The Wood Norton

Belated 25th Anniversary break

Positives : Staff very friendly. Good location. Clean rooms.Quiet location but easy access to visit the area. Views stunning. Breakfast very good. The breakfast manager Andrea was excellent.

Negatives : Restaurant menu bears no relation to menu on offpeakluxury website. We had a 30pp allowance for dinner and prior to booking checked menu on your website and hotel website were the same and easily get a 3 course meal with this can get you at least a 2/3 course meal in most hotels.... At Wood Norton it will only get you a main course but bearly covers 1 side dish. The choice is very limiting as the menu does not change. So after 3 nights we were struggling. Neither of us are fussy eaters but we found the menu expensive and pretentious. Chop, Duck, Trout, Stone Bass, Cashew nut, Artichoke or a sharing beef dish at 84!!!! No sides included. Sides were chips, salad or broccoli. Starters and Dessert menu good.
But main menu ...Very limited. On all 3 nights we witnessed unhappy guests and many leaving food on plate returning to kitchen. On the second morning I asked about the bar it was agreed I could have on the evening the only thing on it that apparently was left was caesar salad! I would like to add that a corporate table were allowed the full bar menu. 3rd night we both asked again for the bar menu as my husband found the main courses totally uninspiring. The waiter took our was summonded into the kitchen by the chef. He returned to say we were not allowed the bar menu! My husband firmly and politely informed him that we had paid 700 for this 3 night stay and as the menu was so inflexible that we would be having the bar menu. They relented. I must add that the restaurant manager Toby was polite and professional.
My other observation is that over the years when we have gone to hotels of this standard and they asked if it was a special occasion they often spoil you a little ie a special complementary desert, glass of attention to detail.
We asked for replacement towels and shower gel on 2nd towels were in our room on return but no replacement shower gel. And even more alarming we were out all day and whoever put the towels in left our room unlocked!!! Told manager didn't seem bothered.
Final negative the hotel give you an information sheet with numbers to ring for different hotel services from your hotel phone in room!
So was I disappointed yes ...would I return sadly No.

A little disappointing

Our visit was to celebrate our Anniversary. Hotel was described as a 'Romantic break' the room felt cold and soulless. While I appreciate reduced menus because of Covid, the breakfast menu was very restrictive. The dinner menu was also restrictive and I felt very overpriced. Luckily we only had a 2 night stay A couple of guests who were there longer did question the non changing menu. We would have ordered Champagne to celebrate our anniversary but the wine list was also quite a poor show , the only Sparkling was 1 Prosecco.

Lovely location, run down and understaffed

The location, view and manor are breathtaking. They are somewhat rundown however and in need of refurbishment. Staffing consisted of few managers and several inexperienced staff which showed.
Room service forgot to attend the room . Response from the night shift manger was that they were overwhelmed.