We found this hotel for our summer vaction through Google and were directly in love with the photos of this old and historic building and it's wonderful countryside. But the view in person was even better! The rooms are wonderful and romantic, the staff is more than heartwarming and did everything they could to make our stay wonderful. In all my years I n ever have seen such passion for their job! The restaurant and breakfast are simply amazing and I had the best Egg Benedict in my life! I can only recommend this hotel for vacation, marriages and a nice weekend if you are looking for something simply amazing!

The rooms were a little bit warm in the summer but it's an old buidling. So this was expected.

Really lovely experience from the outset. All staff very professional, helpful and polite throughout - efficient communication by email beforehand and good / friendly check-in process. Easy parking a big plus. Visited with my Mum and we loved our deluxe room in the garden block, perfect for a relaxing couple of nights, as a base for exploring the area - the room was such a welcoming base to return to. The hotel garden is lovely and ideal for enjoying an afternoon cup of tea! We also enjoyed the restaurant, delicious food at dinner and ample selection at the breakfast buffet - I also loved the variety of coffee options available to order at breakfast! For the style of hotel and what it sets out to achieve, it ticks every box! Thoroughly recommend for a change of scene and recharge - still very much appreciating it a few weeks later!

We didn’t experience any negatives to worry about!

I was offered a free upgrade to a room with a balcony, it was a lovely room, very clean, it made my stay even more enjoyable as I was unable to afford this type of room, plus it was for a special occasion. We had dinner and breakfast, the food was lovely, and presented well. Breakfast was a really nice buffet, and there was also a choice of breakfast from the kitchen which gave you lots of choice. The food was really fresh and good quality.

The bar didn't have a great selection of crisps, the ones we got weren't very nice in flavour. Also I asked for a white wine with a splash of soda, but they filled it up too much with a whole bottle of soda water and ice that didn't ask for, I couldn't taste the wine, where they had sat us down I didn't realise what they had done until they bought it over.

- Wonderful staff that are very kind and treat you like a friend - Beautiful building and interior. Really feels luxurious, as if you step into a Downtown Abbey scene. The grounds around the building are pretty as well, lovely to walk through - Breakfast was splendid, with wonderful food and kind servers - Comfy bed - Pretty view from the window and balcony

I had the unlucky situation that my shower was broken. It only gave hot water, but after a long day in the sweltering English summer sun, I was longing for a cold shower. While this issue could not be resolved, the staff was respectful and professional about it and made me feel seen and heard.

Overall level of decor, in all rooms, and our bedroom in the new wing, was excellent. Grounds, which are part of Essex University are extensive and contain a number of very old specimen trees. Dinner was served on the terrace, and we were talking to one of the staff, Thelma ( who was dining and staying overnight as part of employee contract,) who was very informative and positive. Breakfast was lovely with a good choice.

Some of the prices at dinner were rather high e.g. steak, and desserts. Not all the staff were helpful in describing the breakfast options.

Beautiful place. Lovely welcome. Room was spacious, modern and spotless. Bathroom appeared recently updated and was excellent. Lovely little touches like a little bottle of milk in the fridge, plenty of coffee capsules for the coffee machine and a large bottle of water.

Difficult to find. Unfortunately, the signs to the hotel were not well lit - or not lit at all. Not helpful when you arrive in the dark. The room was very warm; there is a fan but this did make a funny noise when on the higher setting. Also, I did not enjoy the brasserie at all. After reading other reviews, maybe it was just a one off? The soup and the gnocchi were both quite bland. I left 3/4 of the dish. The young waitress just took it away - no question on why I left so much. I did mention it was 'just 'ok' upon paying the bill; and again, nothing was said. The service wasn't great. From the way the head waiter spoke to some of the younger staff, I am not sure if they are in training or apprentices but for me, it was not an enjoyable experience.

Friendly greeting easy check-in. Excellent dining The room was well appointed and the bed very comfortable

The standard rooms are above the dining room and kitchen. There was no problem with noise or smells but the room and corridor were far too hot and that made sleeping very difficult despite having the window open day and night and a fan going all the time too. we slept very badly. The more expensive rooms in the main building with balconies are supposed to be better in this regard.

Very friendly staff. Hotel is located in the University of Essex campus - as the term had finished the grounds were very quiet. Beautiful spacious bedroom with great views. Excellent breakfast with heated area we could sit with our dog.

Very minor gripe- husband cut his finger on the cubicle of the shower as it had an exposed sharp edge. This was reported and promptly sorted by the hotel staff. Ate in the restaurant, had mussels which were sadly gritty, again restaurant manager swiftly sorted.

The hotel is beautiful, and feels very tranquil and calming. All the staff were friendly and helpful. The rooms were well sized and the beds very comfortable. The hotel is close to the University campus, and close to stunning grounds, perfect for a run or leisurely walk around. The onsite restaurant is very convenient as the hotel is quite a distance from town.

There was no AC and we were staying there whilst it was very hot. There is a ceiling fan and coolers for the rooms provided, the latter being quite noisy and not as effective as AC. The restaurant had a limited menu, especially vegetarian options.

I felt that our cavalier King Charles spaniel was welcome. We tried to take her down to breakfast in the morning. Initially the host told us we were not allowed to bring her in but one of the waiters (I forget his name but he was french) made an area outside for us to eat with our dog. He really contributed to our experience being 5 star, I hope he sees this review.

The host at breakfast told us we weren’t allowed to bring our dog but did not offer us any alternative option, thank god for the quick thinking French waiter who sorted us out.