Callow Hall in Derbyshire Dales

Review for the restaurant. Stunning location and building, beautiful decor. Service was brilliant, and the food was delicious. Great cocktail menu and everything was well presented. Highly recommended for a special occasion.

After a positive first visit for lunch where staff were in abundance and couldn't do enough for you, our second visit was a huge disappointment. We booked afternoon tea via their website for six people (3 kids and 3 adults) and were only made aware that children's afternoon tea had to be booked 24 hours in advance, yet there was no mention of this on their website or online menus. Online booking only allows adults to be selected and not kids. It's farcical to find such an expensive establishment that can't create a properly functioning website/booking form. I called them after making the booking but they didn't answer (unsurprisingly). We had three very disappointed kids who had to make do with an egg sandwich as they didn't like the others; nor did they like the cakes. I enjoyed the food but the service was far too slow. The time between receiving sandwiches and cakes was about 30-40 minutes which meant there was no tea to have with the cakes. Additional pots of tea cost extra! After settling the bill, we were less than impressed with the overall experience which the high price doesn't reflect. If you're wondering about booking afternoon tea, I'd recommend it for the taste but not for the service. I'll visit again as it's such a beautiful place, but I'll come with much lower expectations.

So my husband and I decided to stay in one of the Wildhive Callow Hall hide rooms as a treat for my birthday. It was a little pricy but I saw they had won Best Hotel in Peak District, narrowing beating one of our favourites The Peak Edge hotel. The hide was lovely. Bed amazing. So cosy and comfortable. Fabulous views and made the birthday weekend a little special. We booked to dine in the Garden Room restaurant with admittedly high expectations. First, they didn’t have own reservations. But not a problems, a little glitch is fine. We got a table no problem. Then a few more minor slips, our starters arrived before we got our drinks, then bread without oil or butter. My starter, the scallop ceviche served without a spoon. Still all these trivial things wouldn’t dampen our evening. But then the food was sadly disappointing. Very little texture or flavour. I went on to have lamb cooked 3 ways. But the fat on the lamb chops was not properly rendered, which is a great shame. The accompanying feijao Portuguese beans were really overpowering. Not really complementing and should have been a separate dish. My husband had peaches and burrata - which he enjoyed and was the best part of the dinner. However the hogget noisettes were chewy and again the fat hadn’t been rendered so pretty disappointing flavour. It’s such a shame .

Stayed here in the wooded section (willow)for a wedding. it was incredible. Food is outstanding and the service was second to none, everyone very friendly. Would strongly recommend!

A really beautiful location , we had afternoon tea in the garden room restaurant which is a gorgeous space

The good: the restaurant is in the most beautiful setting and the hotel is fabulous. Staff were incredibly friendly and the sommelier recommended an amazing bottle wine which we enjoyed thoroughly. The bad: Sadly the food for us didn’t hit the mark. We ordered a range of dishes which all looked amazing on the plate but were under seasoned, parts overcooked and bland. Such a shame! The fresh lobster we were recommended was sadly inedible, mushy and cold. That was £39. Ouch. I feel if they changed to simpler, classic dishes done perfectly (with a smaller menu maybe) instead of putting too much emphasis on the presentation and huge diversity of dishes, they’d be onto a winner. Sorry guys - we really wanted to love it, but for £100 per person, we won’t be back.

Really great all around. Charming design, comfortable beds, and everything very fresh and clean. Photos don’t do it justice. Gorgeous views from the restaurant and the front-facing rooms of the main house. The staff is excellent—accommodating, professional, and attentive without ever being stiff. We stayed in the house, which was ideal for us since we were a group of friends and wanted to be close to each other. We enjoyed spending evenings in the various rooms of the ground floor, talking and playing games. The “hives”, scattered through the woods, also look appealing, and are very secluded—might have to try them next time. The bar and restaurant were excellent. The steaks in particular were so good that some of us had them two nights in a row. I’d absolutely stay again.

We came here to celebrate my mums special birthday . The whole process from organising the lunch with the events coordinator (Dana), to the jaw-dropping beautiful hall and surroundings, the service and the food was absolutely outstanding . So lucky to have a place like this close-ish to us- what a treat . Thank you to Callow Hall for making the whole experience so amazing xx

Just had a pint on the terrace. Lovely place to stop off for refreshments on a walk. Just off Tissington trail.

£150 for lunch which took an hour to arrive when the restaurant was half empty. Food was fine but not great.

We haven't even stayed there yet.... but absolutely blown away with the care and attention we have received regarding our daughters wedding due in July. The communication and thoughtful assistance in preparing for our stay is exemplary. Can't wait for the big day x

Most amazing hotel I’ve been to in a while. The location is stunning, hotel is beautiful and all of the team members were amazing, especially Adrian who went above and beyond to make our stay amazing. Would definitely visit again.

