Thank you for your comprehensive comments and feedback about your stay with us.
We are so glad to read that you enjoyed your stay, especially the food and service. Because we had only recently purchased the hotel before your stay last September we had only just begun our refurb programme and at that time our team was quite new. We had made some major changes to the staffing we inherited, with a nearly new team introduced and we are pleased this showed in the quality of service you experienced. Daniel Morris, our new head chef from a Michelin back ground, but also experienced in a bistro environment together with foodie and chef background owners means we can offer dishes from gutsy bistro to our a’la carte fine dinning dishes.
We pride ourselves on quality ingredients of course, but also value for money and ensure we are in most cases more competitive on our pricing than even local foodie pubs. As you noticed with our extensive grounds our upkeep is more expensive than the average pub, but our guests do enjoy the enviable location, one of the reasons for our purchase.
I appreciate the signage was past its best to say the least and let down the entrance and first impressions, not a quick fix as it was tied in to new branding and website which has just come online. New signs are now erected, although we did put a temporary sign at the top of the road and have had brown signs added to help people find their way.
Certainly as we speak all paintwork inside and out is in good order and just some of the things we have achieved since September are; paint to front of building wood and metal work, terrace railings renewed and painted, new Bistro furniture, flooring, new mattresses, pillows, protectors, dressing gowns and other soft bedding supplied by Stalbridge laundry to maintain quality, (I notice you had a tear in the duvet cover which is most unusual from this company and I apologise my housekeeping also did not spot this at the time, we would of course have replaced this immediately, I will be ensuring procedures are in place to stop this happening again), various painting and repairs throughout the hotel, bathroom refurbs inc taps, toilet seats replaced, flooring, lighting, bedroom carpets replaced or steam cleaned with an ongoing programme of detail maintenance and improvements. However we do not wish to change the essential unique and sometimes quirky nature of the rooms
As far as breakfast is concerned there is a menu on our new website we always include a musili as well as other cereals, greek yogurt, homemade compote, fresh fruit salad, croissants and fresh orange juice. I apologise that the serving staff apparently did not put it out that day. I can promise you the mushrooms will have been fresh never tinned.
There is nothing “tired” about the Hotel and restaurant now, my team here are enthusiastic and have achieved much in the short time we have owned. I appreciate you did not have all the benefits of all the improvements at the time of your stay but feel I should bring to your attention the energy, investment and determination to bring this hotel back to life. One of the things which attracted us to the hotel was the individuality of the rooms, of course this means trying to match the room to the guest can be difficult. However the Horsley suit is as you say mainly cream. The mustard yellow as you describe is only on the skirting and picture rail (walls, doors and ceiling all creams), it seems to have struck a cord with you but other rooms have very different schemes. Being such a large room sockets may seem sparse but there is a twin socket each side of the bed, a twin near the end adjacent to the dressing table, a quad by the TV, and a double at the chest of drawers. I will ensure a lamp is set on the dresser in future, and an extra twin made available as the room is so large – thank you for bringing this to my attention.
Corridors don’t have many windows and being a building circa 1830 those we have tend to be stained glass which restricts light, however the hallways are well lit with wide stairs and landings to first floor. Likewise the reception is very large with comfy seating although well lit it does have quite a few antiques and artefacts on the walls etc which is again a style choice something some like and some may not.
We are a small family run Hotel with emphasis on good food and service and with 11 rooms manning the reception late at night is achieved from the bar manager who is available until late. Often myself or my wife are available as well as we live on the premises.
Once again thanks for the feedback, I hope you will come and visit the area and the Orestone again whether for a stay or dinning. I would be happy to show you around the various and sometimes quirky rooms and areas of the Hotel, and we do often offer late availability or deals on multiple nights stay.
Yours truly,
Neil D’allen M.I.H. Owner.