Dunsley Hall Restaurant in South Staffordshire

Unfortunately, I just wanted to let you know how disappointed I was with the afternoon tea I had yesterday. I had booked Dunsley Hall as a special treat for my 74 year old mum as unfortunately we also had our next door neighbour’s funeral on the same day, which was a very sad affair for us, as she had a fall a few weeks ago, after losing her partner of fifty years, a funeral we also attended only two months ago. I had gone round to mow her lawn, when I saw her front door ajar and heard her call and she had fallen and was collapsed in her hall. She requested I carry her to her chair in the living room and said she was embarrassed and didn’t want any friends or relatives to be called or an ambulance. Myself and my mum worried about Margaret for several days but she asked her cousin to take her to hospital and she then had a stroke and got sepsis. We had a close relationship with Margaret for 40 years. I brought my mum to Dunsley Hall to try and make this sad day a better day for her birthday. On arrival we were met by a workmen who advised us to ring the bell. A lady with dark hair met us and showed us to the next room, which was small and a little dark. We asked for a table with more light. Understandably, on a Monday at 12pm we were the only people. We were told we could sit by the window but we’d be looking at the window cleaner. Parked across the courtyard were two white work vans not the best view. Our afternoon tea was brought to us and my mum had advised I was vegetarian but the sandwiches brought were mainly fish and meat. The cakes were beautiful. We barely saw the female attendee, and my mum asked what were we to do if we needed anything? The window cleaner proceeded to clean the window. I entertained my mum and made her laugh as best I could. Then the female attendee began walking backwards and forwards with washing, which was not ideal. My mum of course, said nothing. As we were about to leave my mum asked to go to the toilet, whilst I was waiting I decide to have a look at your venue. I was surprised to find a beautiful table set up for afternoon tea overlooking your beautiful gardens, although of course I could see the rest of the room was being prepared for a wedding with washing on all the tables. I think actually, even if an apology had been made that you needed to prepare the room for a wedding, the outlook over the gardens or the offer of an outside table would have been much better. Your garden was beautiful. I returned to find my mother, as I didn’t want her to see the afternoon tea experience she could have had. I found on my return that my mother had paid the female attendee the £50 bill, which I regret as she then knew how much it cost and that when she asked for a doggy bag, the female attendee had brought her some tin foil and asked if she wanted to do it herself. My mother said no and she did proceed to wrap the remainder in tin foil and gave her three tin foil parcels. I quickly ushered my mum out of Dunsley Hall and at which point my mum asked that she go to another afternoon tea on another day with a better view. This whole experience made me sad and I am afraid to say a little angry. I think if you needed to prepare for a wedding and had jobs to do and busy workmen attending inside and out, it would have been better to decline the booking and I would have taken my mother somewhere else on her birthday before I took her to our close friend’s funeral. My mum who is a kind, gentle, thoughtful soul who puts a brave, kind face on everything. Deeply disappointed I did send this feedback direct by email and received no response.

Absolutely amazing place but spoilt by a rude, arrogant bar manager called Jake. He needs to get a new vocation as clearly he is not suited to the hospitality industry. If he worked for me he would be sacked. Very rude and rude to the staff to the point one member of staff actually walked out. It’s such a shame as the hotel and restaurant is absolutely stunning and the rest of the staff are amazing.

Lovely afternoon tea for a birthday treat. We ordered 2 vegetarian and 4 non vegetarian teas. Lovely welcome and tea coffee and soft drinks ordered promptly. Lovely selection of sandwiches and cakes and the scones were delicious. Our server was attentive, polite and cheerful, checking we were happy with everything and bringing us more hot and cold drinks. We had plenty of cakes to bring home and our server gave us sturdy boxes and said use however many you need. We had a lovely afternoon ! Thank you for excellent service and quality

We hired the drawing room for my Mom's 80th birthday 3 course Sunday lunch for 20 people. We could not fault it, staff were lovely, the meal was outstanding, good portions and hot. Highly recommended.

Booked for afternoon tea 2 weeks previously was called in day to say couldn’t do this day as there was a wedding so rebooked went on Saturday at 2.30 got to be worst experience iv ever had booked for bottomless Prosecco they gave us one small bottle each when we asked they said we don’t do bottomless anymore but was told on phone they did but worse was to come the so called food was so bad it’s hard to describe iv had better meal deals from Tesco’s. Staff wasn’t interested at all snd room was cold but at £65 I would certainly expect more. Would never entertain this place again and suggest no one else does unless you want disappointment.