What a gem !!.. we stayed in the Roost Treehouse ...could not fault it..set in beautiful woodland with lovely views and walks. AMAZING!! The hotel and restaurant is lovely with very attentive staff..who aim to please..nothing too much trouble ..buggy service to the treehouse ! Thankyou very much to all the hard working staff who made our stay most memorable...we will definitely be back ! Jan & Derek Lofthouse.

Wonderful stay in the treehouse, unique weekend experience. All staff are so attentive and friendly. The food is delicious, great variety of choices and all local organic products. Treehouse was so cosy and warm in the middle of nature, and plenty of tea/coffee choices for your morning!

We arrived in good time for our lunch, to be told by the maitre d that they did not have our booking, in spite of my husband having booked it at least 3 weeks previously by telephone, however, they had a free table for us. The guy that showed us to our table was cold and unfriendly and did not make us feel at all welcome, but the rest of the staff were very nice. We both ordered the roast beef from the Sunday Best menu, but then were told this had run out. We then both ordered the belly pork, the waiter came back to say this had also run out! We then selected the hogget and the chicken, - success! They had these! The main courses were delicious, we couldnt fault them. Whe it came to dessert we ordered the Yorkshire rhubarb and custard to share, pricey at £15 but as I love rhubarb so much my husband indulged me. Out came the most disappointing dessert I have ever had - a tiny pastry, hard and virtually empty of any rhubarb with the smallest splash of custard imaginable. We did not eat it and asked for it to removed from the bill, which they duly did. Not sure if I would hurry back here.

We booked for lunch after a walk in Dovedale. We arrived and were greeted by friendly staff and had a drink in the lounge whilst looking at the menu. The 'bloody mary' was one of the best I have had. The food was delicious, presented beautifully, staff were attentive but not over bearing. The views were amazing and we have booked for a family gathering later in the year.

The garden room is light and spacious with pretty views over the surrounding countryside. The approach is through the elegant and traditional hotel building and it certainly feels like a special location. The staff are smartly dressed, attentive (but not overly) and there is a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. Upon booking and when arriving I reiterated that I required a gluten free menu and was talked through the menu. It was, as is common in many establishments, pointed out that I could have certain dishes and also that if I were to choose the roasts then I would be unable to have the Yorkshire pudding on the beef main or the ‘Hot cross bun tagine’ on the lamb dish. I was disappointed not to be offered gluten free bread with my starter whilst the rest of the family enjoyed the bread that was brought to the table. I did, however, notice other guests were receiving gluten free bread but this was after I’d finished my main. The other disappointment was that a delicious looking leek gratin arrived with the beef main course, I asked the server if it was gluten free, they went to check but apologised saying it wasn’t. The food was tasty and had a modern twist on a traditional menu. We all enjoyed the starters and main courses but found the dessert offerings a little uninspiring. This isn’t cheap with mains being approximately £32 so really feel that there should be more attention to detail.

Such a wonderful experience. We went for afternoon tea - delicious - and regularly go for coffee. Setting is so beautiful and staff so friendly.

A fabulous hotel with an excellent restaurant

Great location. Great food. Good service. Beware the prices though: £16 for 2 small scallops! £40 for a steak then I have to pay and additional £6 for the chips. Of course I don't have to eat there and at these prices it will be sometime before I do.

Special afternoon tea with friends; food was excellent with incredible cakes and warm scones,excellent.

Nice setting, superb views friendly staff. For the lunch price of £160 for two people I would have expected a far higher standard of food. There are many far better restraunts in the area serving excellent food for about £100 for lunch.

Our food was excellent ordered from a wide ranging menu- carefully explained to us where explanation was needed- for example what was actually included in the meal. The staff were sensitively attentive. Restaurant has a lovely ambience. We did have a concern about noisy howling dog outside on the balcony. Dog friendly is understood- but there seems to be no limit on the concept.

Afternoon Tea in the Garden Room was an utterly delightful experience. A very warm and friendly greeting on entering, dining room is very well laid out, loved the surrounding glass which give you views across the surrounding countryside. Afternoon Tea was not served in the the traditional way (3 tiers) but we loved it, it was different. Staff were friendly with service that was quick and efficient and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit here.

Brilliant venue, stunning view, excellent service from Daisey and her team, beautiful food a real treat, the whole experience was excellent will return. thank you x

We had booked a table for 10 to celebrate a special birthday. The restaurant is lovely and the staff were very pleasant but the service slow. It was cold in the restaurant and we had to keep our jackets on. I had the fettuccine which was pretty tasteless initially; until I found, at the end of the meal, the pine nuts, oil and garlic were right at the bottom of the dish and hadn’t been combined at all. Two of our group had the lamb which was very poor. A really tiny bit of meat surrounded by a lots of flabby, unrendered fat. At £35 it was a disgrace. It was mentioned to the staff who said he’d, “pass it on”. The chicken and pork belly were good, but not hot. All in all it was very poor value for money. We are happy to pay for quality but this meal fell well below expectations. Because it was a special occasion no wanted to make a fuss and risk souring the atmosphere. I do think any of us will return.

