Makeney Hall Hotel

We recently enjoyed a really lovely two‑night stay at Makeney Hall Hotel in Room 5, and although there were a few little niggles along the way, the overall experience was excellent. The room itself was wonderfully spacious — a big, comfortable bed, a large picture window with beautiful views stretching across the countryside to the rooftops of Belper, and even a nice big TV for winding down in the evenings. The bathroom was equally generous, with a large shower, and we especially appreciated the proper big mugs for our morning tea and coffee. It’s the small touches like that which make a stay feel homely. We did have to call the engineer twice — once when the TV started playing up and again when we somehow managed to blow a fuse with the kettle — but he arrived quickly each time and fixed everything with a smile. His friendly attitude made what could have been a hassle feel like nothing at all. We didn’t eat an evening meal in the hotel restaurant, mainly because we didn’t see any menus around and weren’t sure what was on offer. Instead, we ate out locally: The Holly Bush Inn was just a short walk away and served a brilliant selection of food, and The Bridge Inn was only a short drive and well worth the trip. The real highlights of our stay were the excellent, friendly staff and the grand, characterful features of the hotel itself. There’s a charm to Makeney Hall that makes it feel special, and the team working there really bring it to life. We’ll definitely be back next year — and hopefully for a longer stay.

Olde world victorian building, stunning original features, excellent location in peaceful quiet surroundings, very polite friendly staff, everyone extremely helpful, very good and well presented food, extremely comfortable bedrooms would highly recommend this hotel!

Nothing not to dislike.

Excellent Bedding, Large Room, Comfortable size. Great location, welcoming staff.

Facilities in bathroom were not incredible, low water pressure in shower and toilet struggled to flush.

The hotel is located on the outskirts of Belper town, south of Matlock. The imposing Victorian mansion sits on the hill, at the end of the narrow road, with good views over the countryside. There are parking spaces at the front. The reception area looks rather austere. The receptionist was friendly and efficient. Our Suite was on the first floor, overlooking the garden. The room was huge, tastefully decorated with a large bed and lots of seating. There were tea and coffee-making facilities. Bathroom was of standard size, with a large bath tub. Water flow was difficult to regulate with the hot water overwhelming the cold. Bathrobes were provided. We dined at the Conservatory Restaurant. The menu was rather limited but the food was very tasty. We had chicken breast and sea bass; both were imaginatively prepared and delicious. Breakfast was quite standard, with no cheeses or cold meats. There were signs of neglect throughout this magnificent structure: corridors looked rather drab, bashed paneling in the bar area, peeling paint and window sills that could do with some dusting. A bit of TLC would do the hotel a world of good!

The afternoon tea was delicious and the lady that was serving us was so friendly and accommodating. All in a beautiful setting too. Would definitely recommend. Thank you!