Barnett Hill Hotel

I booked this hotel in February via SpaSeekers as a birthday present for my wife arranging for an overnight stay, evening meal etc for 7th May with a spa treatment included. Per SpaSeeker instructions I rang in advance on 24th March to confirm which spa treatment (we both opted for massage) and evening meal time. All smoothly confirmed over the phone, massages at 5pm, evening meal 7pm. On arrival on 7th May at 2pm we asked if we could have the massages a bit earlier. Just as well because we were then told we had not booked any spa treatment and it was not included. Quickly resolved it was included when I showed the voucher but was then informed we had not confirmed the treatment, it was not booked and so there was no one there to give the treatment as they don't have the staff for this on site, they are called in from elsewhere. The receptionist was not then particularly helpful. A 2nd women sitting further back behind a computer started calling across to her colleague telling her there was no booking. We were then told we could still have our bed & breakfast & evening meal though! I asked what good was that and then it was suggested they might be able to get someone in to do the treatments at 10am the next day. I walked away and called SpaSeekers who were very helpful and called the hotel directly. SpaSeekers came back shortly to say the hotel acknowledged they had a note against my booking for 24th March confirming everything but it had been missed and not processed. We took SpaSeekers option to cancel, take full refund and went home. So, a surprise birthday present for my wife turned in to a complete disaster. Read other reviews on this hotel and think carefully before booking. They seem to be either very good or get it completely wrong as they did for us. We won't take that gamble and will never come back.

Staying at Barnett Hill felt like stepping into a fairytale. Nestled in beautifully kept gardens, the hotel is simply stunning! Beyond the dreamlike location, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire team for their exceptional kindness and hospitality, not only during my stay but also afterwards. I had accidentally left a backpack in my room, and the staff went above and beyond to help me retrieve it and have it safely sent back to Italy. A special thank you to Renata for her care and support – it meant a lot to me. I sincerely hope to return to Surrey soon, and when I do, I wouldn’t dream of staying anywhere else.

Pros Coordinator – our wedding coordinator was brilliant from the start; Liz was great in communicating, understanding our needs and providing flexibility and attention to detail to planning. Liz made sure we were consulted every step of the way, was quick at getting back to us, made us feel like everything was in hand and taken care of. The final details were handled well and Liz ensured the team was fully briefed for the big day. Team - the staff did a fantastic job setting up the venue. We provided certain decorations ourselves and the staff did a great job decorating to exact requirements. The operations manager, Lajos, was our coordinator on the day. We were very impressed with him. Lajos was at the venue late the night before and present for the entire wedding day. He checked in on us at every step, without overwhelming us and really made the day flow smoothly and stress free. Everyone knew their roles, the day was well orchestrated and if there were issues on the day, we didn’t know about it. Very happy with Lajos and the team. Hotel – the rooms were beautifully made, especially the honeymoon suite that overlooks the rear of the hotel and the gardens. It made the day even more special. The hotel grounds were immaculate and every guest commended on how beautiful the grounds were. Food – the taster menu was arranged 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. We made suggestions to the menu and were happy with how the food came out on the wedding day. The canapés, wedding breakfast and evening buffet were delicious, beautifully presented, and the breakfast the following day was superb. Cons Dance Floor - the room allocated to evening dancing, is required to have a proper dance floor, roughly £600. No other venue we visited required a dance floor. Overall, we were given the best possible wedding day.

Daughter and I went for Sunday Lunch a year after previous. The building and grounds and Oak Room Dining Room are, of course, well known and fantastic. They do have family parties but the parents seem well in control. The lunch itself was even better than last time - staff in livery and knowing what to do, Bar stocking Tio-Pepe sherry [ wow!] as well as an incredible range of gins and tonic waters [ daughter's choice]. We went for Roast Beef, of course [ medium-rare as asked], and had no trouble getting the Roast Potatoes served on a side plate with own gravy-pot - so not soggy. Indeed, the table waiter had been previously alerted from my Booking phone call. It's an Old-Style Grand Hotel experience and we like it!