£50 for afternoon tea for two. Sandwiches were beef, turkey, ham, cheese & pickle, and egg mayonnaise. Four small cakes, and a scone. We weren't asked what we wanted (eg a choice of sandwiches and cakes) which I thought was a bit unfair when we were paying £50. The service wasn't great either - a pot of tea brought out at the start, then nothing (nobody checking on how things were, or did we want a top up of hot water). We were sat opposite the kitchen door so had people going in and out for the whole time. A large, noisy group behind us. Not value for money - I've had better afternoon teas elsewhere for half the price. The photo shows what we had for the two of us.

A very big thank you to all the staff for making our Christmas Day lunch so special. My son-in-law was over from Australia and thoroughly enjoyed an amazing Christmas Meal. The staff went out of their way to make him feel very welcome.

We arrived at Dunsley Hall and yes it’s a nice place but we felt like we were sitting in the middle of the room! We were a little disappointed with the tea, we were expecting traditional loose leaf tea as pictured on their website, but we were told they don’t do it. Sandwiches and cakes were nice, and we wanted to take the scones home with us. The waitress wrapped them I’m but I was a little annoyed when I got home as she didn’t put the clotted cream and jam with then. Overall it was nice, but I’ve had better for less than the cost of that.

Fabulous!!!! We travelled from wales to meet friends & family and have Sunday lunch hen party. We were an hour late arriving due to road blocks from an unfortunate road accident ahead of us. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and soon shown to our lovely prepared table & room. Kelly Jodie & Beth were fantastic seeing to our every need the starters were all well presented and tasty, main courses were plentiful piping hot and just what we needed after the travel. Deserts were all lovely too!!! Massive complements to the chef! We were served teas & coffees and the staff were amazing so friendly and attentive We had a thoroughly good time snd left feeling so pleased with our visit Thank you so much all at Dunsley Hall we will definitely be back !!

Very average afternoon tea see review under hotel Gave the absolute minimum of food and service no atmosphere at all

Went for afternoon tea at Dunsley Hall today and it was brilliant. All of the food was lovely (particularly the scones and the cheesecake) and the customer service could not be faulted, all staff were very attentive and polite, we were offered extra tea/ coffee multiple times. Would certainly recommend.

Food was lovely but very limited choice, only one vegetarian choice for evening meal. Breakfast was good.But In our opinion we were sat too close to the table at the side of us.

Enjoyed dinner as part of our overnight stay. Food was delicious and service efficient and friendly.

Had an absolutely stunning meal here this evening! Service was excellent-prompt and very professional. Special thanks to Mark who was an absolute delight (what a legend!) The food was beautiful- perfect portion sizes, cooked fantastically and lovely options to choose from. And all of this in such a beautiful grand setting! Highly recommended to anyone. Thank you for a great evening, couldn't be happier :)

Visited today for afternoon tea with my husband. All was 'ok' but was just quite average, plain finger sandwiches, just meat and no accompanent i.e salad, mustard,etc. Nothing really that special, which was what we were expecting, sadly not worth the money I'm afraid.

Christmas Day! Mmmm well here goes....... so looking forward to our Dunsley Hall treat and a treat it should be at £110 per person. However, we we all left very disappointed 😒. The young man offering a Champagne reception was lovely then we were shown to our freezing cold table!! At £110 per head I didn’t expect to be eating my Christmas Dinner in my coat, yes my coat! Our table was obviously adjacent to an outside door and guests should not have been seated there. It was mentioned to various staff but although polite there was little they could do. Then the meal, Starter was Ok, Main meal, 😒 left us all a little disappointed. All meats were good but vegetables were basically just boiled and nothing more. Sweets were ok and then enough cheese and biscuits to feed a family for a week. So easy to prepare. We are not a family that complains but we were sad and disappointed when we came away and will not be returning next year. 😏

We reserved for 3 of us for lunch on Christmas Day. We originally booked for 1.30pm, and in hindsight decided to change to a little earlier. Although fully booked they told us to come at 12-12.30 and we were greeted with a glass of Prosecco. Our table was in the lounge, which had been laid out beautifully. We were seated in the window, with lovely views. They took our drinks order. We just ordered wine, which was very reasonably priced. A bottle of St Emillion Grande Cru was £25. Timing for food was perfect. There was no rush, and didn’t have to ask for a break as they seemed to know when we were ready for our next course. Decorations were very tasteful. An open fire certainly made it feel homely and quite grand. Nothing was too much trouble with the team. Very obliging and not too over the top. The grounds are amazing, but obviously look at their best in the summer.

