Hotels that haven't been ruined...
Discussion
Morning all
Following a weekend away in the Peak District and a night in a rather disappointing (only) 4* hotel, I was wondering what PH sees as the issue with country house type hotels not living up to their starring.
Remote so hard to get quality staff, running costs of pools / spas and maintenance costs of an old and listed building must all add up.
I'd appreciate your thought and recommendations of nice places / chains to consider also.
Following a weekend away in the Peak District and a night in a rather disappointing (only) 4* hotel, I was wondering what PH sees as the issue with country house type hotels not living up to their starring.
Remote so hard to get quality staff, running costs of pools / spas and maintenance costs of an old and listed building must all add up.
I'd appreciate your thought and recommendations of nice places / chains to consider also.
If you're ok with a cottage rather than a hotel, Try Sykes Cottages. I've only used them once (Whitefriars Lodge in Settle which was absolutely fantastic. I'd happily live in it!) but friends and family have used them loads and always had good experiences.
If you want a decent Hotel, Carden Park at Chester is nice and there's plenty to do nearby (Chester Zoo, Cheshire Oaks Outlet and of course Chester itself).
If you want a decent Hotel, Carden Park at Chester is nice and there's plenty to do nearby (Chester Zoo, Cheshire Oaks Outlet and of course Chester itself).
Generally I’ve found that because they’re old they don’t have the sound proofing and modern structure that you’d get in a shiny, new, city centre Intercontinental. So they can be noisy, hot, cold with crap showers - all things that are very important to comfort.
I can’t say I find the staff to be any worse than anywhere else, although I do find that Eastern European staff are better than ‘locals’ - in the U.K. at least.
As for chains, Crowne Plaza on a budget, Intercontinetal and Marriott on a bigger budget. Malmaison always pretty good in the U.K. and Village hotels are alright.
I can’t say I find the staff to be any worse than anywhere else, although I do find that Eastern European staff are better than ‘locals’ - in the U.K. at least.
As for chains, Crowne Plaza on a budget, Intercontinetal and Marriott on a bigger budget. Malmaison always pretty good in the U.K. and Village hotels are alright.
The Goldsborough Hall hotel - near Harrogate, massive disappointment and botches all over
Slaley Hall - Northumberland, awful and well past it’s heyday of the 1990s
Ramside hall - County Durham, fallen into disrepair and awful 70s style extensions to what was once a quite magnificent resort
Seaham Hall - County Durham, strange one this, claims the only spa of its type in the western world and charges a small fortune for everything but is pretty shabby beneath the gloss
Slaley Hall - Northumberland, awful and well past it’s heyday of the 1990s
Ramside hall - County Durham, fallen into disrepair and awful 70s style extensions to what was once a quite magnificent resort
Seaham Hall - County Durham, strange one this, claims the only spa of its type in the western world and charges a small fortune for everything but is pretty shabby beneath the gloss
Crumpet said:
Oh and for U.K. recommendations; Yorke Arms at Ramsgill in Nidderdale and Devonshire Arms in Skipton - both great if you’re a foodie and ask for their modern rooms.
And Black Swan at Oldstead, another lovely place with a Michelin star.
Yes to all three, but I think the Devonshire is overpriced. The Traddock in Austwick is lovely. The food is fine, but not close to the level of those three.And Black Swan at Oldstead, another lovely place with a Michelin star.
One lovely place that's between a hotel and a B&B is the Malabar near Sedbergh. The rooms are fantastic. There's also the Star at Harome, of course.
alorotom said:
The Goldsborough Hall hotel - near Harrogate, massive disappointment and botches all over
Slaley Hall - Northumberland, awful and well past it’s heyday of the 1990s
Ramside hall - County Durham, fallen into disrepair and awful 70s style extensions to what was once a quite magnificent resort
Seaham Hall - County Durham, strange one this, claims the only spa of its type in the western world and charges a small fortune for everything but is pretty shabby beneath the gloss
Nice one, Shrigley Hall in Cheshire was my venue for the weekend. Nice place but getting pretty tired, pool like a council leisure centre and seemingly full of people who had a groupon deal for the afternoon...Slaley Hall - Northumberland, awful and well past it’s heyday of the 1990s
Ramside hall - County Durham, fallen into disrepair and awful 70s style extensions to what was once a quite magnificent resort
Seaham Hall - County Durham, strange one this, claims the only spa of its type in the western world and charges a small fortune for everything but is pretty shabby beneath the gloss
Country house spa hotel in the peaks? Losehill by any chance?
That's a lovely looking hotel in a stunning location but the spa is tiny. It's nice but not amazing.
I quite like the Handpicked hotels group, but as people have already mentioned a lot of feature rooms and main house suites tend to be old, hence noisy, draughty, creaky etc.
