The Barnsdale, Rutland

The hotel feels as though it’s being run on a very tight budget. The entrance, right next to a large air-conditioning unit, makes for a poor first impression — and unfortunately it doesn’t improve much from there. The restaurant more or less runs itself,( or doesnt ) with staff who seem disengaged. At lunch, our waiter was wearing noticeably dirty trainers, which rather set the tone. There is no obvious Head waiter or management . Breakfast was particularly disappointing, both in quality and presentation. Dinner, somewhat surprisingly, was better in terms of the food, but the service remained inattentive. The corridors are bleak and have an almost institutional feel, more like a hospital than a hotel. The rooms follow a similar theme — functional, but not at all inviting. Bathrooms are "carpeted" with a sort of plastic carpet including around the toilet which is so helpful for any little drips. I thought this died out in the 70's ! Overall, it’s a rather depressing place to stay , and one gets the feel some sort of bean keeper tyoe accountant has chipped away at the budget for everything . To make matters worse, the staff were unable to offer even basic guidance about the local area.

Our wedding day at this venue was truly incredible, honestly, it’s so hard to put into words just how special everything was. Starting from the beginning, Lucy was amazing on the morning of the wedding, checking in on us and making sure everything was organised and running smoothly. She brought such a calm, reassuring presence which made such a difference. Emma, who ran our day, was simply outstanding. Nothing was ever too big or too small, she went above and beyond in every possible way. From helping with my children, to making sure my dress was always perfect, and even keeping a drink in my hand, she thought of absolutely everything. Even right up until the last song on the dance floor, she was there checking in to see if I needed anything. You could truly see how much she cared. The room turnaround was seamless, the staff worked so hard behind the scenes moving everything around for the evening, and it all came together perfectly for dinner. Lauren was also incredible in the lead-up to the wedding. She helped with all the planning and was always on hand to answer questions or help us personalise our day to make it exactly what we wanted. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble. This venue holds such a special place in our hearts, not only is it where we got married, but also where we got engaged, which makes it even more meaningful to us. Our stay was just as wonderful, we stayed for three nights and everything was perfect. The food was beautiful every evening, the spa was incredible and such a calming escape when I needed it most, and the family room meant we could all stay together which made being away from home so much easier. This venue truly ticks every box, beautiful surroundings, the most incredible staff, close to Rutland Water, and the perfect place for all your friends and family to stay and celebrate together. We couldn’t recommend it more.

What an amazing couple of nights away, with the most spectacular food to match, every evening we looked forward to eating and tasting the food. The steak was cooked perfectly with the crispy knoffman chips and IOW tomatoe salad. The lamb melted in your mouth each bite bursting with flavour. The steak tartare was a treat perfectly balanced with sharpness and sweet. The breakfast was delicious my only criticism would be to butter the toast on the scrambled eggs it did make it quite dry and not as pleasurable to eat. The staff were so friendly and attentive to all our needs, they went above and beyond to help us enjoy our stay. The room was very clean and beautifully presented. Loved the spa area and watching the Highland cows from the hot tub. I would highly recommended the treatments and the hot stone massge. The hotel is set in beautiful grounds.

We hosted our wedding reception at the Barnsdale. Lauren and Emma were fab all the way along and helped us bring all our ideas to life. The barn is absolutely beautiful, all our guests were amazed with the space. The kids loved having so much open space outside and made good use of the swing set. The BBQ menu was really delicious and loads of food. The pamper room was a real asset and gave us a relaxing place to get ready. On our wedding night we stayed in the Fort Henry suite, which was a lovely room. The breakfast at the hotel is really great and the breakfast host who looked after us was exceptional and so friendly.

Stir clear if its busy. We had no hot water evening and morning. ! Full capacity but not good enough. Was valentines. We dont recommend.

We had our wedding reception at the Barnsdale and it was everything we could have wished for. We were so well looked after in the buildup to the wedding and the day itself was seamless! The staff were fantastic and everyone loved the food! We stayed in the fort Henry suite and it was a lovely room in a peaceful location. I didn’t get the chance to use the pool and spa facilities but my guests made good use of them and really enjoyed it! I’d recommend this venue to anyone looking to have their wedding in Rutland ❤️ and a special thank you to Lauren and Helen for looking after us so well

We've stayed, dined and been entertained at the Barnsdale many times. Recently we used the Barn as the venue for a significant anniversary party. Great facilities for hosting an event, great staff and excellent organisation and service. Our friends that stayed were able to enjoy all the hotel facilities and made it a special weekend away rather than just a party.

The Barnsdale hotel offers a superb base to explore the amazing Rutland area. The hotel is spotlessly clean and the rooms are of a decent size with plenty of storage space. Tea and coffee facilities are most welcome. The electric shower over the really deep bath was brilliant. A hotel is only as good as its staff and I couldn't fault the Barnsdale.Every one was polite efficient and extremely helpful. We were given a free glass of wine on arrival and as it was a special occasion a lovely glass of bubbly was given at dinner. A shout out to Verity who looked after us for dinner. The food at the barnsdale is very good. Dinner in the evening excellent but a bit top end in terms of price. Breakfast was brilliant. Although we didn't use the spa facilities the well being room Sauna and swimming pool all looked very good. Would I stop there again absolutely.

From the outset of booking the Hotel to the end of our stay for our 40th anniversary the staff were very welcoming and friendly. On arrival we were treated to a glass of white wine and at the initial evening meal a further glass of bubbly. The rooms were of a high standard with high end complimentary teas, coffees and Biscuits. The setting of the Hotel was lovely and the facilities available matched the quiet ambience of the hotel. Cannot praise the staff enough.