The Windmill Village Hotel, Golf Club & Spa, Bw Signature Collection

“Okay for a base. Food lacking.”

We booked this to use as a base while we visited Crufts. The hotel was extremely busy and fairly full. The restaurant was really quiet and the service by restaurant was good and attentive however food was lacking and slightly below par. (Excuse the pun) on the Saturday night which was busier we ord… more

We booked this to use as a base while we visited Crufts. The hotel was extremely busy and fairly full. The restaurant was really quiet and the service by restaurant was good and attentive however food was lacking and slightly below par. (Excuse the pun) on the Saturday night which was busier we ordered from bar snack menu which resulted in only half the order being received and again food was not up to scratch. Waiting staff very apologetic and slightly embarrassed. We know it’s not their fault. The hotel itself requires maintenance on paintwork etc Spa was working, pool open etc Think lesson’s here get s good chef and keep them.

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“Watch them on payments, room upgrade not worth it”

The reception area is nice, and there is a quiet unused seating area that is better than the other seating areas in the hotel with good natural light. I used this as a quiet reading area. I paid for an upgrade on my room. This gave me a room that was exactly the same as the room that I had booked … more

The reception area is nice, and there is a quiet unused seating area that is better than the other seating areas in the hotel with good natural light. I used this as a quiet reading area. I paid for an upgrade on my room. This gave me a room that was exactly the same as the room that I had booked but with a door that opened onto the balcony. There was no extra panache that made it feel like an upgrade. It's not worth paying for and the hotel has missed a trick. The tea and coffee station was basic and uninspiring. When I mentioned it to reception it was not of very much interest. The room and bathroom are dated. The shower curtain dates it to the last millennium. There were water damaged veneers and thin towels that need upgrading. The bed was good. I had booked and paid for a spa treatment and there were no robes in my room. Apparently I had to be in the next level up to get that, it's not enough to pay nearly £100 for a treatment. Again, lack of panache and finesse. By the time I got to the spa I was regretting my choice of hotel for my relaxing break. Jo who runs the spa is excellent, and she found me a robe and towels. She was the first member of staff that I had met who seemed to care. The spa itself is dark and a bit depressing. There are no nice smells or even music, and the waiting area is basically a corridor overlooking the pool, which is also dark. I don't think they realise how competitive this part of the market is. My massage by Ioanna was, thankfully, excellent. I booked dinner in the restaurant. Chicken and bacon croquettes, and slow-cooked beef rib that was so large that I could barely fit in pudding so I just asked for ice cream. It was good but not outstanding. The team in the restaurant were pleasant and professional. The restaurant environment is chic and pleasant. Breakfast was good and the natural light in the restaurant is very good with views of the countryside. It's a good place to start the day from. Billing is a big problem. I paid for my room via Expedia and they still charged me for it again on my final bill, so I had to get it refunded. I was also charged a pre-authorisation fee of £150 which was showing on my card statement for a few days. All in all nearly £250 of messing around in addition to the bills that I paid. I travel a lot and I have not experienced this level of nonsense with the billing before. They need to get a grip. Slicker financial practice and a bit of panache would elevate this hotel, but I cannot give it more than average for what was a more stressful relaxing treat than I hoped for.

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