From arrival until we left, had a lovely time. Tea was good, surroundings and room was good. Room 6, small but lovely view. Very cold night so glad we stayed in main house. Wine list, over 500, chose a wine we were not sure of and was told if we did not like it, we did not have to pay for it. We loved it. All the food was top notch. We asked what butcher they used, they told us and the next day we purchased steak to have at home. Breakfast was lovely, the free range egg yolks were sooo yellow and tasty. I could go on and on but suffice to stay we enjoyed every minute and the surrounding towns and countryside was well worth the visit.

Terrific hotel - the friendliness and efficiency of the staff was truly outstanding ! The panoramic view across the countryside was fantastic. I look forward to going back there again.

The only reason for not scoring it 5 stars overall was the standard of food, which I felt was just average. Such a pity ! It could be one of the best in the country if only they can up their game in this department. Looking through the other reviews, it seems to be a recurring theme. I think they could do with bringing in one of the new breed of head chefs who have the passion and expertise to deliver the high standards that modern customers are demanding.

We stayed at the Cottage in the Woods for my birthday at the end of January, in a room in the Pinnacles where the view is undoubtedly beautiful. The weather was freezing cold so the next paragraph is particularly relevant

The things that I expect to work in any hotel (and hack me off when they don’t) all worked brilliantly: there was a good heating system, the room had a fan and good ventilation, the shower was so strong I glowed like I’d been in a blast furnace after using it, and most importantly, there was provision for fresh milk for my tea rather than that nasty UHT stuff beloved of lots of places. The food in the restaurant was very good on the first night and average the next – there must have been a different chef on the second night – and the breakfasts were excellent. I enjoy wine and it was a delight to read through the wine list where some interesting half bottles had been included for those whose tastes are not the same as their partners – so very well done there!

My slight reservation was the décor and TV in our room. I remember having a bedroom decorated a bit like this one in the late eighties. While I loved it then, times have moved on and the room needs to be rethought with respect to this. In addition, the TV was a bit too small to see comfortably when lying in bed and the remote didn’t work quite from the bed. A change of décor and a nice sized wall mounted flat screen TV with remote that worked would have had me raving about the place! Oh – and the décor in the dining room could do with an update as well…

More positives for the Cottage include the delightful staff with their ‘can do’ attitudes, the fact that the bedroom carpet had recently been changed and this certainly helped the overall impression given in the room. However, best of all were the binoculars for bird watching and a useful box of items in the drawer. Someone has obviously thought hard with regards to the overall comfort of the rooms (or stayed in some rubbish hotels!) in order to get so much SO right and if this is you and you are getting outvoted on the couple of small things I have mentioned here – please show your opponents my review!

I stayed here about 15 years ago and hope that the next time I stay there will be at least another rating star!

January 2012 : My Wife and I spent 3 nights at The Cottage in the Wood and were delighted with the comfort , ambience and friendliness of all the staff. The level of service was very high in every respect and this , combined with the Hotel's "unstuffy" approach made for a very relaxing atmosphere.

The Bedroom was warm and very comfortable with large windows offering stunning views across the Severn Valley. A large Bathroom/WC was well equipped which included a particularly good shower ( often a regrettable shortcoming in many Hotels )

The food was varied and superb - the Saddle of Venison was particulary scrummy ; as was the Cured Salmon starter , and the extensive Wine List is a sight to behold with wines to suit every taste and wallet. I could have browsed through it all evening !

Our stay was designed as a Walking Trip round the Malvern Hills , and as we planned to be out all day , we asked whether a Picnic Lunch could be provided by the Hotel. And what a lunch they provided : Smoked Salmon Sandwiches , Salad , Fruit , Yoghurt and , of course , Malvern Water. Just thing thing to get you up the steep climbs of the Malverns.

I will certainly return to the Malverns and my first choice of Hotel will definitely be The Cottage in the Wood.