Name: Weston Hall
Address: Weston Bank, Stafford, Stafford, Stafford, ST18 0BA, United Kingdom
Rating: 9

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Conference Hall

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Birmingham International Airport

East Midlands Airport

Manchester Airport

Whitworth Art Gallery

Weston Hall

Stafford

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kitchen

Weston Hall

It’s been quite a few weeks since our disastrous experience at Weston Hall and I’ve left it this time deliberately as I wanted to ensure that the emotions of the experience didn’t interfere with the facts. 

Firstly to be fair I must say the vast majority of the staff we interacted with were professional and very pleasant and they should be commended for their service, and on previous occasions we have visited it’s always been excellent however this time it wasn’t just bad it was terrible. 

Just a little background we were part of a party off 6 who booked in for New Year’s Eve each paying £240 per couple just for the evening and menu however for a special treat myself and partner stayed at the hotel for an extra £135 so £855 plus bar bills etc. 

For us the drama started when we arrived to check in, we found no signage as to where to check in and multiple options of doors to choose, after not knowing where to go my partner went in to the restaurant to ask and was told to check in at the side of the Bar, so leaving my bags and partner  outside as I don’t really feel it was right to be carrying bags through a restaurant when people are trying to eat and party I asked a staff member who was talking to another staff member where to check in where I was directed to the correct location where I found a male member of staff was sorting paper and playing with the till so I waited and waited to be served until after several minutes he walked off leaving me standing there, after another minute or two the barman noticed I was still waiting and asked if anyone was helping me to which I said no and he went to get someone, my first surprise was the person who came to serve me was the person who was talking to the staff member when I asked in the first place to check in .. obviously the conversation was more important (the person who I later found out was the Manager). 

Check in finally complete we went to the room or as would have better described it the igloo… so after trying to work out how to sort the heating out and playing with radiators and the thermostat, we looked round the room and noted it was a clean pleasant room … well at first glance, but i made the mistake of looking further. The tea and coffee facilities were in a nice basket bunged in the bottom of the wardrobe with pillows on top so you had to search for it or you wouldn’t know it was there.. when opened the milk inside it had previously been opened so no idea if it could be used, the draws had someone else’s clothes in and the room didn’t even have somewhere to put your bag such as a case stand which I’ve found as standard in all but the lowest budget hotel so not the best start for the night. 

So putting everything behind us we got ready for the evening! At the allotted time we headed down to the event to meet our family and friends. 

Arriving first we were welcomed by a drink however we decided to purchase drinks at the bar but unfortunately at the bar no one was interested in serving us as there conversation was obviously more important…. In fact I would actually say they deliberately ignored us as when others when to the bar the deliberately when to other customers.. when eventually served we waited for the others to arrive which seemed to take a while… when they eventually they did arrive we found that there experience seemed to be a troublesome one too.  Having one off the party using a wheelchair they informed me that they contacted the venue the day before and was told that all the event was to be held on the ground floor so thought there would be no issue with access however this wasn’t to be the case as the reception was on the first floor… not an issue as the floor could be accessed via the side entrance by the conservatory or so they had been informed however upon trying to access they found that a large round wooden table had been put in the way blocking the access so in order to get in two of the party and a passer by had to lift the table above their head in order for the wheelchair to be pushed under it (to give you an idea of size, the table was solid wood and would probable seat 10), when in one of our party advised a staff member of the issue so It could be resolved prior to having to leave. 

The remainder of the reception (10 - 15 mins) went without hitch with the canapés tasting excellent we hoped maybe the worst was behind us, that wasn’t to be the case… as we were then asked to head downstairs, we tried to leave with the wheelchair only to find the table hadn’t been moved so again we had to lift the table over our heads so the wheelchair could pass underneath and we made our way downstairs to try and get to the table which only got worse… The table was located at the back corner (the venue knew it needed disabled access) however the venue had gone for a pile them in approach so we had to get people seated to get up and move in order to get the wheelchair to the table.. this was repeated when trying to get to the toilet including trying to get a wheelchair over the dance floor (while in heavy use) to use the facilities in short a complete disaster including a few run over feet. 

The food what can I say.. the canapés were excellent but the rest was mediocre and I can state if I put all seven courses on a plate it would have been considered a starter in most venues for example the advertised bread course was about the size of a large crouton and the cheese and biscuits course was the same size for a table of 6 as if was for a table of two!

Well most people would agree with my thoughts surely nothing else could go wrong how could it…. I couldn’t have been more wrong.  As New Year was approaching (11:35) we went to the bar to order drinks and also to order Champagne for 12:00 as we had tried to order it three times during the evening but on each occasion we were told by the staff no as someone was coming round at 11:30 for that order, only to be told that the bar was now closed and no more drinks could be ordered and given the night was supposed to be on till 1 am.. I explained to the barman what we had been told and that we expected someone taking orders at 11:30 and he said so did he as that’s what he had been told but he’d been told the bar is now closed and there is nothing he can do! to be honest at this point I was completely livid and asked to speak to the Manager who I was pointed to (who had just sent others away who wanted drinks)  
I explained that simply the night was a disaster, what we were told and from check it there had been issued at which point she said as i was a resident I could order drinks and put them on to the room. hallelujah some luck although I felt for the others being turned away. 

