Billesley Manor Hotel, Stratford Upon Avon

Our stay at this hotel...

Liked: The breakfast was very nice and kept topped up and location and grounds excellent
Disliked: Earlier check in

Excellent location, accommodation and food...

Liked: The staff were all working hard to give us a good experience but they seemed stressed and tired. The hotel had changed To a different chain a few days before so that could be the explanation. Or it could be poor organisation and management of staff. Room was excellent. Food was excellent. Hotel and grounds are lovely.
Disliked: Check in staff very welcoming but took a long time with one Member of staff checking in with two watching while a long line of guests built up waiting to check in behind us. Asked to book a time for breakfast and then when we arrived restaurant didn’t know we had booked. Staff very stressed and told us they had too many people to feed and not enough chairs and tables. Staff said few times they would have to check with superiors in response to fairly simple requests or told somebody would. One to serve us and nobody came. Staff admitting that systems were not working. This is a lovely hotel near where we have lived that we have visited several times for special occasions and where our friends go for special occasions. It felt like management had disappeared and the staff were doing there best but were not being looked after or given guidance and support. This changed the feel of the hotel and as guests didn’t make us feel we were important. We really hope they get this right quickly and it is short term blip.

Exceptional

Liked: Fabulous place to stay

Very enjoyable and an excellent...

Liked: The exceptionally helpful staff, who were courteous and unobtrusive but easy to help when required
Disliked: Chair in the room was too low to work at the desk but a couple of cushions raised the seat

Couldn’t wait to leave -...

Liked: We stayed here for 3 nights with our son who has just turned 2. We would normally prefer to stay in a 5 star hotel but the only one in this area was Adults Only so we did some research and this seemed like the next best option so we thought we would give it a go. On arrival the hotel grounds were beautiful and well kept. The reception staff were friendly and welcoming and despite us arriving slightly early they let us into our room as they said it was ready. In advance of our arrival we had requested a cot and high chair in the room which we were told would be provided but these were not in the room. I can only assume that because they let us in 30 mins early they had not yet been placed in the room but as soon as I called down to notify them they remedied this so it was not an issue at all and we were pleased with how quickly things were resolved. The first dinner here was lovely. Our son wouldn't eat a full kid's meal so we asked if we could just have a side and, as there was no price for a side on the kid's menu, the kind young manager said he would only charge £1.75 as it was just a small side of mashed potato for a baby. The spa staff were also very kind and accommodating with our son.
Disliked: Unfortunately that is where the positives end. Being in the room for 3 nights (and we paid one the Manor House suite which is one of the more expensive rooms), the more time we spent in the room the more we noticed the room was in need of TLC. In addition,the shower ran out of conditioner and body wash and these weren't replenished during our stay - they were in a refillable dispenser on the wall as opposed to little bottles so hard to see how much was in them and there was nothing. We also put on the robes from the cupboard to go to the spa and my husband's robe had stains all over it and my robe had a dry, dirty tissue in the pocket so I can only assume that they had not been cleaned.At dinner on the second day I requested the same side of mash for my son and the man behind the bar tried to charge me for an adult's side of chips (£7.50) for a child-sized portion of mash (he just charged it without telling me the price and it's only because it was so expensive I queried the cost). When I pulled him up on this he said he would need to speak to his manager to change the price and he would go get him now and come out to me. I waited over 30 mins and he had not come out so I went back inside, queued for the bar and once I got to the front (another 5-10 mins) he then turned to his manager and asked to which his manager said "just charge her for an adult chips" (clearly not knowing I was standing right there). He then proceeded to tell his manager that the manager the previous night had charged a child's price and he said he would deal with it but then I ended up waiting even longer. At this point the order for my son's food had still not been put in so it was too late for him to wait any longer and I said not to bother and left it.On our third and final day breakfast was a disaster.