inncollectiongroup.com Reviews 33

Bamburgh Castle Inn, Seahouses. Very pleasant staff and decor with some sea views. Average to good main course served quickly and up to 9pm (which is good these days). But you lost your 5th star for an absolutely terrible Sticky Toffee Sundae. Just vanilla ice cream and a few thin slivers of cake. That is NOT a sundae. And not worth £7.95. That is not a typo: £7.95!

My wife booked a family room on the "winter break" offer some months ago. This was for us and our grandson who was on half term. The night before we were going to arrive, my wife and grandson were both really ill and vomiting. The next morning I called the Inn Collection and explained the circumstances and asked of we could re-book. The answer was definitely NOT. I suggested would they rather we turn up and possibly give the bug to other guests and staff. They were not bothered and said as per the terms there was no option to cancel or get a refund. Their customer service needs reviewing and give more consideration especially in this situation where so many bugs are going around. I have unsubscribed from their emails and will never us them again. seems other people feel the same given the number of terrible reviews.

Worth a shout out to this Inn Collections venue.

Whilst there are questions and issues with the developing App for the group, and the branded breakfasts are nothing special, the reality is that the WInter Warmer packages are a good buy and a great way to explore areas and experience things that you might not otherwise do.

The Bamburgh Castle Inn provided exactly one of those experiences. Off season so not too busy, this area opened a new eye on the North East. Seahouses and the beaches were beautiful, the historic area was fabulous, the tours and excursions in the area were unique, and Bamburgh Castle itself was in sight of the venue and a nice walk, or short drive away.

Backing all that up, the room we were given had it's own little fenced in garden, so it was perfect for the dog, the staff were kind and accommodating, and the food was excellent.

This was a great discovery for us, and whilst the Inn collection group has a few areas of growth to develop, this hotel was a great example of was successful hospitality can look like.

Very impressed and the venue deserves the five stars that I am delighted to offer in this review.

Called with a view of booking in 20 friends for lunch.
Did not register for parking, but receptionist said it was Ok seeing that we were making an enquiry. To be respectful, we decided to pay for a couple of coffees whilst discussing and viewing the menu, toilet facilities,etc. Duly left but received a parking fine from Smart Parking for £100. Duly challenged and explained the purpose of our calling at the Swallow Fall Hotel, Betws y Coed,was simply to make a business call. Forget about Smart Parking Ltd who could not understand our complaint despite a full report of the reason we parked there for a few minutes. Forget The Inn Group Ltd as I have given up trying to contact them by email as it simply does not
get through.Sadly we have decided to avoid at all costs our regular visits to both the Swallow Fall Hotel and the Bull's Head in Beaumaris because of the shambles and the loss of the parking fine.Total
disaster.

We are in our 70’s and stayed a night in the Windermere rooms which was next to the road and had a family with two large dogs directly in a room above. The noise till very late was horrendous I would have thought it would be common sense to have families with dogs on the ground floor.It was a shame because the breakfast in the pub opposite was very nice.We shall not be staying at an hotel in the inn collection group again.

We were planning to go to the Pheasant at Bassenthwaite but a snow storm meant we couldn’t get past Grasmere. The inn collection were brilliant allowing us to transfer our stay to The Swan at Grasmere . The staff at the Swan were amazing particularly Connor who is surely a rising star of the company .
The room and food were lovely , great value for money . Highly recommended

Well I will never book another Christmas in one of your pubs after the debacle at the Kings Head, Newton under Roseberry on Christmas Day. It was a total fiasco with staff running round like headless chickens and no one in charge. Our meal was booked for 3pm and our starters finally arrived at 5pm. We had cold food but didn’t complain as we were starving and only got out at 7pm. Many people left before their main course as they had hungry children and were furious. An old lady told me she was going home for a jam sandwich and I’m not sure she was joking. People next to us bought packets of crisps to keep them going. We paid £150 to have our whole Christmas Day ruined. The staff didn’t know what anyone had ordered and blamed the computer system going down. Strangely the tills kept working. We were offered a free drink but a sparkling water didn’t anywhere compensate for our experience.

Myself and my husband had lunch at the Kings Head Newton under Roseberry on 28 November. We weren't that impressed with the food or service at the time. However. 3 weeks later we received a car parking charge notice for £100 from Smart Parking who run their car park. We parked for less that the 2 hour limit, in a disabled bay having correctly displayed the blue badge. At the bar there was a screen facing customers which was completely blank and none of the staff mentioned it so we assumed that the machine was not working correctly or switched off. We have experience of similar systems and the screens are usually lit, prompting patrons as to their function as do staff-not the case at the Kings Head. On receipt of the parking charge, we rang the Kings Head to discuss but were met with complete ambivalence and disinterest except to advise that we go through Smart Parking appeals process. I would point out that this process requires proof of purchase - paying by wifi the Kings Head did not issue a receipt! Staff must be aware of the system so why do they not automatically give a receipt? This raises the question - perhaps the establishment receives commission on fines? We shall not be paying the fine, nor shall we be patronising this establishment again and would advise everyone to vote with their feet and stay away.