That's a lovely looking hotel in a stunning location but the spa is tiny. It's nice but not amazing.
I quite like the Handpicked hotels group, but as people have already mentioned a lot of feature rooms and main house suites tend to be old, hence noisy, draughty, creaky etc.
TheSurveyor said:
Nice one, Shrigley Hall in Cheshire was my venue for the weekend. Nice place but getting pretty tired, pool like a council leisure centre and seemingly full of people who had a groupon deal for the afternoon...
That's just up the road from me.Has changed hands numerous times and has never been any good
It's a shame as the building, view and grounds are amazing.
Would cost a shedload to get up to standard now
The problem with most hotels these days, is that 'exclusive' and 'tranquil' to you and I means 'lack of business' to the hotel. And as a result, they are, as pointed out, usually teeming with Groupon deals, bringing in the class of person you paid through the nose to escape from.
My father in law has timeshare points which he gives a few of each year to go to a resort - for years they were excellent, they had a certain standard and they felt reasonably worth the money that he was paying for them to have a consistent service and a lack of riff raff. The problem now is that timeshares in general are dead as a concept, so the business has to make money other ways. The resort I used to go to in the Canaries over the last few years has just turned into a groupon-filled chav tastic resort with militant holiday makers queuing for the sunbeds at 7am.
My father in law has timeshare points which he gives a few of each year to go to a resort - for years they were excellent, they had a certain standard and they felt reasonably worth the money that he was paying for them to have a consistent service and a lack of riff raff. The problem now is that timeshares in general are dead as a concept, so the business has to make money other ways. The resort I used to go to in the Canaries over the last few years has just turned into a groupon-filled chav tastic resort with militant holiday makers queuing for the sunbeds at 7am.
devnull said:
The problem with most hotels these days, is that 'exclusive' and 'tranquil' to you and I means 'lack of business' to the hotel. And as a result, they are, as pointed out, usually teeming with Groupon deals, bringing in the class of person you paid through the nose to escape from.
My father in law has timeshare points which he gives a few of each year to go to a resort - for years they were excellent, they had a certain standard and they felt reasonably worth the money that he was paying for them to have a consistent service and a lack of riff raff. The problem now is that timeshares in general are dead as a concept, so the business has to make money other ways. The resort I used to go to in the Canaries over the last few years has just turned into a groupon-filled chav tastic resort with militant holiday makers queuing for the sunbeds at 7am.
That and weddings! I understand the appeal, even done it myself. But, you want to go away for a romantic weekend in a tranquil country house hotel only to be kept up all night by rioutous wedding guests, p!ssed up bridesmaids singing in the corridors at 3am and the wedding guests pretty much taking over every public area of the hotel.My father in law has timeshare points which he gives a few of each year to go to a resort - for years they were excellent, they had a certain standard and they felt reasonably worth the money that he was paying for them to have a consistent service and a lack of riff raff. The problem now is that timeshares in general are dead as a concept, so the business has to make money other ways. The resort I used to go to in the Canaries over the last few years has just turned into a groupon-filled chav tastic resort with militant holiday makers queuing for the sunbeds at 7am.
Opposite end of the country to you but 2 local country house hotels near me that are particularly good IMO are Chewton Glenn and The Lime Wood Hotel. Worth a look if you're in or around The New Forest. Both offer excellent standards of service, comfortable rooms and top notch food and beverage
desolate said:
That's just up the road from me.
Has changed hands numerous times and has never been any good
It's a shame as the building, view and grounds are amazing.
Would cost a shedload to get up to standard now
My thoughts exactly, so many bodges to a lovely building and seems like it's in trouble.Has changed hands numerous times and has never been any good
It's a shame as the building, view and grounds are amazing.
Would cost a shedload to get up to standard now
The approach up the driveway really is good!
Zippee said:
Country house spa hotel in the peaks? Losehill by any chance?
That's a lovely looking hotel in a stunning location but the spa is tiny. It's nice but not amazing.
I quite like the Handpicked hotels group, but as people have already mentioned a lot of feature rooms and main house suites tend to be old, hence noisy, draughty, creaky etc.
+1 for Handpicked, Fawsley Hall really is very good. Most of the others seem to be in Birmingham commuter towns.That's a lovely looking hotel in a stunning location but the spa is tiny. It's nice but not amazing.
I quite like the Handpicked hotels group, but as people have already mentioned a lot of feature rooms and main house suites tend to be old, hence noisy, draughty, creaky etc.
http://www.applegarthvilla.co.uk/
Try this place in Windermere, the Lake District.
adults only, and its lovely.
Try this place in Windermere, the Lake District.
adults only, and its lovely.
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff