More about Rookery Hall Hotel
Black and White
by TripAdvisor Member kimkaduk
We stayed at the Rookery Hall and had booked weeks in advance.
On arrival we found that a booking at this hotel does not mean you get a room, it means that you get a chance to wait in line for one :-(
We had arrived at 4pm and had to wait (although check-in should be at 3pm) for over half an hour at the reception desk, before getting our rooms.
The room and facilities were excellent. The area around is Fantastic.
I tried to book some treatments in Spa one month in advance but unfortunately it wasn't available.
It is called a "SPA" but definitely NOT!
We also booked a restaurant for a dinner and even more disappointed us as we had to be in full lounge area for 45 minutes without any apologizes. That was our dinning completely spoilt. Later on we heard that the restaurant was overbooked over 30%.
The best part - excellent breakfast! Pastries and fruits in the morning were great, and had many other choices.
Fabulous spa break!
by TripAdvisor Member RowtonBerkshire
An excellent experience on all levels! We stayed at Rookery Hall for a hotel and spa deal and were delighted with our stay. The new spa and fitness areas are very relaxing and are perfect for winding down and having a break from normality. They were also really clean and the staff were lovely.
The dinner and breakfast were also lovely and the dining room is very romantic. The food and wine were delicious!
We stayed in the new executive rooms which were contemporary, luxurious and kitted out to a high spec with a huge flatscreen TV, TV in the bathroom and a fabulous shower!
We were planning our next visit before we left!
The only neagative is that the directions from the north on the website were not very clear/accurate so we strugled to get there.
A beautiful wedding setting
by TripAdvisor Member nikki_1977
We got married at Rookery Hall in June 07 and had 24 hours exclusive use of the hotel and grounds. The setting was more than we could have ever dreamed of. The food was delicious and the suppliers we used some of whom were recommended by Rookery Hall were fantastic. (Wish we could say the same for the weather!)
There were a couple of hitches though - we stayed the night before the wedding and had booked to have the same rooms for 2 nights. The hotel claimed to have no record of this request. They gave me the room we were to have the following night, but my parents and my sister and her family were given standard rooms. The banquetting manager promised their belongings would be moved by the staff as soon as the other guests had checked out of the rooms allocated for my family. Unfortunately this wasn't the case and some of our weding guests who tried to check in at 2pm could not as my family's belongings were still in the room and the room hadn't been cleaned!
Added to this there was a flood in the bridal suite early evening time and although the hotel found us an alternative room for the night (a standard room in the new unfinished extension) there was no apology from the hotel staff.
Don't get me wrong we had the most amazing day and wouldn't change a thing. We would definitely return, in fac we are planning to go back for my birthday in November and again in June for our wedding anniversary. We were very impressed by the Handpicked hotels chain and will be trying out some other venues in the future.
supercalifragilisticexpeialidocious!!!
by TripAdvisor Member djphaif
We booked this hotel after a dismal search for a hotel in Bruges..... but how happy are we that we did it!
We are a trendy young couple who enjoy the finer things in life, and we were not disappointed. We had an executive room in the new building; we were particularly impressed by the television in the bath, and the wonderful shower! Our arrival and check in was effortless, and we were shown promptly to our room where we were greeted by a lovely cold bottle of champagne.
Dinner at the hotel was a culinary delight. We have read that people were unsatisfied they had to wait for there table. In a hotel like this, the wait is part of the experience.
The spa alone is worth a visit to the splendid Rookery Hall!
We also ventured into the near by Nantwich. It was a wonderful and friendly town that had some trendy bars to visit. Special mention is both residence and Culshaws which both do wonderful food.
To summarise we had an amazing three days, and will definitely book another Hand Picked hotel.
Definitely Not What It Used To Be
by TripAdvisor Member mjb123
This has always been one of our favourite UK hotels, but after 2 attempts at staying there in the last 2 months we just can't believe how much standards have dropped.
The first visit was to celebrate a very special wedding anniversary; the hotel were aware of this and arranged a specific room in the old Hall. We also booked a day's spa package to complete the stay. On arrival we discovered that their major refurbishments had not been completed, and there was a skip, works vehicles and building work in front of the hotel. Inside there were ladders and dustsheets everywhere, and the surly receptionist who checked us in couldn't have looked less interested or apologetic.
In the past, the concierge would meet and greet guests in the car park; now the concierge is long gone, and the receptionist doesn't even bother directing guests to their room. When we got there the smell of stale smoke was unbearable and we immediately rang to request an alternative room. The receptionist argued that the hotel was non smoking so there couldn't possibly be a smell, but declined the offer to visit the room herself, before a colleague finally brought the Duty Manager.
He at least accepted that the room smelled appalling, but the best he could offer was to try to get the room neutralised or to offer alternative rooms in the midst of all the building and redecorating work. We viewed these rooms, and whilst they are equipped to a high spec, they are devoid of character.
Eventually we decided to leave and, luckily managed to book an alternative break at a different hotel at very short notice. On our return, however, there was no sign of the promised letter of apology from the Manager, so we contacted HandPicked Hotels Head Office, who at least seemed keen to take the complaint seriously and wished to put matters right. Had we not contacted them I feel sure we would never have heard from the hotel itself.
With their intervention we were offered a complimentary night's stay in a suite. On arrival the 2nd time, the same surly receptionist was on duty, but not a word of greeting or wish for a pleasant stay. The room was large and well equipped but still lacked the character of rooms in the old Hall. There was no letter or message from the Duty Manager, and on check out we weren't asked if we had enjoyed our stay or whether everything had been to our satisfaction. In fact there were a queue of guests waiting to check out and each had a series of complaints.
One of the main attractions of Rookery Hall has always been the fine dining restaurant, and their food has always been exceptional. But the previous exclusivity seems to have been replaced with a conveyor belt approach; 3 dining rooms were literally full to the brim, which one would normally associate with a sign of success, but there was a sense of frenzied panic amongst serving staff and guests lined up in public areas waiting to be seated. The food was fine but not outstanding, and to get to breakfast, guests had to pass tables piled high with dirty crockery and linen, and a buffet table full of empty serving plates.
This hotel is part of the HandPicked Hotels group, who pride themselves on being at the select end of the market; I simply can't see how Rookery Hall can remain part of that group if it continues to operate this way. Obviously no expense has been spared on the fixtures and fittings in bedrooms, and the new Spa is a great addition. But there is a total lack of Customer Service, particularly amongst the Reception staff and Management, and it seems criminal to allow such a fine and beautiful hotel to deteriorate so drastically.
Luxury Price - shabby service
by TripAdvisor Member Halibut88
We had booked this little token of luxury as part of a Spa-Package stay with meals, breakfast and evening meal included.
In summary, the service was simply terrible considering the standards the hotel purports to have. Difficult to write reviews of bad experiences without cataloguing the events. The list of events is below, but on a positive note, the look of the hotel was very pleasing, set in nice grounds. An older part has a lot of character and charm and the newer super modern addition to the side where most of the accomodation is located has no charm at all and is designed in complete disharmony to the real Rookery Hall. You are unlikely to see it in the pictures.
The spa facility service was very good.. when it happened. Excellent treatments and staff. Very relaxing. But the spa facility and the hotel seem to run as two very separate entities and that showed in the communications between the two and the way we were... handled between the two. Not a good a business design.
So, here is the catalogue, I would think the staffing should improve or something over time, but our experience was terrible and I am not likely to be using the chain again.
"Just wait a moment " ... is not a reply you having been kept waiting for 10 minutes, from a member of staff who is meant to be serving you while they go and do more important tasks such as... put a blue tac notice up on the door for the next customers to the spa??
Spa times over booked and asked to wait
Booked meals in the main restuarant over booked... and you can go and use a voucher in the Brasserie...
LCD TVs that do not work.
Breakfast trays littering the corridor with cluttered food remainds and not cleared from your corridor... and still there at 11:00pm in the evening.
And in the night.. you hear the clattering of trays as someone has the initiative to at least clear it before the start of the next morning.
No one in attendance at breakfast. I mean, no one waiting on the people in the breakfast room... until some noticeable time later.
