The Elephant Hotel

Quirky place with high standard. It must have been a challenge to run a hotel in such an old building. My bathroom was freshly updated in a modern theme and worked to perfection. The bed was comfy and had a interesting frame. Nothing wrong with it but at some point in its life it must have had a water accident. It did not affect my sleep. We did not dine in nor did i have breakfast. It was a bit to expensive

Regrettably, this was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had, from the service and cleanliness to the food and drinks. This was meant to be a special occasion—my son’s 17th birthday—but it turned out to be truly disappointing. Restaurant Atmosphere & Cleanliness The restaurant felt cold and unwelcoming. The main desk had broken drawers precariously balanced on a wedge, with litter scattered around it. There was no ambiance, and staff were noticeably absent. Tables remained uncleared long after diners had left, adding to the overall sense of neglect. Drinks I ordered the Garden Fizz, but it contained black leaves, making it undrinkable. No one checked to see if we needed additional drinks, and my son’s empty Diet Coke bottle sat on the table for the entire meal. Food When booking, I was advised by Star to pre-order the tomahawk steak, with a 650g portion recommended for one person. However, I was charged for a 750g steak instead. Upon arrival, I confirmed the pre-order with our waitress and also asked if I could order two share plates as my main course. My food arrived, but my son’s did not. Despite following up with the waitress twice, we waited so long that I had finished my meal before his finally arrived. The waitress later admitted that she had been on a break and that the kitchen had “messed it up.” The food quality was equally disappointing. My Cajun chicken wings were overcooked to the bone, lacked seasoning, and were served with a store-bought blue cheese dressing. The potato from the tomahawk main course was grey inside, clearly pre-cooked and deep-fried multiple times. Service From the start, the service was unprofessional. Upon arrival, I introduced myself, only to be told to “sit over there.” Our waitress never introduced herself, checked on us, or cleared the table. When I received the bill, I was handed a revised version with the drinks removed—without any explanation. Since this was my son’s birthday, I refrained from making a scene, but I left extremely disappointed. I will never return and would not recommend this restaurant to family, friends, or colleagues.

I have stayed many times and usually an excellent experience, however this time in the twin room (24) not so good. It is clearly the accessible room and has a door directly to the car park. However this seems to be an internal door and had a horrendous draft. That teamed with the two main radiators in the room either not working at all or barely working led to a rather uncomfortable stay. The staff kindly gave me an electric heater to use which did help. Perhaps not the best room for winter!

Bar , Dinner and room all v good

Stay here often. Very well located for trains to Oxford & London. Great for M4.

Lovely but quirky place. One of those hotels that you love the quirkiness and the staff make it.