Manor House

Lindsey was especially friendly and attentive, and the rest of the staff looked after us incredibly well without rushing us. The menu seemed thoughtfully put together, and everything was full of flavour and nicely presented. The restaurant has a beautiful setting and a warm, relaxed feel. A lovely meal, whether for a special occasion or just a relaxed evening. We'd happily come back.

We ended up threatening to leave without paying just to get the bill, and then left £160 lighter and still hungry. We didn't tip. The wait between courses was long too, though the food itself was very good quality. The portions were tiny for the price. We'd booked food in the bar area because we had our dog, which was fair enough. The waiter was afraid of dogs and reluctant to come over. He more or less dropped the food on the table and backed away quickly, then told us he'd been bitten three times and made no secret of his dislike of our dog, who was asleep under the table. I thought the restaurant manager would switch us to someone more comfortable around dogs, but the same waiter kept serving us with the same attitude.

Dogs are welcome, and ours was even offered a sausage at breakfast. The drinks menu was excellent, and the food was delicious. We visited in October when it was chilly outside, but the hotel was warm and cosy throughout. It's a real gem, with clean, well-appointed rooms, Molton Brown toiletries, and friendly, attentive staff who made the service wonderful. We'd definitely come back.

The rooms were nice and the bed was comfortable, but this was our third visit in 18 months and the standards have slipped. The food was the letdown. All four Full English breakfasts arrived lukewarm at best, and the toast wasn't toasted. Dinner was worse, with very little flavour, meagre portions, and a price that felt far too high for what we got. The following night we ate at a local pub, where the taste, portion size, and price were all much better. We won't be back.