Fantastic venue, food and service. All local produce. Staff so friendly and welcoming. Couldn’t fault it. Highly recommend for a special occasion. Quite expensive but as always you get what you pay for.

An experience never to be repeated. After what can only be described as a cool reception from the two people on “reception” (more interested in their discussions than welcoming guests); Lunch and Dinner were a lovely experience with good service from friendly staff. On returning to the room we found, as we got into bed, bugs and dirt on the bed. This reminded my wife of finding two bugs earlier while getting ready for diner. Went down to reception where the staff, after having a look at the bugs and taking a photograph of the bed, arranged for us to move to another room (“an upgrade”) at 11pm. We did not sleep at all as questions remained as to the standard of the housekeeping. Were there some bugs in this room too? Next morning went to breakfast which was served very slowly and without the friendly staff of the day before. Went to reception to check out and was presented with the bill and no reference at all about the events of the night before. When I questioned this the “receptionist” went to speak to the manager and returned to say that they would reduce the bill by £100. Why could the manager not raise themselves from their office 20m away and personally apologise?? Everyone has issues to deal with but people in positions of responsibility face them, not hide in an office. Shambolic treatment of guests. Would not recommend at all.

Visited for lunch at this beautiful country house hotel. The dinning room is a modern light and airy extension, all glass and steel. Great views, but not cosy, and the lack of much to absorb sound made it too noisy for comfortable conversation even without any especially noisy diners! The menu is quite expensive but the quality and size of the portions was good. Service was a little too slow (2½ hours for a two course meal) but we were not expecting fast-food service at a country house hotel! The staff were exceptionally good: attentive, polite, articulate, engaging and friendly; noteworthy at a time when some restaurants can’t get any staff at all on some days, never mind people of this calibre.

Excellent reception. We were made to feel welcome and wet comfortable - nothing was a problem for any of the staff. Room was amazing - emperor sized bed was huge!! We ate in the restaurant for breakfast and dinner - the food was excellent even though the service was a bit slow, you can forgive that when there are fantastic views across the hills. Would highly recommend and definitely will stay again in the future.

The hotel and staff were simply amazing. They even assisted my other half in his proposal. We had such a good time we are planning to return for our wedding. It’s worthwhile grabbing one of the bikes and heading down the tissington trail which is just on the door step. Make sure you experience an evening meal in the garden room, the views are amazing with food to match!

The new owners have done a wonderful job on Callow Hall, investing no doubt some very significant sums in a most tasteful and stylish modernising of this lovely country hotel. The food is all you could ask for. Superb ingredients, mostly locally sourced, skilfully and imaginatively prepared and presented. And the service was remarkably good too, not in your face but ever present and watchful and ready to anticipate one's needs. It is really to good to see that Ashbourne and its environs has a top-notch restaurant once again.

We had the most fantastic Sunday lunch here. The roast beef and lamb were the best we had in a long time. A great wine selection and beautiful setting. It was a lovely day and we asked to be moved outside which was not a problem at all for the staff who were brilliantly attentive throughout.

Had lunch here, this is a beautiful hotel, and the decor is welcoming and cosy. However, a fine dining experience it was not. The starter terrine was huge and not very good, the main course of lamb was not particularly tasty and wasn't meltingly tender as expected, and far too much of it, my hake was not very interesting either. Sorry would have loved to have given a good review, but to their credit the staff are exceptional, we enjoyed the complimentary bread so much we asked if we could buy some, obviously they needed it for their service, and as the baker they buy it from closed at 2 they offered to go and buy us a loaf! Never have we been so surprised at service going above and beyond, so thankyou to the kindly waiter who bought us an alternative loaf back with him. Would love to stay here as a base for some relaxing walks and surroundings but it was a journey too far for lunch that was only standard. I've given this 4 stars for the service we experienced, but food sadly only deserves 3 stars.

Good- Beautiful building sympathetically re-furbished . Gorgeous garden room. Amazing hives and treehouses. Stable conversation to a wellness studio Very impressed. Free bicycles , helmets and wellies for walking. What a beautiful touch. Staff very lovely especially the waitresses and Daisy who gave us a tour. Food okay , not particularly inspiring although the menu tries to dress it up! Bad- The price of the food (which we were prepared to pay for if it had been more inspiring.) The staff refunded the main for my husband. Much appreciated. Ugly- The brie wellington see below picture, that was a main course, not impressed

The restaurant is a beautiful setting in the modern part of the building , the menu is varied and on the high end of price scale for the food offered . Mains are £20 upwards but do not include sides at £5 each , ie Burger is £20 then add fries and you have £25 for burger and chips . Given the prices you would expect top service and quality . Quality was good , food was ok , nice but nothing exceptional , service was poor . I know that people need to learn and train but please not when I am spending £100 plus for a meal for two . Bread not served , long wait to order , bread served then after the main , side left on a table and forgotten about , watched a mother couple get up and Beth their own sides !!,. Long wait to have the table cleared , no one checking if we needed drinks etc .Service charge added to the bill . Not the best , as a result we eat elsewhere after this and a shame as the Hotel is excellent ,

We booked over the phone for afternoon tea 3 weeks prior, for 3 of us for a special birthday. On our arrival we were told by the staff that they would have to find us a free space to sit as the tables were set...