Stayed at the Kings Head in Unbelievably our room had been booked in twice, no mention on arrival so you can imagine how annoyed we were to find our stay cost us twice the price. On contacting customer service we were met with no understanding of the situation just tough ! Why was it not mentioned on check in? The room had mould all around the windows ,shower room tiny. Food was average . Asked for a taxi for 7 pm , at lunchtime, went to the bar at 6.30 ,oh sorry we forgot. Had to wait for one to come all the way from Middlesbrough. Was asked to leave early on the Monday as the hotel was being closed for a refurb . Only us and another couple there but there was no offer of a refund as we were told we could have let the room, but had we been told on check in we could have cancelled 2 days! Stayed in this hotel chain before many times but will not use them again absolutely atrocious customer service, poor guest relations , as a company you should train your staff in guest relations and some empathy. Your customer services Manager is just rude and needs to look for a job she is more suited to .

I have stayed at a number of this chain’s hotels previously and thoroughly enjoyed my stay
Last night we stayed at the Knaresborough Inn. The room was comfortable and the evening meal tasty. However, the bar was understaffed - I had to wait until someone came to the bar each time I wanted to get serve and they did not carry a number of drinks, or had run out. I ordered two cocktail having seen a huge sign in the corridor from our room stating that they were offering two cocktails for £14 - not so, when I came to pay the following morning - as they were not two of the same. Neither the big poster, nor the bar attendant, when he eventually appeared, made any mention of this. At checkout, the receptionist just shrugged and was not interested citing “terms and conditions” which were nowhere to be seen!
At breakfast there was no-one clearing tables when I went, and I had to sit at a table surrounded by other peoples plates, as there was nowhere else to sit. Black pudding was clearly written on the menu but was not available with the excuse, oh we have not got any today.
In summary, misleading and sloppy customer service and lack of staffing.

I booked to stay at the Seaton Inn on the 29th September was going to arrive late but you cannot contact them to tell them, when i arrived the hotel was locked up the EMERGENCY number on the door for late arrivals was switched off had to sleep in my car. DISGRACEFUL they dont even respond to your emails or feedback.

We stayed at The Stables Whitby and absolutely loved it! The staff were all really friendly and professional: and worked hard to give a warm welcome. Nothing was too much trouble.
Our room was clean and comfortable- I believe the hotel has recently been refurbished.
We ate in the restaurant every night and enjoyed the extensive menu.
What an amazing place! Would definitely recommend.

We stayed at the Amble Inn, Amble. Our room was the furthest end off the corridor despite the fact that I had said my wife had walking difficulties when pre-registering. Fortunately there was a door to the rear driveway which gave her access from outside. The room itself was fine but the toilet did not flush well and took a very long time to fill once you got it to go. I mentioned this to reception and was told all the rooms are the same and they were hoping to change the toilets next year, which wasn't much help to us. The restaurant on our first evening was extremely noisy. There was a party of 8 adults and as many small children who seemed totally out of control with high pitched screaming and rushing around. Not the Inns fault but it did not make for an enjoyable evening. The staff were friendly enough and help sort out my Wi-Fi reception. Overall we did not enjoy our stay.

We stayed for two nights at the offshore, Lytham, Lancashire. After an initial issue on arrival due to one of the lifts not working, we had our room changed to the other side of the hotel. This was a big help as one of our group was elderly.
The staff were all very nice and chatty, Mandy the manager worked hard to ensure things worked well. I have to say I am not sure when she slept as there all the time.
Room we had was a family ground floor family room, it was clean and had everything, even many plug sockets for all your chargers.
Food ordered for dinner was nice, breakfast also very nice, brought out to you.one of thebmorning staff provided many stories of playing football for preston north end.
Well done to all.

We had high hopes for our stay at the Bamburgh Castle Inn, but it sadly fell far short of expectations.

Firstly, after paying online, we received no email confirmation of the booking. I had to phone the hotel myself to check whether we were actually booked; not the kind of uncertainty you want when you've already paid.

On arrival, we discovered there were only five guest parking spaces for the entire hotel. We were lucky to get one, but were then advised to leave the car there for the entire stay or risk losing the spot.

We had requested a quiet room with a firm king-size bed due to back issues, but ended up in room 12, which was neither quiet nor as described. The bed was uncomfortably soft, and the room was directly above the beer garden and kitchen extractor fans: incredibly noisy, more like staying at an airport than a coastal inn.

