Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa

"A beautiful Manor set in a stunning location. Went here for afternoon tea with my partner. Service was perfect. The room where we sat was stunning, 2 beautifully lit fires, gorgeous furniture. Did not want to leave."

"s much as I want to give this hotel 5/5, I simply can't. I've stayed in many 5 star hotels and Whatley Manor has all the attributes of 5 star in some respects, but misses the mark in many aspects. On the positive side of things, the staff at the front desk were exceptional, going above and beyond to ensure all of our needs were catered for, providing us with walks, car and luggage valet. The front room with the Christmas tree was beautiful and also the grounds were amazing - perfect for a walk. Our bedroom was also very spacious with B & O appliances (nice touch) and the focus on sustainability was excellent. We brought our dog down and they had cute little treats and food for her waiting in the room. The staff also commemorated my Partner's Birthday with a little cake in the room, which was lovely. Saving the best till last the food was incredible. Every dish we had in Grey's restaurant wow'd us, with amazing local ingredients. On the negative side of things, the biggest let down was the atmosphere. It was empty on a Saturday night in the height of December. We went down expecting a some sort of live music (pianist, Christmas carollers) but were disappointed with a all but silent evening with barely any residents also. It was also difficult to get a staff members attention during afternoon service. We were left waiting with a menu for 20 minutes in the lounge. The Greys Restaurant also felt very cold and bare, almost like a canteen. Even though it is not the Michelin Restaurant, the food is wonderful, and you would expect white table cloths to echo this. The spa was filthy when we went down with dirty glasses piling up and towels everywhere. For 600 pounds a night in a 5 star hotel , we had high expectations which unfortunately were missed."

"Both my wife and I visited for a small break of 24hrs (No small people) and I have to say it was amazing. The staff are all brilliant (shout out to Clare and Connor) and all the guys who delivered an outstanding service. We loved our stay, the food was off the scale amazing, staff were blinking brilliant. Would definitely visit here again. Thank you Team WM for making it so great."

"We went for afternoon tea to celebrate combined milestones, having heard glowing reviews from friends. Many aspects of the food were good - sandwiches & cakes-, and the staff plus the location were lovely, however other things left a little to be desired. We were surprised/ shocked to be charged £5 extra for one of the party to substitute coffee ( which arrived cold the first time) in place of tea! In view of the price of the afternoon tea this seemed extremely penny pinching. The amount of jam & cream provided for the scones was also on the small side given what the hotel charge. Overall a pleasant experience- helped by being able to look around the beautiful gardens- but we were left feeling a little underwhelmed, and with an impression that the hotel is trading on its reputation. Not sure that we would return- there are other places which offer a similar amount experience!"

"A fabulous jazz Sunday lunch experience. Plenty of choice on the set menu. Amazing tasting food, the size of portions even nearly beat me. Great service and good ambience. Well worth the price of £49."