Sixty six of us visited Dunsley Hall for our 10th or 11th Christmas party night and once again the overall feedback was very positive - friends and friends of friends have already begun stating their interest in next year. The party night option costs c. £43pp and food is pre-selected from a seasonal menu - obviously with such numbers all requiring service at the same time this is the only viable way to do it. Service was without issue and the entire staff team were engaging and friendly throughout despite us having a bar extension which meant that some late taxis were not booked until 1am.

We were invited to celebrate a special occasion by friends.It was in a large dining area as there were approximately 120 guests.The meal was excellent served very efficiently by friendly staff.Will certainly return at some time.

My family (20+) recently experienced an awful Sunday lunch at Dunsley! We booked a private dinning area, so we could dine in a more relaxed atmosphere. It was a special occasion for my mother in laws 80th birthday! All our menu choices were pre made! So we assumed everything was in order! Most of our family arrived at the same time! One family of 4 was a little late! At no time were we hassled to be seated, in fact it was all very relaxed, so we didn’t worry that one family were delayed.Eventually we were all seated. There was not really a problem with the starters, except the basil and tomato soup that we pre ordered, was in fact vegetable soup! However, The main course was another story! The main courses came out very sporadically! The vegetables were served when most of our main courses were virtually finished! The cauliflower cheese arrived when A few of us had completely finished our meals! Two of our family were served their meals when all of our family had fished theirs! My husband approached a member of staff regarding the disappointingly slow service and was told they were a chef and waitress down! Our entire experience was underwhelming. What was supposed to be an lovely occasion to celebrate, turned into a tense truly disappointing meal! Disjointed in every way possible. I would never want to return or would recommend this establishment to anyone. I have no idea how they cope with a wedding! We didn’t make too much fuss on the day, although our displeasure was expressed, my mother in law was upset enough, and really didn’t want her made anymore distressed. After sending a formal complaint, we were made to feel very much as this was our fault, we were eventually offered a refund of the hire of the room! Nothing for the incorrect starter and for the complete shoddy service of the mains.We cannot the re create this day! But have learnt a very valuable expensive lesson!

The food and beverages were excellent together with good service for a big party and a very pleasant dining room.

We to see the Fizogs who killed little Willy in the Hotel with dinner include. Great night table setting out was good. Food and service excellent. Staff frendly smart dressed what you would expect from a great hotel. Drinks not that dear. Plus not rushed to leave at the end of the night. We be going back.

I only realised when my friend took me here I had visited before on a works do.this visit was for an afternoon tea.twenty pounds each.The lady at reception was polite the lady that took us to a table was nice tea and coffee refillable. Finger sandwiches were nice beef chicken egg mayo etc.cakes were bakewell's sponge, cheesecake, chocolate torte and a macaroni each.final tier was a scone cream and jam .I could not fault it and I did look at reviews before I went.we did not feel rushed we were there 2 and 3 quarter hours.

Been here a few times never really had a good meal however the last visit was an improvement the presentation looks good but the food is about average the serving staff are mostly pleasant one had an attitude but that doesn’t change the food

Found the lady on reception desk very condescending and made us believe we hadn't booked there. The room was pleasant and staff were helpful but I was very disappointed with the selection sandwiches were ok but only two small portions of cake one macaroon and a small cheesecake each. the scones were the smallest I ever seen and we tasteless.

Good lunch in very nice surroundings. Conservatory modern addition and not quite as much atmosphere as older rooms.

This was meant to be a birthday treat for my mums birthday. Sadly she wasn't well enough to attend. So my sister,her husband , my husband & myself went instead. The food was lovely. Small delicate sandwiches, an array of cakes & scones, jam & cream. Plus a large pot of tea. There was a lovely atmosphere in the dinning room. You do need an occasion to celebrate here. I would love to come again in the summer.

Smokehouse is well worth a visit looks posh but everyone is wellcomelovely lunch Terry an Inspiration lovely setting staff very friendly

Delicious afternoon tea, in a beautiful setting. There were a variety of sandwiches including smoked salmon, turkey and beef, a lovely selection of cakes, plenty of tea and very attentive, but not intrusive service.