What a treat. Welcoming cosy and so tastefully refurbished. Food is delicious , cocktails unique , and service just right. Can’t wait to go back !

We've just spent the most FANTASTIC couple of days here at Callow Hall in one of their 'Hives'. What a stunning place!! The hotel is BEAUTIFULLY designed, with numerous welcoming amd tasteful sitting rooms, all with log fires burning discreetly. I can honestly say I...

Had the most wonderful experience for our friends 30th anniversary dinner in Sept. The welcome we received was amazing. The venue and the food was all absolutely spot on. We would definitely recommend to anyone who wants a premium experience but not extortionate prices. We...

Just contacted Callow Hall to confirm a booking only to find that the venue is closed for 2019 for refurbishment.

Our Family have been dining at Callow Hall for over 30 years and have enjoyed every single visit, that was until the Spencer Family decided it was time to retire. Since then we have seen it change hands a number of times and have experienced...

Poor food and service no Christmas decorations Awful we visited for a special dinner which we did not receive when we complained the lady just wanted to argue about our point of view we have been told the place is shutting just before Christmas as...

What a place! Arriving at the country house hotel through parkland and over a gravelled drive, being greeted by name at the entrance - quite a first impression. This improved even more when our party was shown in to a private dining room with a...

Recently hired this venue for our sons wedding. We had a fantastic wedding and the staff were very friendly and helpful all weekend. Could not have wished for a better experience.

We booked Callow Hall for Sunday lunch. On arrival we were shown straight to a table after getting some drinks that was impossibly wobbly. We moved to another table and given the menu. The choice was good and the food was excellent. My issue was...

This place is an excellent venue for weddings with guest rooms bookable in advance. Lots of good photographic oppertunities for that special occasion and good food and service

If you want to take someone somewhere special this is the place. A small hotel (7 rooms?) all ultra luxurious with a fantastic restaurant. Small meetings also catered for with the utmost of care and attention. It is so comfortable and classy, A real Englich...

We dined here with friends during our recent stay in Ashbourne and were impressed with the delicious food. Everyone enjoyed their starters, which included smoked salmon, and goats cheese, before moving on to the mains, when we chose a variety of dishes from the menu...

Couldn’t recommend this more. Beautiful setting and excellent food and service. Everything was so fresh and tasty. There was so much we couldn’t eat everything. But that wasn’t a problem as we were given a doggy bag to take the cakes that we couldn’t eat...

See previous review. Gave 5 rating rather than 1! Very poor place and is so sad to see the demise of such a beautiful place.

I booked Afternoon Tea at Callow Hall for a family party. My daughter who was celebrating her 21st has severe health problems and struggles with eating many types of food. However the staff were friendly and helpful and fitted her tea to her requirements which was lovely as she had many!

We had a gift voucher for afternoon tea at Callow Hall , and had visited the hotel a couple of years previously and really enjoyed it so we were looking forward to our tea!

Limited choice of menu for evening meal on a Tuesday night. Everything over cooked and very poor selection of vegetables

A lovely setting for a delightful afternoon tea. Tea was served in a private room over looking the grounds Food was delicious and plentiful. So much so doggy bags were required to take home leftovers

Great place to organise Birthday party. Great food and drinks. Beautiful building. Definitely I will come back.

Fui para el té de la tarde en Callow Hall como parte de una celebración de cumpleaños. Los jardines son muy bonito pero nos pusieron en una de las habitaciones que no era tan bueno. Todavía una habitación preciosa, pero había un montón de otros que estaban mucho mejor. La selección Sándwich era un tradicional y encantador, los bollos eran increíbles, un montón de té y una buena selección de tartas. Un buen té de la tarde, pero he tenido mejores.

Booked for my mums birthday and we were left a little disappointed to be honest . I booked a champagne afternoon tea priced at £29.95 per person

We booked into Callow Hall on the Friday night for 3 nights along with other relatives and friends for my daughters wedding in Ashbourne on Sunday April 30th. It has a superb position with great views overlooking the countryside. The secret garden is a bonus as we used it for drinks and canapes after the wedding and the weather was very kind to us that afterenoon. The staff are so friendly and the wedding night cuisine, considering it was for over 100 people, was excellent. Highly recommend it for weddings as my daughters was such a success.

Enjoyed a well presented,well cooked lunch in a most stylish dining room.The staff were very attentive and satisfied all our needs.Quiet English old world charm everywhere.The chef excelled with some of his detail to all the dishes; well done.

