De Vere Beaumont Estate

The room for our event was lovely and spacious, and the bedroom was comfortable. It’s a large, beautifully and tastefully decorated hotel, with lovely green grounds. The layout is easy to get lost in if you’re only there for one night! I didn’t see much of the staff, but they helped when needed. It feels as if the staff work hard behind the scenes to keep the hotel running smoothly.

The location is the only real positive, since it’s not too far from the attractions. The place wasn’t as advertised at all. Our small room felt a mile from reception and the bar, and the stained glass toilet door meant everyone could see in. On arrival, the toilet hadn’t been cleaned and there was poo on the seat. Housekeeping never refreshed the room during our three-night stay, so every day I had to ask for towels, toilet paper, tea and coffee. We paid £550 for three nights for two people, with breakfast not included, and expected much better service. I’d have had better treatment at a Travel Lodge or a Premier Inn.

The suite, surroundings, furniture and facilities at De vere Beaumont were outstanding, and for the price we paid the suite was excellent. We had a wonderful time overall, though it felt like a stay of two halves: service was good, but some of the food fell short of the impressive setting. I’ve cruised with a company known for building beautiful ships, but the interiors are pretty much budget-cruise-line standard. That can raise expectations sky high, only for people to be disappointed by merely good food and service, and leave mixed reviews. I don’t know whether the buffet ran out because of stock or management, but food items were missing more than once, and this matters when people have paid for it and feel short changed. I’ve attached a couple of pictures of empty trays, with no sign of when or whether they’d be refilled. The buffet cost about the same as at buffet restaurants with multiple sections and unlimited portions. With a largely unsupervised buffet, people will take larger portions, sometimes ridiculously large ones. This wasn’t late in service either. Some items were unavailable only 30 minutes in. The coffee machines were off during lunch and dinner. That may be normal in the industry, but the fabulous surroundings had me expecting more. All round, it was a great stay and experience, but a venue at this level and price point shouldn’t run out of food.

I stayed one night for a work conference at this lovely hotel in a beautiful setting. It’s a bit of a maze, but that gives it character. The staff were kind and helpful, and the food was very good, with plenty to choose from at breakfast.