Having visited Dunsley Hall on several previous occasions for Afternoon Tea and being very pleased with the standard of the teas provided, this was my first time as a coeliac requiring the a Gluten Free Afternoon Tea option which is offered by the Hotel. It was VERY disappointing. Bread on the sandwiches was not great.The "cakes" were all shop bought i.e 1 shortbread biscuit, 1 Mrs Crimbles Chocolate coated macaroon, 1 petit frozen chocolate eclair and 1 frozen mini chocolate coated ring doughnut, The plain scone (possibly the only "homemade" item of the sweet items) was tasteless & rubbery in texture and the cream & Jam accompaniments made little improvement. In short, the gluten free tea was very disappointing and poor value for money. I would like to say that my companions had better luck with their "regular" teas but unfortunately neither were they to the usual standard. The Panacotta was VERY firm and not pleasant to eat and very much doubt it had been made that day, and again, their scones were not to the usual standard. Perhaps the fact that we visited on a Monday afternoon ( only one other table of customers who were leaving as we arrived) rather than on a weekend may have had some bearing on the quality, but this wasn't an impromptu visit, it had been pre-booked a couple of weeks earlier as a birthday celebration, so really no excuse for being served " below par" food.The serving staff were very pleasant but were also being required to attend to a large private event in the Conservatory and thus were not as readily attentive as on previous visits.The hotel itself is a lovely place with beautiful gardens but will we go for Afternoon Tea again?Probably not.

Phoned on a Monday morning to book for afternoon tea the following Friday, asked if the garden room was available and was told it definitely was. Turned up on Friday went in and was taken to a small dark dingy room and told this was were the tea would be served. I said I was told that the garden room would be used and the staff member said they had a wedding on the ne t day, and that they never guarantee that this room will be used. I tried to explain I had specifically asked this question when I booked, but they did not want to know. I am sure that the wedding booking had been made well before I phoned on Monday and that all they are after is taking your money. I was very disappointed as I have been before and this should have been a special treat for a birthday.

Seven of us had a meal on a friday evening

Attended for family get together for a birthday meal. Both the meal and the venue were first rate and would recommend everyone to try it out. The staff were helpful throughout our stay and allowed us plenty of time to chat after the meal had been served and cleared away. Plentry of car parking space and has gardens for you to walk around and enjoy the country air.

With 13 friends for a birthday get together afternoon tea. Well presented food,good quality.Accommodated vegetarian and gluten dietary needs.Service by staff very good, Would recommend a visit,but advisable to book.

Three of us enjoyed afternoon tea today at Dunsley Hall. Everything was perfect from the initial booking with Wilf the owner to the end when we had coffee on the Terrace. The staff are very friendly, polite and helpful. Afternoon tea comprised of a delicious assortment of delicate sandwiches and cakes. We were offered a choice of tea or coffee both of which were lovely, the coffee was a particularly nice blend. We enjoyed our food at a leisurely pace, undisturbed and in a lovely environment in the orangery. A truly lovely afternoon which we thoroughly enjoyed and would not hesitate to recommend. Thank you everyone for a great experience.

Booked afternoon tea for my mother’s 50th birthday. Very simple booking process. Lovely food and generous portions for afternoon tea - could not eat it all. Lovely atmosphere and grounds. Would highly recommend.

The food was delicious! We and our guests loved the variety of food. The chef was great and made sure all are needs were met. I could not highly recommend this place. Great choice of drinks and all the staff were very loving

Had gift voucher for afternoon tea as wedding anniversary present. Phoned to book and had to take own milk as they didn’t have skimmed milk. Sandwiches all had various toppings I. So asked for plain. Which were lovely so we cud eat all. Presented great on tiered plates. Plenty of fresh tea. Lovely setting by window and nicely laid out in room. Service good, asking if everything was ok few times.

I saw the advert in the Whitby Gazette: 3 course dinner for 2 with a glass of champagne each included. We were welcomed into the bar were we each had a Campari & soda, a bottle of house white with the excellent meal. Before finishing off with a glass of champagne while waiting for the taxi back to our apartment. The service was excellent, the food fantastic and the surroundings sublime, all for a total cost of under £65 for 2 plus tip, highly recommended!!! Chris

My family & I celebrated my 50th birthday with Sunday lunch at Dunsley Hall in one of their private dining rooms and I can not fault it all. The staff with very attentive and the food was excellent. Thank you to the staff for making my special day even more special. I will definitely be returning.