Booked a table dinner at short notice for midweek. Callow Hall is a very grand country house with rooms to match. Being midweek towards the end of March the place was understandably quiet and purely because of that, lacked a bit of atmosphere.We were greeted in a very friendly, professional manner.The food was beautifully presented, tasty and cooked well. The service was first class and very attentive. At the end of our meal, the chef asked for feedback on the lamb which was a new dish on the menu - it was excellent! The wine list was comprehensive and reasonably priced, as was the food.All in all a very enjoyable experience in beautiful, traditional surroundings with a meal served by excellent staff.More than happy to highly recommend!!

We visited callow hall for my birthday last weekend and had a lovely stay. The staff were helpful and polite, rooms were in keeping with the traditional style of the building, comfortable beds and breakfast was very nice.Only negative points were smaller attentions to details. The curtains didn't shut properly, so we used the shutters... which also didn't shut properly, meaning I was woken quite early with sunlight in my eyes, the bathroom had lovely traditional features but the shower was covered in limescale. Generally really enjoyed our trip and would stay there again, just a few small improvements that could be made.

Afternoon teas have just taken off and over the past few years, I've had my fair share ranging from superb to bland. So, it was with a sense of expectation when I was invited to Callow Hall in Ashbourne. The house stands looking out over the magical Derbyshire countryside and on a less foggy day, we could have taken out tea outside. Instead, we sat in a room full of glorious old furniture in front of an open fire. The waitress was friendly and welcoming and when the food came, we were genuinely impressed. The sandwiches were tasty and just enough to satisfy our appetites. The scones with cream were lovely and the cakes to die for! But really-did we need two scones each as well as four other cakes? At £20 per person, we could not complain especially as we were given boxes to take the uneaten cakes home but why not reduce the price and also the number of cakes? Just a thought. All in all though, this was by far the best afternoon tea I had experienced.

Wir haben über Weihnachten den Peak District besucht und sind ganz in der Nähe von Ashbourne an einem sehr stilvollen versteckten Hotel vorbeigefahren. Dass es auch ein tolles Restaurant besitzt, haben wir zufällig entdeckt. Wir wurden sehr zuvorkommend bedient, der Service war sehr gut ausgebildet (z.B. Besteckhandschuhe) und hat uns exzellent beraten. Die Vorspeisen Goat's Cheese wurden gefolgt von Stone Bass. Mein Lamm war mit einer Rotweinsauce angemacht. Es war so zart und zerging auf der Zunge. Die Preise sind normal , dem Niveau angepasst , eher günstig . Als wir dann beim Bezahlen erwähnten, dass wir Mitglieder von HPB sind, haben wir noch einen anständigen Rabatt bekommen. Die Callow Hall ist zwar in der Mitte von England gelegen am Rande des National Parks, aber ein Besuch lohnt sich allemal.

It was a sunny November day but chilly so it was nice to be welcomed into the warm, comfortable hotel. We were offered the choice of having tea in the lounge where there was a lovely fire or sitting by the window in the bar and admiring the view which was what we chose. The tea was nicely presented and the sandwiches and cakes were all delicious. We were also given a box to take home the surplus cakes which was a nice gesture. The whole event was lovely and relaxed and we felt really welcome and would certainly hope to return to the hotel if we are visiting the area again.

You take an obscure little country house with a bit of a view in Derbyshire, hang your shingle outside and hey presto a queue forms for your fabulous wedding venue. The literature repeatedly mentions the name of the 'new' owners - not a word about the history of the building or the surroundings. The staff are attentive but clueless. The lady who took me to my room asked 'have you come far?'. I replied "yes I've flown in from Jersey". No further conversation, she had used the sentence she was trained to use. The wine list - if McDonalds had a wine list, it would probably look like this. Ordered Ham Hock Terrine and Piccalilli for starter - it just didn't work - dry and disappointing. I was served two breads - what they were escapes me - they looked homemade, they were lovely and warm .....on the outside, stone cold in the middle. Did I mention the restaurant is lonely, just me. The building is in dreadful condition - the front door could easily grace an abandoned house! There is no excuse - Callow Hall take a fortune from weddings, yet utterly fail to spend adequately on staff, training or maintenance. Here's a picture of my room lights, one missing bulb, one not working. Classy eh?

This hotel needs help. It's tiered carpets, furnishings and general condition is poor.It's a old building that could be beautiful.Our 4 poster bed was terrible and the mattress didn't even fit it was around 5 inches each side to small.There was not enough staff to cover the wedding and the bar hardly ever had someone serving. Food was standard and breakfast was poor. Staff lacked confidence and had poor customer skills. They were obviously stressed a fault of the management. A very expensive place with well below 4 star standards.

I took my wife for a 1 night stay for her 40th. Lovely place, very quiet. Superb food and lovely setting. All good!!

