Newplacehotel Reviews 8

Excellent service from Grace in the restaurant- very enjoyable meal.

We have just stayed at the New Place hotel near Wickham and had a very good stay. The room was clean and comfortable. Our evening meal was excellent served by Izzy the waitress who was excellent and looked after us so well. The hotel was packed with a wedding, and two large birthday parties so there were 150 for breakfast. Nevertheless service was good and the breakfast excellent. Despite the number of guests , the hotel bedrooms are away from the main house so it was quiet at night. We will certainly return. A Petley

We booked a Sunday lunch for 4 persons, the place is impressive, the quality of the food was very good, and the portion sizes very generous. The customer service was brilliant, definitely a place to go back.

Wow, where to start, first thing is it's an amazing building, fabulous interior with oak panelled dining rooms.

Sadly beyond this our experience was massively underwhelming. No signage when you arrive, so we stumbled across the reception which is located in the middle of the complex. My wife has a disability and we had a piece of equipment delivered by a company called mobility at sea. On asking reception for this she said nothing had been delivered. It had and it was behind her desk. We were given what you might liken to a child's treasure hunt map of the complex and told we had room 56. Problem here because these rooms have black doors with bizarrely black numbers on them, so you cannot see your room number and this was in broad daylight.

The room however was good very clean and a nice accesible bathroom and you can park immediately outside your room.

After dropping luggage off we had a restaurant reservation for 7.30. This is where the fun starts. In 1 hour and 40 minutes we had 2 pieces of focaccia bread and some butter. I quizzed the waitress and she said they were very busy. Eventually after nearly 2 hours our chicken supreme turned up ( chicken and mash) which to be fair was very good. Waitress came and took the plates and asked if we would like deser. She brought desert menus and disappeared. 20 minutes later we gave up and left the restaurant and went into the bar and ordered coffee. I asked the bar tender if it was normal to wait such a long time for food to which she replied I would love to say its not normal but I would be lying. This is not a cheap restaurant at £10.95 for a glass of red wine, beef Wellington £80 for 2 people, steak £35 so the service really needs to be at it. Its not. While having our coffee in the bar a young couple next to us said they had waited 2 hours for their bar meals. It's a shame because the place has real potential but it's all style over substance I am afraid.

The lack of hospitality between receptionists and guests. The depleted, repetative, dinner menu when a chef is off site. I totally agree that pets should not be allowed to eat in restaurants, however, every dog friendly hotel, inn and guest house I have visited, boasts a designated dog friendly cosy room to dine in. On half board for the week and expected to dine in the bar, was not acceptable, small with no comfort to make for an enjoyable dining experience.

I do wish to mention, the assistance from Billie, who brought the key to our room from reception, after being told we could not gain access yet, even though the room was ready. Louise, who spoke to the restaurant manager, Freddy, to maybe, arrange for a small table in corridor, to be dressed for our evening meal, with our dog . Finding this too draughty Freddie prepared a table in another room. Along with Bella and, their ''nothing is too much trouble, with a smile'' attitude and '' I can see what i can do for you'' was much appreciated. These member's of staff have exceptional interpersonal skills and will go far in hospitality. This hotel could warrant at least 4* if a little thought and perhaps research of other hotel's facilities and becoming more flexible and compliant to what the guest expects and not what it receives, could very much facilitate an upgrade.

There were no biscuits in the bedroom, nor drawers, which are needed by bedside for medication etc. Instead of self service from a coffee machine in the corridor, we, as guests, expected to be greeted and shown to a table, be served tea/coffee and informed of breakfast procedure. Guests are required to order their tea from the breakfast bar and take it, yourself, to your table, which is difficult when you are elderly.

Being a Grade 1 listed building, it has potential and everything going for it. Beautiful well maintained gardens,some parts almost forest like. Lovely terrace, amazing paintings and furnishings, its almost like walking around a National Trust house, free of charge. Would have liked patio table and chairs in front of the doors to our room from the courtyard, to enable us to enjoy the sunshine. Elderly guests require a little more thought and planning for their comfort. The ramps are insufficient in support, ladies lavatory is up a flight of stairs in the Main House, there is one for people with limited abilities in the bar but it requires obtaining a ramp. There are no bedrooms in the house and doesn't appear to be anyone offering assistance with your luggage to your room.

Waited a long time for food which was vastly over priced and poor quality. Dinning room very cold. Would not recommend

As a wedding photographer, I have had the privilege of capturing the special moments at New Place Hotel and I must say it is a magnificent venue for a dream wedding. From the moment you enter the hotel grounds, the grandeur and the amount of space it encapsulates is simply awe-inspiring.
One of the most unique aspects of New Place Hotel is that they only hold one wedding per day, which means that the focus is entirely on the couple and their special day. The team at New Place Hotel is extremely dedicated and treats each event with a fresh approach, new ideas, and abundance of energy. This personalized touch was evident in the wedding I photographed and I was truly impressed with the level of attention to detail given to the couple.
The Chef at New Place Hotel is truly talented and works closely with the couple to design a fantastic menu that reflects their tastes and theme. The use of locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients is a testament to their commitment to quality and the dishes were simply inspired.
In conclusion, I highly recommend New Place Hotel as a wedding venue. It's a magnificent space, with a team that is dedicated to making the day truly special and memorable. If you're planning a wedding, I highly recommend reaching out to them, as they would love to hear from you. Although they are handling a lot of enquiries currently, I can assure you that it will be worth the wait.
Kindest regards
The Kensington Photographer