The Garden Restaurant at the Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa

Our afternoon tea experience began well with a friendly waitress taking our order promptly. The sandwiches were enjoyable, but the cakes seemed to be store-bought and were left uneaten. The scones were overheated and somewhat tough, while the coffee was lukewarm. Unfortunately, after we were served, no one checked on us for refills or anything else. We had to go to the reception to ask for our bill.

Unfortunately, my lamb was the most boring I ever had no taste. My husband had the pig and both meals had exactly the same base with the meat placed on top with some garnish. There was no difference in the plates next to the meat above. The service was incredibly slow. We waited for our first course for 45 minutes, but my cream brulee was very good after another long wait. We had booked the next night, but canceled.

The dining experience was comparable to that of a slightly amateur home cook, with dishes that were decent but lacked creativity. I made a last-minute reservation at Mollington Banastre for a special occasion, as most other places were fully booked. The restaurant was nearly empty, which should have been a hint. The setting was pleasant with a view of the garden, but the overall appearance of the hotel seemed a bit neglected. The service was good and our server was friendly and efficient. However, the food was lacking in both taste and presentation. While the atmosphere was fine and it was quiet enough for conversation, the quality of the cooking left much to be desired. Considering the price we paid, I found the overall experience to be disappointing.

Despite the knowledge that a diner was celiac, they had no suitable cake for afternoon tea!

Disappointing from the start. Had to ask at reception to find a staff member to seat us, very quiet and a huge space for a few tables occupied. Wine choice not available, Feather blade beef had lump of fat in the middle and it was incredibly poor portion size, taste and quality. There was a large party in another function suite but this should not interfere with service or food. Breakfast was equally bad. Buffet cooked food was dry and empty trays which were not readily filled. No condiments. Very poor choice of cereals and a Beige table held cereal but no museli or natural yoghurts. Staff x 2 visible but not helpful and not able to bring food out warm in time for my breakfast. Residents wandering around looking for plates, Sauce, waiting for beans etc it wasn’t pleasant! Overall I wouldn’t recommend this hotel and it’s a shame as price fair and position handy.