Willington Hall Hotel

My wife and I stayed here recently for our wedding anniversary. We had a really great time and loved the hotel From the warm welcome from Anita to the excellent food and drinks service from Michel and Olivia, we felt right at home. An old house set in lovely countryside, this is hotel to which we will certainly return!

I booked a room for my step-daughter and her fiancé for the night of their wedding as a surprise. The outside looked gorgeous, beautiful setting, and the rooms looked lovely on the photos. I rang months in advance to book and make sure they could check in late. I rang again the week of the wedding/booking, as I wanted to make sure everything would be perfect. The soon-to-be-married couple had some very bad news that week, and this would be their mini honeymoon as the real one had to be delayed. I mentioned again the late check in time and was told it would be no problem. I was passing the day before the wedding and decided to swing in and check it out in person. Yes, still a beautiful setting. Yes, another lovely person there to answer my questions, with a few minutes spent tapping on the keyboard to ensure they’d get some bubbly in the room. The night of the weeding, after seeing them off in their taxi I had a quick text – ‘it’s gorgeous, thank you so much’…followed by a call 20 minutes later from a tearful bride. The room had no running water, taps and toilet wouldn’t work or flush and the person on reception could not have been less helpful or sympathetic (well done on make the Bride cry…) and to top it all were told they should have booked in by 3pm, they could not have a late check out (neither of which was true) and they had forced the person to stay late just for them. That was kind of the point of me checking three times – to make sure they could. I understand things don’t always go to plan in the hospitality industry, but for me the measure of a good hotel is how well they react to the unexpected and how welcome they make their guests feel. You need to do better.

Expensive Afternoon tea very underwhelming. I can mirror a previous comment about the venue being pleasant but the food lacking. 3 tiny sandwiches, shop bought cakes. One plate for both so I wiped the pickle with my serviette. (yes honestly, cheese and pickle sandwich!) We were not attended to and had to ask for more coffee. There was an issue with wasps around our table, which we got rid of. No offer to move elsewhere even though the room was empty. Absolutely would not recommend.

Visited for afternoon tea was very standard 3 little sandwiches very small fresh scone and little shop bought cakes sadly the place had no atmosphere we were the only people there was no music the lady serving very polite was only given one plate used my saucer for the cakes we like trying new places was it pleasant yes would we go back no

I booked two suites - one to be occupied by my husband and myself (for 2 nights). The other by our son, daughter in law and 7 week old baby (1 night) as they were then moving to Nunsmere Hall where they were wedding guests. Suite 4 was occupied by my son and his family. It looked newly refurbished with a nice bathroom and was a vast contrast to Suite 2 which my husband and I occupied which is in need of some TLC. The sofa and arm chair were shabby chic and in need of being re-stuffed and covered. The bathroom extremely basic to say the least. The liquid soap dispenser by the hand basin was empty and the bottle and fixture disgustingly dirty. No shelf by the overhead shower in the bath to put shower gel etc you had to manoeuvre it to stay on extremely narrow rim. Dead flys on the window sills in the bedroom, the free standing mirror on the dressing table had not seen a duster in months. Brown water coming out of the bath taps which we had to run for 10 minutes until it ran clear. Apparently the water is filtered from a well? The bedroom windows needed a good clean on the outside to remove all the cob webs. I informed the receptionist who took photos and half heartily apologised. We dined in the restaurant. Food was nice and by way of compensation the drinks we ordered (1 glass of wine, 1 Campari and tonic, 1 coke and a small beer) were on the house! The following day when we returned to our room the tray with used coffee cups, water glasses and empty bottles of water had not been removed and the bins in the bathroom and bedroom not emptied but the soap dispenser had been filled with cheap hand soap and definitely not the brand that is shown on the bottle label. Our son’s friends knowing we were staying there also booked two rooms. The staff were nice but the hotel is definitely not worthy of 4 stars in my opinion!

A wonderful setting in the countryside with stunning views. The owners have done well to maintain the ambience of a rich man's residence. Great food with attentive staff. Be aware there is no lift and only one exit route from the guest rooms.