Stanbrook Abbey

We had a wonderful afternoon tea, in the beautiful surroundings of Stanbrook Abbey. Everything was just delicious and we had brilliant service from the team, Ruby was our waitress and she was exceptional. We really enjoyed a walk around the grounds to experience the history of the Abbey, we’re now keen to come back for a longer break. If you haven’t been, it’s a must try!

Stanbrook Abbey is a beautiful building, steeped in history, however the bedrooms are tired, not as clean as they should be and lack certain touches, so it does not feel like a high end establishment. I have found this in all ‘hand-picked’ hotels I have stayed in - lovely public areas but very lacking in bedrooms and they need attention to make them feel as special as the buildings they occupy.

We recently had our wedding at Stanbrook Abbey and it truly was the most perfect day. When we got engaged, we knew straight away it was where we wanted to get married. The great callow hall is a stunning venue that enabled all our guests to see and hear the ceremony. We then had our drinks reception outside, followed by an amazing wedding breakfast in the pavilion. So many of our guests commented on how great both the food and service was. Everything was kept to time which meant guests had an hour to check into rooms and freshen up before the evening. Our reception was then held in St Anne’s and again, food on the night was superb. We had our perfect day and we cannot thank the team at Stanbrook enough. From the initial conversations, they understood our vision for the day and made sure every little detail was included. Wish we could do it all over again!

Caitlin and howee were amazing they made us whatever drinks we wanted ! Brad worked extremely hard on the bar and we all had a lovely evening . Food was amazing and service was stunning . 10/10 would recommend

Set in its own grounds, it’s a peaceful environment and Stanbrook Abbey has some spectacular features from its history, such as the Callow Great Hall (a chapel). It’s had a multi-million pound extension which houses a bar and a terrace for pleasant alfresco eating in summer weather. The modern design means the bar is light and airy although some might consider it unsympathetic to the Abbey’s architecture. The room was comfortable and spotlessly clean, with air-conditioning and a modern shower. Good food in the main Refectory Restaurant, which is a lovely setting for afternoon tea or dinner. The dinner menu has limited choice and prices are on the high side. Some items e.g. very small serving of soup for £12.50, are overpriced. George’s Bar also serves good food and has more choice - the small plates are particularly good - although the casual seating options are not as comfortable as the main restaurant. Breakfast was the big letdown. Handpicked Hotels makes a lot of its breakfast offering “At Hand Picked Hotels, we believe in serving fresh food with the finest ingredients. This is why your hot breakfast is cooked to order and served at your table.” Be aware this hotel might try and get away without offering it. The continental offering is ok but the cooked option was anything but. On the first morning, we were pointed towards a hot buffet. Mediocre quality. Only scrambled eggs on the buffet but could ask for other eggs. During breakfast I saw another guest ask for a menu (the Handpicked Breakfast Menu). Apparently, according to one of the staff: “We don’t give out the menu when we are busy”. This is surprising for a chain that prides itself on its standards. It’s not delivering on what it promises on its website and lets down the Handpicked Hotels brand. And furthermore, the hotel’s definition of “busy” is questionable…the hotel should look at what other Handpicked hotels seem to be able to do with similar numbers of people in breakfast. The next day we were again pointed towards to the hot buffet but this time asked for the menu. We were given menus but the reaction of the member of staff suggested they were not happy about having to do so. Later I saw menus being given to one table…it seems the guests had stayed with the hotel several times before (and therefore would know what they should get at breakfast). The staff are generally young and are polite and friendly. However on both mornings there were some rough edges to the service possibly as a result of a lack of guidance, training or coaching on standards, which is a management issue. Table settings on both days lacked some items. Fresh bread placed on the buffet by hand instead of using the tongs. Not asked for coffee the first day and when asked on the second day, it did not appear until 25 minutes later after having to ask again. And the cooked to order items seemed to have been standing on the pass for too long resulting in hard poached eggs. Would I stay there again? Yes, probably. Aside from the shortcomings, which management should be able to address, the accommodation was good as was the food (apart from breakfast), and it was an enjoyable stay.

Great hotel. We stayed with our Doberman dog. All the staff were helpful and friendly and very accommodating. The hotel is in a lovely location and the grounds well kept and our dog enjoyed all her walks there too. The food was of a high standard with great choices of food both in restaurant and bar and the breakfast was beautiful. The hotel was clean throughout and well maintained. If I had one tiny gripe, I wish there was more history material of Stanbrook Abbey provided at the hotel. I had to look on internet during our stay for details . Thank you all .

We had our wedding reception at SA and stayed for 2 nights. The staff were all amazing from strat to finish from the wedding Coordinator to the bar staff, All exceptional and kind helpful. We can't thank the team enough. The place itself is stunning! The food is amazing and we can't wait to come back. If you're thinking of booking, you won't be disappointed!

We had a wonderful visit only marred by problems of cleanliness in our room. The reception staff were brilliant and couldn’t do enough for us. They were friendly, helpful and when they said something would be done, it was. The food was excellent and service prompt but unobtrusive. Will definitely return.

A unique blend of modern and historic architecture. The hotel preserves the history beautifully. Guests can walk around and immerse themselves into life at Stanbrook Abbey during the 1800’s. Staff are welcoming and friendly. They dealt with queries professionally and ensured our stay was pleasant and comfortable.

Amazing building & hotel, very relaxed atmosphere with good food and wine. What more can you ask for!