We were told the fans would be switched off by 9pm, and we presume switched on early (however we didn't stay long enough to find out). We asked about moving rooms from the first night, but none were available. The only option offered the next day was a downgrade, which wasn’t acceptable.

With no decent alternatives, we ended up cutting the trip short and driving home. I had driven for over six hours in one day, not ideal at all, especially for an 81-year-old.

Upon returning home, we enquired with the reservation team about the possibility of a discount or refund. This was promptly denied as they claimed we were offered alternative accommodation. Not true for our first nights stay, as the place was full, and nothing more could be done on that night.

This was not the relaxing break we’d hoped for, and unfortunately, we won’t be returning or recommending it.

On the 7th April, at The Black Swan in Helmsley, I booked a double room with a shower, preferably on the ground floor, as my wife and I have mobility issues. I was told there was only a small flight of stairs to our room number 23, On arrival we were shown a corridor and told the room was down there. It was quite a distance to walk and there were a few flights of stairs to negotiate. There is no lift. We are both Blue Badge holders and I was told parking was available. There are no guarantees that there will be a space available, if you leave the car park. Parking is very limited especially on a Friday when its market day.
Our room was basic and out dated. On looking round I found a note saying to leave used towels in the shower, there was already one there left by the previous guests. There were no toiletries only a soap dispenser which provided very watery liquid soap. The toilet was small, wedged between the shower, the wall and the toilet roll holder. Underneath the toilet seat was badly stained with urine, looked as if it had never been cleaned.
On the Friday we reserved a table for dinner at 6pm. We chose a starter of garlic mushrooms, the portion was very small. I had the steak and ale pie which was poor quality, with a few chips, a bit of cabbage and two slices of carrot.
We were asked if we wanted a couple of free drinks instead of the daily room cleaning service, as we were stopping for only two nights we accepted the drinks.
We had breakfast on the Sunday morning. The full English consisted of:
1 sausage,
1 rasher of bacon (over cooked}
1 egg
1 hash brown (nugget size)
1 small piece of black pudding
1 small spoonful of baked beans
........................over priced at £13 !!!
My wife had porridge which was too thin, would have been better served as a drink in a mug.
The counters for the continental breakfast were poorly organised, along with the tea/coffee. The rotary toaster was in use with no supervision, definitely too dangerous for children to use.
Overall an overpriced weekend, and on leaving we had to pay £75 for evening dinner x2, and 2 packed lunches.

We experienced a few issues during our recent 3-night stay (8-11 July) at The Wateredge Inn, Ambleside. Being aware of this, when we checked out, we were advised to email our concerns to the area manager and copy in the head office. This we did and instantly received an automated response from the head office confirming receipt of the email.
That was now 10 days ago, and since then we have heard nothing. We can only take this as a measure of the company's regard for customer service.
Rather than write a specific review here, we will post our email so that those reading it can make up their own minds. Sorry it's a bit lengthy.

