Blackwell Grange Hotel

We recently hosted our daughter’s 4th birthday party at this hotel, and it was truly a wonderful experience from start to finish. The team went above and beyond to make the day special, and everything ran so smoothly. A special thank you to Helen, the Head of Housekeeping, whose attention to detail and high standards were clear throughout. The room looked absolutely spotless and perfectly prepared—it really set the tone for the whole event. The food was fresh, delicious, and arrived exactly on time, which made everything feel effortless. The service was beyond excellent—friendly, professional, and so accommodating with all the little requests that come with a children’s party. We’re so grateful to the entire team for making it such a memorable day. Highly recommend this venue for anyone planning a special occasion!

I gave this a 2 star review but only for the staff, the hotel itself is a 1 at best. This is definitely not a 4 Star hotel. It maybe gets this rating for ‘facilities’ but nothing else. The entrance is swanky and it stops there. I thought the price was reasonable when booking but that was for a reason. Cannot fault the staff, highly understaffed but the staff that are there are excellent. Helpful and polite whilst being rushed off their feet. Especially reception and bar, thank you. Rooms are very very tired. Lots of rot around the windows and you cannot swing a cat, they are so small. The photos are nothing like the hotel or rooms. Also, no air conditioning, as it’s an old building 😂 yeah, pull the other one. Seriously, do not stay if it’s hot, you get a desk fan and a window that opens about 2 inches. But you’ll be sweaty and at least smell like the rest of the hotel.

We took my aunt out for a special treat to celebrate her 91st birthday with afternoon tea. On the positive side, the sandwiches and cakes were absolutely delicious — we couldn’t have been more pleased with the quality. Unfortunately, there were several disappointing aspects that detracted from the experience. Firstly, we waited between 30 and 45 minutes for the afternoon tea to be served, which felt unreasonably long. When the food finally arrived, it was only prepared for three people instead of four, despite our booking confirmation — clearly noted in the email — stating we were a party of four. The most upsetting part came as we were leaving. While I had gone to get the car, a staff member came through two separate rooms to ask my family — publicly at reception — whether we had paid the bill. This was extremely embarrassing and upsetting. It would have been far more appropriate to first check receipts or ask colleagues before confronting guests in such a manner. Sadly, this experience overshadowed what should have been a joyful occasion. We won’t be returning.