I took my hubby here for afternoon tea this week...nice selection of sandwiches and excellent homemade cakes and scones, (far too many cakes for the two us, so asked for a take home bag, which they were happy to oblige with). Staff very friendly and the surroundings of the hotel are lovely, at £18.95 a head though for a standard afternoon tea and £25.95 if you want to add a glass of bubbly, it's quite pricey! It was a warm and sunny afternoon so we decided to make the most of the oh so rare occasion in England of being able to sit in the garden...however, I must say some new garden furniture really wouldn't go a miss, a sun umbrella and perhaps a seat pad for the old rather tired wooden chairs too. The countless cigarette buts on the lawn could of also do with having been picked up!! For a 4* hotel I would expect higher standards to be honest.

Afternoon tea taken by the girls .excellent freshly made scones and cakes served in beautiful surroundins

We stayed at this hotel for the night. The staff were very helpful and attentive. The hotel is an old country manor house hotel. The decor is in keeping with the history of the hotel. The four poster bed was noisy and creaked every time you moved, and needed to updated and modernised. Likewise with the floor boards in the bed room which needed to be re secured. The breakfast was exceptionally good and the quality of the food was evident. A comfortable stay in an old hotel.

Went for afternoon tea as we were given a voucher as a gift-having eaten here before and had wonderful food we were looking forward to it. We were shown to a tiny room with 3 tables & virtually on top of each other so no chance of any private conversation. Waited 15 mins for a pot of tea then another 15 minutes for sandwiches & cakes. The sandwiches were tasteless & included just plain cheese & plain ham on plain white bread. The cakes weren't much better and the scones were dry to the point of not being able to eat them. They must have been at least 3 days old. We were then asked by a waiter how long we would be (we had only been there 50 mins) as they had a wedding at 4.30 and needed everyone out! We left-having left much of the food-& emailed a complaint detailing all of this. Over 2 weeks later we still haven't received even an acknowledgement. We were appalled by the whole experience.

Called in for an evening meal recently, and found this an oasis of peace outside the usual packed wedding weekends!.Since our last visit the rooms have moved around with the lounge becoming the dining room and so on, but still very pleasant, with no rush to move on and plenty of time to enjoy some very pleasant and well prepared food. Service whilst otherwise good was slightly marred by the occasional error/ omission - vegetables not served to the table until most of the main course had been eaten, and no one to ask without getting up and wandering out of the dining room and so on.Still worth a visit as the food is good, and feel sure that other issues will have been overcome

Very good afternoon tea - cakes exceptional, and they will wrap up anything you want to take home in a foil swan!

Callow Hall used to have an air of exclusivity about it but sadly not anymore. Since it changed hands some years ago it has not been the same. Now I feel it's just a money making machine, sadly. The little special touches are not there anymore. My family & i dined in the wonderful private room, although the room is very nice there were no flowers on the table, no centrepiece which was a shame and I would expect there to be. The food food was good overall except the soup which was terrible. The service could be better. There is a beautiful outdoor spot that used to have white tables & chairs, which sadly is no longer used. During the summer months it was wonderful to sit outside there after having your dinner. That's gone now and I think they should bring that back!

Bought as a gift they were a little disappointed as they were sat in a room on there own.Even though the sandwiches and cakes were nice there was not a selection of tea and coffee just a standard and on top of that they did not get there champagne.They compared it to Harrods and Horsley lodge and for the price was not great.No vintage crockery, staff seemed distant

Stunning locationFriendly service from Receptionist and all bar / restaurant staffRooms were small, tired and rather disappointing.Bathroom was very dated and in need of an update.Hard to get a consistent temperature in the shower, with limited access to step in and out safely.Dinner was good, but relatively expensive for nothing special.Breakfast was good, with freshly squeezed orange juice.Spaces to sit and chill with friends were comfy.Set in beautiful grounds, this was once a special hotel, but now a little shabby, and relatively expensive for what's on offer.

Beautiful afternoon tea. Very cosy and quiet (Monday afternoon). Service was lovely and friendly. Cakes were delish. Fab place, gorgeous location.

Good food ( use to be excellent) and surrounding lovelyBad service gone down hillUgly expensive food for just fancy presentation

We dined here for Sunday lunch to celebrate a family members birthday. We have been numerous times before over the years and the food has always been good. I have to say the food was very good this time although the beef was cooked a tad too pink for my liking but I should have asked how it came. The service was very good. Nothing was too much trouble. Chatty friendly staff. We will certainly go back I must add I feel their pricing needs to be looked at. As for Sunday lunch 3 courses for £32 seems excessive compared to other hotels we have dined at. For example Rookery Hall we had a fabulous meal there and it was more fine dining and that was only £24 for three courses. It's all down to individual choice but it's a fantastic small hotel with character.

My sister-in-law and her now husband booked this Hotel for their wedding. The Hotel has, I believe, 16 rooms so providing you can fill those rooms with wedding guests, then the Hotel is yours for the day/night. Beautiful setting, and lovely gardens to walk around. The building its self is beautiful. The room we had was perfectly adequate and very comfortable with all the usual things you would expect to find in a good quality Hotel. They certainly are very well organised re weddings. Fast and barely noticed room changes from day to evening events. Staff were very smart, cheerful, courteous and helpful. The food was superb. Breakfast kept us going way past lunch. All in all a very pleasant experience and a very very happy event.

