Beaverbrook

Beautiful grounds, very attentive staff

As we stayed during the February half term, the hotel was considerably busier than anticipated, particularly with families. While the property does offer designated family-friendly time slots for the pool and dinner service, the overall atmosphere during peak periods felt overwhelming. Even as a family travelling with a relatively quiet five-year-old, we found the noise levels and lack of supervision among some children in both the pool and dining areas somewhat disruptive. I did feel for guests without children who had chosen to stay during this period. Families with younger children are primarily accommodated in “The Village,” which is located more than a five-minute buggy ride from the main building. Although the buggies are fitted with plastic wind shields, travelling back and forth in cold and rainy February weather was not particularly comfortable. The staff throughout the hotel were courteous and professional. However, we were disappointed to learn upon check-in that the Japanese restaurant was already fully booked for dinner, leaving us only the option of lunch. The Garden House restaurant, situated a few minutes from the main building, provided warm and friendly service; however, during the busy holiday week, service was noticeably slow. There appeared to be designated seating areas for families with younger children. Our Year 1 daughter was initially seated in an area alongside toddlers, which proved rather noisy due to crying children and raised voices. We therefore requested to be moved, which the staff accommodated. The pool facilities were clean and well maintained, with a family changing room that was particularly convenient. The housekeeping staff were consistently attentive, regularly cleaning the floors and maintaining the changing rooms and lockers to a high standard. Regarding the room, unfortunately we were situated near a group of teenagers staying without adults, and loud noise continued until nearly 1:00 a.m. on one evening. That said, aside from this disturbance, we did not hear noise from the opposite side of the room, suggesting the soundproofing between most rooms is effective. While some of the furnishings in “The Village” were not especially luxurious, the bathroom fittings — including the Burlington London bathtub and shower mixer — were elegant, and the toilet was spotless and in perfect working order. Overall, our stay had several positive aspects, particularly the attentive staff, high standards of cleanliness, and the genuinely child-friendly atmosphere, including thoughtful touches such as the children’s menu. However, certain structural elements may be worth considering for those who value them: the layout of the property requires travelling between facilities that are relatively far apart, and the family-designated rooms, while practical, lack some of the elegance and refined hotel ambience that one might expect.

Brilliant spot.