Returning to the table I thought maybe we can try and enjoy what’s left of the New Year celebrations so we sat down with our drinks only to be told by another table the bar has re opened and they said what I had told them was wrong and they hadn’t closed it they were just winding it down… which was a blatant lie. So I returned to the bar to ask if a manager would be on tomorrow morning to discuss the shambles of an evening as frankly the whole night had been ruined with the drama, the bar man although very polite couldn’t say who would be on in the morning however suggested that I could speak to the Owner who was available now to which I agreed. 

The Owner then came out and asked if I could sit down and go through the issues, I’d like to say he patiently listened but he didn’t he wanted to comment back at every point and the only thing he acknowledged was the table being in the way! I got through only half the issues when he abruptly said well you’ve all upset the staff at which point I said I don’t accept that and I’d welcome you bringing these staff members we have apparently upset out so we could discuss it ( now I know for a fact we had been very nice and complimentary to the staff and the only people I had complained to was the Manager and the barman when they shocked me with the bars closed notice!) maybe they only have been trained to take praise?? but the moment I said this he said go back to your table and family to wish them happy new year… well I was in shock but given the clock was about to chime I agreed but said when I’ve wished my family happy new year and you have had the opportunity to do the same I’ll come back and we can continue our conversation. 

New Year formalities over I returned to continue our discussion especially given his baseless accusations only to be treated by a response that shocked me to the core. He simply said “I’m not ruining 110 people’s night by wasting my time talking to you” whilst storming off like a petulant child! WOW!! what can I say more. 

So I returned to the table my family left early and the night ruined by an Owner with no customer service skills at all. I can completely see where his manager got it from! 

Returning to the table I was however heartened by other customers who took the time to come over and point out their embarrassment at the behaviour of the Owner one even saying they could see everything going wrong for us and they felt they should apologise for enjoying the evening which I was very glad they did as I wouldn’t want anyone to experience the service or lack of we received. 

In conclusion with no where left to complain as it’s clear the owner doesn’t care about negative feedback this only compounded by reviewing previous poor feedback albeit a small amount, I think only a review would convey my distress. I need to add a word of warning to anyone wanting to hold a function at this venue, from previous experience your likely to have a great time and a great event but if it does go wrong the way you will be handled and treated may be terrible as it’s clear their is an element of rot in the establishment and as I’ve unfortunately experienced and that rot stems from the very top!

A special evening ruined, with an owner that doesn’t care!.

A lovely meal in a fantastic venue. We both had the set menu and each course was perfect. The last few times we have visited Weston Hall Cellar restaurant, we have been served by the same young man. He also served us last night and again, his service was impeccable so we asked his name; it was Jamie - so thank you Jamie, you are an absolute credit to Weston Hall. Finally, we take it in turns to drive and therefore not drink and the drinks menu features a vast array of non-alcoholic drinks, from beers and mocktails, through to gin, vodka, cider, amereto and best of all (for me at least) Guinness 0.0. A superb choice. Overall, another lovely evening at Weston Hall. 

Another great meal

We went for New Years Day lunch with my husband and also a treat for  my mom, who is over from Spain for the Christmas period. They offered a set 3 course menu. Each course had a nice selection to choose from. When the starters  were served, they were very. We thought that it was going to set a good standard for the main course of which we all chose the roast turkey dinner with the standard roasters. However, when they were served, all three dinners were luke warm, and the leeks in cheese sauce was  cold. The vegetables were served in a separately, the sprouts were not just undercooked, they were raw, and so was the cauliflower. Unfortunately, they were inedible we do like our vegetables eldenta but cooked. When the table was cleared of the plates, the waitress never asked if we enjoyed the meal. So, I actually mentioned the issues that we had and suggested that the chief tried the vegetables. On returning to the table, a waiter  offered us  a free drink we all chose to have the coffee as of  which was also lukewarm. The table service was very good and pleasant.  I just wished the food offered was of a good standard, but overall, it was a disappointing experience and would not be visiting again, and I wouldn't recommend it. However, the hotel is a lovely and historic building, and it's set in a lovely area. Shame about the standard of food

So disappointed 😞 

Visited with friends for the Christmas Festive Lunch.
This being a special Christmas treat for our party of 5.
From the moment we walked in the atmosphere and decorations were excellent.
We had a drink by the fire first before going to our designated table.
We all ordered 3 courses and the food was excellent for every course. I and my friends could not fault the food.
We were served by Maisie and could not fault the service, she was spot on- Thank you.
Overall I came away with friends that all agreed - now that’s what you call a Christmas Lunch 
Superb - Thank you. 👍😊

Superb Festive Lunch

We were intrigued to try out the "Guilt Free" afternoon tea at Weston Hall, which nobody else seems to offer. When we arrived the place was very full but the table we booked was already set out. The receptionist said they would fetch us menus but never came back to us. We flagged down somebody else who brought us the menus.