I cant express how perfect our afternoon tea was thanks to everyone at callow Hall. The service was excellent and made us feel really special. The hall itself is grand and is a great location to feel relaxed and looked after. We plumped for the champagne high tea which included a glass of champagne, freshly made sandwiches and a large selection of cakes that we couldn't finish because there was so much. All accompanied by freshly brewed tea. The lounge felt like something out of Downton abbey and everything about it felt high class and luxurious. A real treat and we'll definitely be back.

We all thoroughly enjoyed a very long sunday lunch for my wife's birthday, from Grandparents to little ones. Special place for a real treat, proper old-fashioned welcome & professional service throughout. Beautiful building & gardens, children made very welcome & enjoyed a run around the gardens finding a fairy door on the tree. Allow lots of extra time for before & after your meal, nice rooms to sit in for pre/post meal drinks.Delicious food, very relaxed although decadently luxurious... hard to beat for a special treat.

Had a meeting in Lewes and stopped for lunch in Pelham Hall hotel. The service was a high standard and the food superb, but the price for this quality was unbelievable, the special lunch was only £10.95 for 2 courses, exceptional value for top class food. This is now on my list of must go to restaurants.

We had our wedding here in Sept 2015, Excellent wedding venue, hotel and food was amazing. We had a outside ceremony, all guests was catered for to our own individual requirements with food, disabled access & overnight accommodation. The breakfast was superb with plenty of options...........5 STAR.Today, we returned to have a champagne afternoon tea, a wedding gift.......sandwiches, cakes, pots of tea and a glass of champagne....perfect.Well Done to all Callow Staff <3

Stayed here for 1 night for my birthday treat. Took the offer for DBB. The staff were very attentive and professional. The room was huge. The shower very powerful - why can't home showers be that good?! Dinner was lovely I had the salmon and my husband the beef. Good selection of wine - the pinot noir from New Zealand was excellent not watery like some can be. Breakfast next day was huge - a selection of fruit and cereal to start and then a range of hot breakfasts accompanied by toast. A place to stay if you want a unique hotel with character.

We had our wedding at Callow Hall in January 2016. We decided on the wedding package with an overnight stay for the guests. Cara & Sarah were superb in helping us organise the event from start to finish. The venue & rooms were fantastic & the food was excellent. We tried the restaurant with a sampler meal before making our decision on our choices for the wedding & everything we tried was delicious. Eventually we chose the Callow hall fish cakes for starters, the beef Wellington for our main course, which was £5 extra but well worth it & cooked to perfection. For dessert apple & blackberry crumble with custard & ice cream. Absolutely faultless & everything ran so smoothly. I would highly recommend Callow Hall for their outstanding food & accomadation & to anyone who is planning a wedding, overnight stay or a private party.

We have been trying to try this establishment for sometime now so it was third time lucky when we stopped off on our homeward journey. This is a very impressive place and the service and cooking is of a high standard we sat down to the usual Sunday lunch of roast Derbyshire beef followed by Bakewell Tart (we thought we should being in the area). I would recommend you give it a try if you like dinning in a bit of old England history.

I love this place .. My favorite in this region. Lovely people, excellent food and typical cosy bedrooms I really recommend it

After spending my 50th birthday here & having a wonderful time.my husband thought it would be a good idea to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary here. I thought so too but we were a little disappointed. My husband had booked the four poster room with champagne & flowers on arrival......lovely. The hotel has changed hands, so you are no longer offered complimentary tea with homemade biscuits on arrival The fourposter had been stripped of its drapes that normally hang on every other fourposter we have ever slept on. The bed frame had been sprayed silver, which looked quiet tacky. Nothing seemed to match in the room & the paint work was peeling everywhere which made it look very tatty. The room size was great though, but they had set the room up for single occupancy? So we had to ask for further towels, tea, milk etc. The evening meal was splendid but the breakfast was awful. I had to send mine back, along with another two quests,as it wasn't cooked properly. Raw bacon virtually & a rock hard under ripe tomato barely edible. Such a shame as all these little things do let it down. We were refunded our dinner wine as a gesture of goodwill. They said the drapes were removed as they catch the dust! I though a good hoovering every so often would solve that. For us, a draped fourposter is all part of the opulent look & feel we expect,which Is why my husband booked the room . The staff were very friendly & very helpful, well done to them. But I don't think we'll return as we feel it's lost a little something since the new owners took over. A little thing maybe to some people, but we do expect clean linen to be on the tables when you are seated for dinner. This sadly was not the case.