.. there are some other items to throw into the list, but you get the idea... I have honestly had far better customer service in a Holiday Express Inn on a motorway.. and thats a very honest recollection.
A wonderful country escape (and Christmas stay)
by TripAdvisor Member artsy-it-girl
I went and stayed at Rookery Hall from 27-31 December, and decided on it by chance as I wanted to stay somewhere historic, in the countryside and with a spa.
Unlike the poor people who had a smell of sewage near there room, my stay was absolutely wonderful, enchanting and I spent much time in the common rooms of the 19th century manor house doing my creative writing - or at the spa having a bit of pampering. I honestly think their experience was an isolated occurrence as my stay and many others I met - either at dinner or who were happily having tea in the salon - were also very delighted with their stay.
I loved the place and would go back unhesitatingly - or recommend it to others who want a 'special' retreat - because you truly feel like you've stepped back in time in the common rooms (or if you take a room in the old part of the building) and the staff, service and facilities are excellent.
There are so many memorable things... however, I'll highlight the following (besides the staff and setting):
* Views of the countryside from the hotel were peaceful and enjoyable.
* The candlelit dining was breathtaking.
* The free Wifi (in the common rooms of the hotel) and internet connection in rooms was high-speed and highly appreciated.
* The gold-coloured "chill out room" in the spa, with the waterfall running along one wall and the hydrotherapy pool (ie large jacuzzi next to the pool) were two of the most relaxing experiences I've ever had.
fabulour relaxing stay in beautiful surroundings
by TripAdvisor Member dumgoyne
i would just like to say that like the previous guest i also stayed last weekend for 2 nights. However unlike the last guest i had a really great time. It was a treat for my 30th i went on with my sister. the hotel has just been upgraded with the most fantastic pool and spa facilities(amazing materials and great designs), beautiful relaxation room with cascading waterfeature wall! their were orchids, hydrangeas, anthuriums and callas used around the hotel which was very much appreciated (i have a florist business). We had dinner in the restaurant again it was exceptional, could maybe have some music in the lounges - it was nearly too quiet.
our room was large and comfortable though the windows needed a clean! A mini bar would have been good! The brasserie restaurant also serves food in the spa area - not to be overlooked we had a fab lunch great hot chocolate!! The treatment areas were also beautifully designed very relaxing just what we needed.
all in all a fabulous hotel, easy to find from the M6 ! i will definitely be back! Thanks for a great stay!
A very honest review
by TripAdvisor Member EB1WestMidlands
Stayed here for 2 nights for my birthday . Booked a new executive room in the new building wich was brilliant - everything brand new , even a flat screen in the bathroom.
The restaurant was perfect on both nights the food/wine A1.
I have never reviewed a hotel before but have used tripadvisor for reference many times so thought I should review for myself. I can honestly say that several reviews showing poor rating must have stayed somewhere else. We have stayed in many 5 star hotels and this is equally good.
The pool area is great- food here nice for a snack.
Overall the hotel is perfect for a night away. I have only one complaint that the breakfast was very average but this did not spoil a lovely weekend. Book this hotel
A Very Smelly Christmas
by TripAdvisor Member happydriver
I have just returned from the "Christmas Break From Hell" at this hotel. It cost £320 each for two nights. The first room we were allocated smelt so badly of raw sewage that I was nearly sick. Also, the room was rather tatty with revolting stains on the carpet. I was given another, smaller, room but this was almost as bad. The safe did not work (and couldn't be fixed), the safe was not attached to the wall, the t.v. did not operate properly (and couldn't be fixed), the window latches were broken, the shower was falling off the wall, and dirty water squirted up between the tiles on the toilet floor!
The Christmas Eve dinner was very good but the Christmas Day lunch was uninspired, poorly cooked and looked like institutinal food or a bad school dinner. The vegetables were tired and overcooked and the turkey defies description. There was no menu choice.
I could not wait to leave this dreadful, overpriced hotel.
Other guests complained that the Spa was closed, there were splinters on glass in their drinks, hair on their dinner plates, blocked drains in the rooms, etc., etc.
Christmas has been ruined. I cannot think of any reason why anyone would want to stay there.
Photos
St Mary's Church, Nantwich
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