The "Guilt Free" afternoon tea is unusual in that it included fruit and the cakes and the biscuits had very low sugar if any. Ham was excellent quality. A nice touch is that the afternoon tea comes with an extra round of sandwiches at the same price. We had ordered a pot of tea but it never came. Mentioned it to someone else, but still no tea. On  the third attempt it came, so finally got there. Overall the food quality was really good.  

The marketing by Weston Hall is first class, but unfortunately the execution let them. 

Hopefully next time we visit the service will be up to standard.      

Could have been exceptional but service lacking

The difference between going in December for Sunday Lunch which was delicious and plentiful and going in February was astounding from the 2 very small slices of pork to a small bowl of vegetables between 5 which amounted to us having 2 French beans 2 sugar snap peas 1 piece of baby corn and a slice of carrot each we also paid £3.50 for a bowl of mash which had-no more than a tablespoon in it-and extra for a Yorkshire pudding each. With 4 desserts a bottle of wine and a bottle of water we paid £186 for the privilege of going home hungry. Sadly l think our Sunday Lunches are done now at Weston Hall 😞

The smallest portions I’ve ever been served.

I visited here last Saturday for my daughters 21 st birthday, our first time there and must say there's something really special about the place the food was delicious and really well presented especially the Barnsley chop it was incredible! The staff were very attentive and helpful especially Ollie who looked after us for the majority of the evening he made my daughters birthday extra special by giving her a cocktail on the house aswell as a birthday plate he was very pleasant and constantly had a smile on his face despite it being a busy Saturday day he still made plenty of time for us! Thank you for a lovely night and will definitely be returning for future birthdays and family meals.

Fantastic meal !

Met friends here yesterday for afternoon tea. Have been here many times before, rather than other venues, even though it’s more expensive because of the lovely setting and sandwiches which were previously unlimited. Unsure when there was a change of policy, but we came away very disappointed yesterday. The sandwiches are no longer unlimited. We were told there was one refill only and any additional refills would be £2.50 per person per refill. The sandwich helpings are on the small side and we felt that this is quite expensive for sandwiches, given that the afternoon tea is already £25 per person. To add insult to injury, a 10% service charge (£2.50 per person) was automatically added to the bill. This was never practice here before and not a very customer-friendly marketing ploy. We were given the option of removing it when we questioned the price,  but felt put in an awkward position so paid the service charge anyway. This would be more appropriate as an optional add-on when using the card machine, rather than being automatically slapped onto customers’ bills! As already said, extremely disappointed with our experience - especially with the sandwiches no longer being refillable. Have been a regular customer over the years, but will now be exploring other venues for afternoon tea.

Afternoon Tea

Four of us visited Weston Hall on a Saturday for afternoon tea; two traditional and two gentleman’s afternoon teas. 

Despite the tea being advertised as “in front of an open log fire in the Winter”, we were seated in a dark corner without a fire.

Upon reviewing the menu, we were asked to make the server aware of any sandwiches/cakes we didn’t want - this information was already provided upon booking. We asked if the fish/egg sandwiches could be replaced with cheese (not on the menu); I’m not sure why the server entertained our request as she told another table nearby this wasn’t possible (the “unwanted” sandwiches were replaced with the same sandwiches/fillings we did want, so we ended up with 5 sandwiches of the same filling).

Unfortunately the traditional afternoon tea was a little disappointing - 5 small sandwiches and 5 small cakes each, they could have easily passed as bite-sized or samples! The only positive was that the cakes and sandwiches were tasty. 

You can have another round of sandwiches for “free” but extra cakes are £2.50. We didn’t want any more sandwiches considering they’d all be the same filling… 

The gentleman’s tea was pleasing; a nice range of food, very tasty and something different for those who aren’t into traditional afternoon tea. We had an extra beef cob which was “free”. 

The bill arrived with a 10% discretionary service fee added - this was expected (as advertised on their website) but still cheeky. Yes, you can ask for it to be removed, but most people would feel too awkward to do so (which is probably why it’s added)!

Overall, the afternoon tea was okay but disappointing - I was expecting a lot more from Weston Hall. 


Disappointing 

Met friends for afternoon tea.  Good old fashioned and excellent service.   Rare to get that nowadays.  Afternoon tea was beautifully presented and delicious.  Unlimited sandwich top ups and tea left us with no room to eat all the fabulous cakes.  Having said that take home boxes were duly supplied.  A lovely afternoon and we will definitely go back.

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