Mixed feelings. I visited 18 years ago for a wedding & it's clear a lot of money has been invested in the public areas. Overall, the service was excellent, with friendly & welcoming staff throughout.My only criticism of the service was check-in. I completely understand rooms may not be ready before 3pm, but it would be nice if reception checked rather than automatically assuming they won't be available.The location is fantastic for walking in the New Forest, & Burley is a lovely village nearby for a drink or a stroll.Unfortunately, the room was disappointing. I booked a cosy room, so I expected it to be small, but the lack of character & poor design were the main issues. The bathroom was tiny, with the sink located in the bedroom rather than the en-suite! There was nowhere practical to put toiletries, no wall-mounted toilet roll holder, & the overall layout felt badly thought out.The room door was also difficult to open & close & required slamming, with an alarm sounding if it wasn't fully shut. This was inconvenient and seemed like a safety concern.On the positive side, dinner was excellent. The food was very good, the service was warm and efficient, and my husband particularly enjoyed his main course. Breakfast was more mixed. Although a mini cooked breakfast was available, paying around £20 for one egg, one sausage, half a rasher of bacon and tea felt poor value.Overall, great location, friendly staff and good food, but the room & breakfast pricing need improvement.
