Sedgebrook Hall

Helen was an absolute treasure and made the stay feel personal. A friend and I spent two nights at Sedgebrook Hall reading the final book in a series together, and it was the perfect spot for that. We kept moving between the sofa in the bar and the different seating areas. The pool isn't full-size, but that was fine for us. We only wanted to float around after the emotional stress of the book. We'd very much recommend staying here.

The bar and restaurant service was really good, and one person in our party had allergies. The staff took great care of them and explained the menu choices clearly. Check-in was lovely and friendly. The rooms were well equipped, and the leisure facilities were okay, though they could probably do with an update.

Dinner was a nice part of the visit, with amazing service from friendly staff. Shout-out to Helen and Jacob. Breakfast was great too: an English fry-up, pastries, hot and cold drinks, and fresh fruit. We were told everything we needed at check-in, though the walk to our room was quite long. The lounge and bar had plenty of places to sit and service was quick. There was a wedding party when we arrived, and we had to walk through the bar to reach our room. It wasn't a problem, but it felt a bit intrusive. Perhaps there could be a separate route for hotel guests. For the leisure centre, you sign in at reception, get towels, and receive a key card for the changing rooms. I'd do that when checking in, so you don't have to double back. The lockers didn't work, so I'd leave valuables in the room. The pool was on the small side and not very warm, though moving around in it made the temperature manageable. The sauna helped warm me up afterwards. Our room was clean and tidy, with a kettle for making tea or coffee. The hot water wasn't very hot, and the shower room itself was cold. The TV didn't work for us.

We paid for dinner, but the restaurant didn't have it, so they put us in the bar without making clear there'd be no table service. The staff were in the next room on their phones while the bar was unattended. We waited about 30 minutes before going up to get help. The next morning, the breakfast staff member ignored us until we asked to be seated and order. She said, “Oh, I didn't see you,” even though only about six other tables were eating. Then, at 10am, while I was showering and an hour before checkout, the room service woman opened our door. I shouted that I was in the shower, and she apologised. As we left before 11, we saw her do the same to a couple of other rooms. The place feels severely understaffed, and the staff on duty seem undertrained. There were also bits floating in the pool. This was meant to be a lovely night away with my other half, but we should've stayed home. Worst stay of my life. I'd give zero stars if I could. I'll never come back, and I'll make people aware of this appalling experience.