Matfen Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa

The pool was gorgeous. It was a bit tricky downloading the app on the phone to open the door. The app would just shut down and it took at least ten tries. Staff was wonderful. Helpful and kind. Dinner was average. I ordered a cauliflower steak which was good, but a very high price for just a large piece of cauliflower. The map to walk around the grounds was confusing and I ended up on the golf course, which didn’t make some Of the golfers happy. Bed was one of the best I’ve ever slept in.

A beautiful hotel, set in lovely grounds with glorious views! Impossible to recommend too highly! We stayed a week & had the most wonderful holiday! We were 3 generations, the youngest being too young to be completely alone but too old for no privacy, so we got two interconnecting bedrooms (one sealed from the outside), each with its own bathroom, with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. It was a great deal and it really worked - the breakfasts are so generous that they keep even a teenager going until evening! And if you fancy a walk around the grounds before breakfast but would like an espresso in the bar first, that’s no problem: it’s prepared instantly, it tastes really good, and you’re not charged extra. Matfen is no cheapskate. Trips to its lovely, light & airy swimming pool are pure pleasure, because the water’s just the right temperature & they provide everything you could possibly need; there are loads of outdoor games like croquet or badminton; they lent us a putter & 3 balls so we could putt whenever, and it was a brilliant thing to do early in the morning or late in the evening. It’s impossible to list everything that’s great about this hotel, but it’s first-class at every level. You never see anyone cleaning, but it’s spotless, with all the brasswork glowing; clothes come back, carefully laundered, the same day; the gardens are immaculate, but wonderfully imaginative, and you can spend hours working out the different planting schemes, or simply enjoying them; the Keepers golf club is welcoming, with a nice terrace where you can enjoy a drink or a meal, and offering lessons from the kindest, most patient pro on the planet, with state of the art equipment; the chefs are all in a class of their own … Anyone reading this will be asleep by now, so I’ll stop, but not before saying that the jewel in Matfen’s crown is its staff - without exception, they are incredibly competent, hard-working and genuinely friendly, and will go to great lengths to ensure that guests are comfortable. I hope their hospitality will never be abused.

Arrived to a lovely welcome from receptionist for our Sunday lunch the setting is beautiful a bit of work going on to improve facilities but all very discreet not interfering with what was a lovely relaxing afternoon. The lunch was excellent and great value both food and service excellent. We sat out on patio afterwards for coffee’s, James was very attentive as were all of the staff we encountered we will definitely be back