We stayed at the Abbot Hall Hotel in a large group. The staff were great, especially the Manager, Amanda, who was very approachable. The grounds were fabulous, with space for outdoor games, seating outside in the gardens for drinks and even a playground for the children.
We were lucky to get one of the superior rooms (room 8) which looked like it had just been refurbished. It was huge, with a great bathroom and contemporary design. We had our two small children in the room with us with plenty of space available for us all to move around in.
They have a lovely conservatory area which doubles up as a cafe, which is bright and airy. The other public rooms are a little dated but are comfortable. The food was standard British grub - nothing to write home about, but nice and filling.
Overall we had a great stay and would consider returning again, if the superior rooms were available.

This hotel belongs to a Christian Guild, and the service and facilities they provided were both extraordinary; the staff behaved more like hosts, rather than staff, and you were thier personal geusts. I never have recieved so much courteous service from a hotel in my life of traveling Europe; they apparrently combine professional service with genuine graciousness, and make you feel like a guest in thier home. The amenities were out of a story book; trails, beach, indoor heated pools, sitting rooms with fireplaces, planned events, community events, choreography of the same, and total cheerful courtesy; these people actually cared about everything.

We have stayed at this hotel 3 times now. The staff are generally very pleasant although we found some of them to be a little too 'matey' and beware one of the managers who will talk your ear off given half a chance. Food is mixed, but lots of choice on the menu and some very nice deserts. There is only one time at which you can dine so not very flexible if you want to go out for the day. Waiting on staff are very attentive. Superior rooms are pleasant but others not so nice and at first were suprised not to have a television in the room. If you are expecting a luxurious stay this is not for you but for a laid back stay it's ok and good value for families. Swimming pool is a great asset!

For this weekend we went back to the 1960s type rooms no T.V. or radio ,bath but no shower a lot of cash need to be spent on an much needed upgrade ,food poor for the price