A wonderful stay at a lovely hotel. Exceptional food - especially the choc/praline soufflé.

The spa is so relaxing, intimate. I loved the outside pool area - it was snowing outside which was different.

We were upgraded on arrival (nice!). Exceptional staff - attentive, and knowledgeable about the food.

I wish they had firmer pillows, the ones in the room were too soft, and this did not suit my sleeping habit.

Nice quality bang and olufsen tv in the room.

My husband took me to Whatley Manor hotel & spa for a special birthday treat. From the moment we arrived we were taken aback at the beauty of the hotel and grounds. The hotel was originally built as a hunting lodge in 1920 but looks much older than this. The grounds are spectacular too, even in the winter. We really enjoyed an afternoon stroll around the formal gardens. From April they do garden tours with the head gardener on selected days.

We stayed in room 8, which was described as a "superior" room. The room was enormous with a four poster bed and double aspect views over both the entrance courtyard and the gardens. The room had all the usual facilities you would expect of a hotel room, as well as complimentary bottled water and a well-stocked mini bar. The ensuite bathroom had a large sunken bathtub as well as an incredible separate power shower and contained all the toiletries that we could have needed, as well as fluffy towels, robes and slippers.

We ate dinner at Le Marzot restaurant as we wanted a less formal dining experience - their main restaurant is a 2 Michellin starred restaurant. However, the quality of the food in Le Marzot was still exceptional. I had braised blade of beef followed by pear and pecan tart, and my husband had venison and mushroom pie followed by blueberry cheesecake - both were excellent meals. We were both thankful not to have ordered starters as the mains were so substantial that we would not otherwise have made it to such tasty desserts! The decor in Le Marzo is rather out of keeping with the rest of the hotel, having been styled like a Swiss chalet; however for us this did not detract from the meal at all.

We spent the remainder of the evening in the hotel lounge in front of an enormous open fire before retiring for the night. When we got back to our room we found that the hotel staff had not only refreshed the room and turned down the bed (without us requesting this service), but had also thoughtfully adjusted the lighting and put Classic fm on the radio. It is this attention to detail and focus on service that really makes a stay at Whatley Manor so special.

The following day we made the most of the hotel's spa facilities. For such a small hotel the spa facilities were very impressive, with sauna and steam rooms, heated stone relaxation beds and a pool area that is not suitable for swimming but has a timed jacuzzi programme, which makes it excellent for relaxing. We particularly enjoyed how the pool also went outside, meaning that you could enjoy the hot pool whilst being outside in the cold air. I had a massage and La Prairie facial that left me incredibly relaxed.

On checking out of the hotel the staff brought our car round to the hotel entrance and loaded our luggage into the car for us. We left having had an amazing stay, disappointed to be leaving and returning to reality! We would thoroughly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a special place to stay.

I took my partner to the restaurant for a special birthday. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel very welcome and our every need was addressed. Beautiful rooms which help make the occasion - big log fires in the lounges and they have the decor just right. The highlight has to be the food. Very seasonal (lots of game) and imaginative. Never had anything quite like it. And the service was first class. We will definately be going back the next time there is a special occasion.

We spent a very special weekend at Whatley Manor where every aspect of the hotel and service surpassed our expectations. Our room was huge, I'd give anything for a walk in wardrobe like that! Service throughout was attentive but unintrusive, the spa was a delightful surprise and the grounds are lovely. And the restaurant...simply brilliant. I have reviewed that separately, it is one of the top meals we have ever had!!