Brasserie At Ellenborough Park

Positives first. The hotel and grounds are stunning. But…… what has happened to the standards of food and service. I made a lunch reservation for two friends and myself as a special treat which we had been looking forward to for some time. On arrival, I would have expected to be shown to the table, but instead we were handed menus and pointed in the direction of a table at the end. This was laid up for 4 people so I had to check with the waiter this was the correct table. If I book for three then I expect the table to be laid for three and not have to start moving furniture and table settings. We ordered drinks and our food. Drinks arrived and some water. At no point during our meal did the waiter offer to pour the water or drinks for us. The food arrived after an extremely long wait and was a complete let down. My fish and chips were almost indelible. Chips OK but the batter on the fish was rock hard and almost impossible to cut into. There was very little fish inside the batter. I have no idea what went wrong with the mushy peas – they were anaemic and a very strange texture. £24 was a ridiculous price for something which wasn’t tasty or enjoyable. My friend had the chicken club sandwich which arrived with cold toasted bread. The sandwich was not advertised as toasted and she had great difficulty biting into the tough texture. Something else I noticed was the odd choice of crockery. The mains were served on modern plates but the side plates were floral china. Incidentally the mis-matched side plates were not used, so no idea why they were there. Bottom line is that the lunch we had been looking forward to was overpriced and a massive disappointment . Not what we expected from a 5 star hotel. The kitchen needs a shake up and waiting staff need more training. Management need to ensure standards live up to the high prices.

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We had hoped the fine dining restaurant would be available but apparently the chef left before lockdown and hasn 't been replaced, so this is the only dining option. As it was a warm evening we opted to eat outside on the lawn (couldn 't have a carriage as they are for four, or a hefty minimum spend), lovely, though the wind was a bit nippy whistling round the buildings. I ordered a glass of sauvignan blanc and wast shocked that it was served in a PLASTIC glass which I queried, it 's in case glass breaks and a dog hurts its feet! (though customers with jugs of tap water, on the lawn tables, had glass jugs and glasses). It did make me wonder who the paying customer was but, credit to David, the Duty manager, he swiftly brought me a real glass. The food was delicious, particularly the fish main course, and we moved indoors for part of the meal as it was becoming chilly outside. This was all arranged without fuss. Overall a good experience, apart from the glass hiccup!

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I don’t think I’ve ever been to a restaurant with so many staff that didn’t know what to do with themselves. Waited for ever to order drinks and asked specifically to have our gins in highball glasses not the goblet type and after 15 minutes I could see goblets being filled at the bar the girl who took the order didn’t pour the drinks or serve them 3 separate people to do one job. The whole night was the same. Normal peas please she wrote it down but along cane crushed peas. No one came to do the “is everything ok with your meal” glasses and bottles piled up. Staff were bumping into each other spilling our port. People came in after us ate and left, we were so messed about. Food was average burgers not difficult but as a 5* Hotel I’d expect excellent not average. Sort your staff out and redo your menu to be a little more creative.

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Came recently for my Christmas present that I must use. An indulgent spa package which included a set menu glass of fizz. I chose the fish and a desert. All was very tasty and service impeccable. My spa treatment was lovely and I went home feeling relaxed and indulged !!

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Varied menu to select from including traditional roasts through to sandwiches. Jay looked after us (as usual) delivering a very high standard of service. Special mention for their cauliflower cheese!

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