"Having recently stayed at The Wateredge Inn, Ambleside, we thought it only right to share our experience with you.
This was our first time stopping with The Inn Collection, and we chose it following a recommendation from friends who stayed at one of your hotels in North Yorkshire earlier this year.
After visiting your website, we selected The Wateredge Inn mainly for its location and because it was dog-friendly. Our booking was for 3 nights from 8-11 July in a Windermere double room. Your website states, "Our newly refurbished Windermere Double or Twin Rooms are located only moments from the Wateredge Inn. Guest Check-in and breakfast is at The Wateredge Inn. These rooms are located in close proximity to The Wateredge Inn where the dining facilities are located." What it doesn't mention is that you have to cross a busy road to get from it to the main hotel and restaurant, and back again - not ideal with 2 dogs in tow. Our booking confirmation also made no mention of our allocated room (55) being at the very top of the building, and climbing 3 flights of stairs with the dogs and my hip mobility issues proved somewhat daunting.
The room itself was pleasant enough, although the shower was somewhat of a lottery. I can only put the lack of hot water on some occasions down to the room being at the end of the line, and therefore dependent on how many other guests were showering at the same time. I would also suggest that someone take a look at the very loose wall tiles behind the towel rail before they fall on someone's foot.
Prior to our arrival, we had phoned to book a table in the restaurant for the evening of Tuesday 8th, only to be told it was walk-in service only, but not to worry, as being residents, we would be looked after. We went to the restaurant around 7 pm, found a table, and having selected our meals, my wife then queued at the bar for 15 minutes to place our order. At the point of ordering, she was told the food wouldn't be available for a further 1 hour and 10 minutes. That's not exactly being looked after as residents, but not having had the opportunity to check out the local area for other dining options, we decided to grin and bear it and got our meals just before 8:30 pm. The following evening, we ate at the nearby Youth Hostel, a more limited menu but excellent service. We opted to give The Wateredge another chance on our final evening. opting to eat in the garden as the weather was so nice. On this occasion, the wait for food was 30 minutes, which was acceptable. The food arrived, but our table had not been cleared from the previous occupants. The server left the food and walked off, so I piled the dirty crockery and glasses on the far side of the table and fetched a couple of paper napkins so I could give the area we were eating on a wipe down. We brought this issue to the attention of the lady in charge, Vicky, who apologised, citing how busy they were. We accept it was busy, but that is no excuse for serving food on an unclean table.
When I logged into the free Wi-Fi on the day we arrived, I was invited to join the Inn Crowd, which I duly did. I subsequently received an email part of which stated, "On your first stay you can enjoy 10%* off a flexible bed and breakfast stay!" When we checked out on Friday morning, I showed this email expecting a 10% reduction, but was told the discount didn't apply to what was our first stay with The Inn Collection as it needs to be applied for at the time of booking. Maybe that could have been worded better in the email I was sent.
Hopefully, this doesn't read as if our stay was all doom and gloom, as it was far from it. It could, however, have easily been so much better. One particularly nice touch that we appreciated came when we were checking in. We were asked if we needed our room serviced every day, or would we prefer drinks vouchers for a couple of days instead. Keen to do all we can for the environment and not expecting clean towels and the like each day, we eagerly accepted the drink vouchers. That did, however, make me question the validity of the charge of £30 each day for our dogs.
As I said at the beginning, we just wanted to share our experience with you, as maybe you will feel there is room for improvement in certain areas."

3rd Review update: Almost a week and no response from a General manager.

2nd review update: Since emailing the restaurant I was told it was my lack of communication during my visit that was at fault. As I didnt communicated regarding my meal, after multiple attempts of communicating which all felt short at previous issues. At this point I gave up trying. To which I asked should I have trained their staff whilst I was at it? No sincere apology and a lack of acknowledgement of the restaurants fault. However the assistant manager then did agree the meal was not up to the normal standard after reviewing a photo I provided them with, yet offered zero compensation. Just my fault as I didn't tell them then and there, after communicating different issues. Shocking customer service, the tone of the response kept putting the blame on myself rather than taking ownership. Would personally say avoid. You go to a restaurant to relax and be a guest, this certainly wasn't my experience during and with the aftercare. Apparently it'll take over a week for another manager to get back to me 'as they have a busy schedule ' I'm glad to hear customer care is far down on priorities of the list.

Review: wanted to share some feedback following a disappointing experience at your restaurant recently.
Upon arriving, I went to the bar to order two espresso martinis and was told to wait. After several minutes, I politely asked if I could sit down and have the drinks brought over, as I have a bad leg and standing was causing discomfort. Unfortunately, I was told no and to continue waiting, despite explaining my situation to the staff member.
Later, when ordering mains, I attempted to change my order moments after placing it, due to the kitchen not having the order I wanted so wrongly chose my order. Instead of checking with the kitchen promptly, I stood at the till for 5–10 minutes while staff tried to figure it out. I was eventually told the change was fine, only to be informed just before the food was served that it hadn't gone through after all.
When our meals arrived, we were not given any cutlery. A staff member eventually fetched some, but not before another rolled their eyes at the situation. The food itself was disappointing: the corn on the cob was burnt and inedible, as were the potatoes.
Throughout the evening, empty glasses remained on our table despite staff regularly walking past. For the price of the meal and drinks for two people, the level of service we received was extremely disappointing.
I don’t usually leave complaints, but I felt this experience needed to be shared. I hope you take this feedback seriously and work with your team to improve the service and attention to detail, especially when customers raise genuine concerns, please come back to me on the above. Unable to email via website.

We stayed at the seaton Lane inn in Seaham near Durham we took our Yorkshire terrier we all had a brilliant time the inn was immaculately clean as was our room staff brilliant and helpful. It was our anniversary and they left a message in our room saying happy anniversary which was a lovely thought. The dinner was lovely and so was the breakfast loads to choose from. This is the 2nd time we have been and definitely go again.

Booked a few days at Ambilside inn for 2 pensioners with mobility issues, no mention of no parking in the description for Ambilside amenities had free cancellation until week before after this date with us all packed and ready to go they sent a text including the fact there was no parking and we had to use public car parks and walk to the inn, disgraceful, why not state this in initial info not make potential customers hunt for it. Why ? because you would lose booking which you are then taking money for after cancellation date. When booking beware of this atrocious practice. Needless to say we couldt go and are now nearly £500 poorer.