We were staying nearby at the Izaac Walton (disappointing- see review) and came here for my husband's birthday. We were seated by the window of the sumptuous dining room. Food and wine were excellent- highly recommend

Went for a friends wedding. The food was absolutely beautiful. Could not fault at all. Buffet with beef and salmon on friday. Hog roast, hot dogs and steak pie and peas for night time buffet set meal of fishcake starter, beef with spuds and veg for main, bakewell tart with custard and icecream for pud. Everything was delicious. Chefs did a fabulous job. Well done

We visited Callow Hall for afternoon tea for my mums 70th birthday. After researching the internet we chose Callow Hall based on the photos of the afternoon tea. However, what we got was nothing like the photos and we were left very disappointed. In fact, I followed this up several days later with the hotel manager Diana Thompson and she admitted THE PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE ARE NOT FROM THIS HOTEL/ RESTAURANT and that the website was very misleading. She followed this up with the owners on my behalf and after chasing her a month later, she emailed to say that she has no control over the website photos and there is nothing she can do about it. So, if you want to pay £20 per head for a bit of battenberg that you could buy at coop for 99p then I would recommend this as the venue itself was lovely. But if you want quality food and excellent service, I would go elsewhere.

We first visited Callow Hall about 20 years ago and have revisited on various occasions until it started to go downhill a few years ago. The meals had been very special at first but became less so as time went on. When we heard that the owners of East Lodge had taken over, we were pleased, having had several brilliant meals at this great place in Rowsley.We went back to Callow Hall last weekend for their good value Dinner, Bed & Breakfast deal. The rooms had improved (back to shabby chic, rather than just shabby) but the food wasn't quite as good as we were hoping. There was nothing wrong with it: good portion sizes, nicely presented and well cooked but it lacked the wow factor. Little details were missing, such as dressing on the side salad or any flavouring on the vegetables and vegetarians would have been disappointed at yet another mushroom risotto. In the past, one of the highlights of the dinner menu was the magnificent cheese and dessert trolly - it would have been good to reinstate this as a feature. Breakfast was better, with an excellent selection of freshly cooked dishes. I would, however, have preferred home-made preserves and bread as well as the removal of individual cereal packets from the buffet (a bit chain hotel).As others have noted, the service was excellent. The staff are lovely - friendly, cheerful and helpful.

Greeted by friendly smiling staff and led to a table with stunning views , we visited for Afternoon Tea today, and was not disappointed! With classical music in the background ,A lovely display of cakes, scones and lemon posset arrived, all home made and fresh dainty sandwiches which were delicious and plentiful, the staff came to see if we needed more tea or coffee constantly and were pleasant and very helpful. We visit many places for afternoon teas and this was amongst the best and we would recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing peaceful venue to enjoy their afternoon tea"

We visited Callow Hall for lunch on Mothers Day, we were warmly greeted and settled into a reserved area in the bar, served drinks quickly and our menu choices taken in good time. The food was served quickly and was first class. We stayed and had coffee and drinks after, all of which was of a high quality. All round a great place to eat and good value.

We had a very good afternoon tea at Callow Hall a couple of weeks ago. The staff were very attentive and the cakes and sandwiches were good. We were met at the front door by a smiling waitress and made to feel special and very welcome.

An elegant and beautiful hotel with stunning views - but that was it. We visited for Sunday lunch with family and left very disappointed with the meals that were served. The selection was good with a wide choice for a set menu, but the meal served was awful, with some meats and vegetables served cool/tepid and definitely not of a standard anticipated from such a beautiful place. Sadly, we were not alone in this experience as we also heard another diner complaining about the fatty and tough meat. The staff tried to serve well but that too was not to standard either as we did mention our concern to the waitress and waiter but the comments were simply acknowledged with an appreciative nod, but they did not do anything about it, even when we asked to make sure the sweet would be served hot, which - you've guessed- it wasn't!. Sadly, a very poor experience - awful meal and hopefully it was just a bad day for the catering department!

Very enjoyable couple of hours with good food, elegant surroundings and Downtown Abbey-esque waiter service. Views were spectacular - especially surprising since Ashbourne town centre is just two minutes drive away. Admittedly we went when quiet but get your timing right and you will feel like the Earl of Grantham

My partner and I decided to come out to Callow Hall for a lovely trip out and Sunday Lunch as a treat.Upon arrival I was impressed ... The grounds and Hall itself look magnificent! We were greeted at the door by lovely smiley waiters, led to the bar area for pre-dinner drinks, whilst looking out over the gardens. Our dinner order was taken and then again led into the dining area, which was simply amazing, ASK TO SIT BY THE WINDOW, the best table by far! The food was out of this world, this must be due to the new Chef that has recently taken over. I had a beautiful beetroot and walnut salad to start, my partner had the fishcake with pea puree which was scrumptious, followed by Risotto of butternut squash and red pepper with a sage beurre noisette and my other half had the Beef Sunday Dinner .... even though we were pleasantly full, we decided a pudding had to be had ! So we continued with Cheese Board and Blackcurrant Parfait with mango sorbet. I couldn't help letting out little moans of pleasure, which I was rather embarrassed about but I just couldn't help it! The whole experience was simply outstanding.The staff were knowledgeable and attentive and the food and surroundings were impressive.I will most defiantly be returning and I urge anyone wanting a fantastic meal out to do the same.