing for the bride and her party.

We chose this hotel for Christmas after reading the reviews, and weren’t disappointed. An old country manor won’t offer every modern convenience, but the conversion in our room had been handled pretty well, except for where the mirrors were placed. The water was hot and the loo worked. I’d have liked firmer pillows, though I slept fine, possibly thanks to the alcohol. I still don’t know why hotels always have such enormous beds. There was plenty of food, and Christmas lunch was a clear improvement on our experience at another hotel the year before. The staff were helpful and friendly. Fireworks on Christmas Eve, Father Christmas’s footprints on the stairs, and regular chances to get a drink and chat all helped make the holiday very enjoyable. It was too cold for us to take a long walk around the lake, and you can hear the motorway hum from the M2 when you do. Despite the road being nearby, the hotel is a little awkward to reach, so a satnav is invaluable. It isn’t a cheap stay, but I’d consider it for a special occasion.

The restaurant wasn’t really to our taste, though the children’s meals were the best part. Staff were polite and friendly, but service was very slow. We stayed in the Classic Rooms. The ceilings were low enough that we had to watch our heads moving around. The two rooms weren’t connected, and what was provided differed: one had only a bar of soap, while the other had shampoo and conditioner but no hand or body soap. The toilet paper was already half used when we arrived. Cleanliness was acceptable, though not great. One room felt stuffy and smelled strongly of mothballs.