Visited here for friends 50th birthday with friends. Nothing as too much trouble and quality and quantity was excellent. Thank you 🎂

Visited here for afternoon tea for our staff meeting/get together. The website IMO is pretty useless when you're trying to find out more about what you you're offered for afternoon tea. The button says click to find out more and book but then you're only option is to book so basically we had no idea what to expect food wise. The room we were sitting in was freezing cold at first and we had to ask for the heating to be cranked up before I could take my coat off. My colleague who can't eat fish basically had two lots of beef which I thought was a bit of a cop out and I would of like to see a different flavour for her. I requested no mustard on the ham sandwich but was told it was all premade, so I'm not sure what would of happened if we hadn't of turned up, thrown away?! Although the service was pleasant we were left waiting for ages when the one member of serving staff was too busy chatting to customers about her route to work etc. The food was pleasant enough but frankly when you're paying £20 per person I expect flipping amazing things. The chocolate cake was just okay and the scones (the most important bit) were just ok, frankly they were a little bit dense and not as light and fluffy as I'd expect of scones and I eat a lot of scones. Also they only offered fruited scones, no plain which again was no good for a colleague. If you're paying £20 I expect options and choices not something so fixed. Frankly it was okay but not something or somewhere I'd rush back to,e specially not for the cost.

We visited this venue for the third time ( two afternoon teas one hotel stay ) this week and again sat at table eighteen and was really pleasantly surprised to find the dining room had been re/decorated and all the chairs had spotlessly clean white covers on them.

We went to Dunsley for Birthday Meal (Sunday Lunch) with family on 25th February, food was of good quality but the service was very poor.

I had a 50th birthday party arranged for 24 people at Dunsley Hall (or should I call it fawlty towers) and I had been looking forward to it all day, and I must say it was a complete disaster I will not or my family and friends be using it again.

Dunsley Hall is a brilliant location, in a world where a lot of hotels and restaurants feel the same it shines. This beautiful Manor House offers a wonderful blend of old world charm and modern style.

Dunsley Hall restaurant is always a super experience with consistently good food, using fresh locally sourced ingredients. Staff are helpful and friendly. A lovely place for a romantic meal for two

Christmas dinner for three. The atmosphere was a bit lacking but the food was excellent, and there was plenty of it. Service friendly and very good.... No complaints. Had a good time and would consider doing it again.

This was the second year of having a pre Christmas tea having enjoyed the previous one. Everything was much the...

Met with 3 friends for afternoon tea. The waitress was attentive & talked us through the sandwiches & cakes on...

Sunday lunch booked for two. Service was pretty good for ordering drinks but food mediocre. Sunday roast was as I...

8 of us came for afternoon tea on Saturday for a leaving party . I’ve been here many many times...

Having previously dinned here for lunch and had our wedding reception here, we booked a table and returned for our first anniversary.

I'd amended our booking from 4 to 5 people a few days ahead of time with no issues, but when we arrived the table was set up for 4 people... no worries they said they would add an extra place setting... the issue with this was that it was at the end of a table with no leg room as the end of the table was a cross cross... not a great start.

A lovely Hall and Restaurant for private dining or functions or afternoon tea! Have attended here now for many reasons and each time, have found it to be lovely!

after being shown to our table we were asked if we would like tea or coffee. After choosing tea a teapot arrived which held four cups. Nice tea in china teacups. The cake stand arrived shortly after laden with a mix of sandwiches (6 each) cakes on the top and scones on the bottom. The sandwiches were all very fresh and the cakes were lovely-lemon drizzle, fruit, macaroons and Eton mess (which wasn't it was strawberries and cream) still nice though. As other people have mentioned we were then left for ages. No one comes to ask if everything is okay or if more tea is required. After about half an hour we managed to attract the attention of a passing waiter and he brought us more tea and a pot of coffee too. Nice food and surroundings but a bit more service required.

Sándwiches y pastel eran caseros y muy sabroso. Se hizo un montón de té. El personal era amable, pero no entrometido. Lo pasamos de maravilla. Sin duda volveremos, no sólo para el té de la tarde, disfrutamos del ambiente

We went to Dunsley Hall as a guest for a wedding reception this week. Our experience from start to finish was so positive. The greeting in the car park, the food the waiting on and bar staff were all first class, and so friendly.Oh yes and the food was excellent, well done to all and a big thank you for making our experience to good.

Have been twice before for Sunday lunch but what a disaster last Sunday.11 of us went for birthday celebration but we left very disappointed and certainly won't be rushing back.No atmosphere in the restuarant,asked for champagne to be told they didn't have any?Then told they had no bread to go with the soup until one very nice waitress went and got some from Harley's ,which is smokehouse in the grounds of Dunsley.Main meals arrived,cold plates,food cold and roast potatoes that hard I couldn't get my knife in them.We did make a comment to our one nice waitress(one out of three) and the on duty assistant manager did come and speak to us.Making the excuse they had had 2 weddings and a funeral the day before,what that had to do with things I don't know.We were then given deserts free and the price of one bottle wine off our bill.The wine which they knocked off I will say was terrible and it wasn't cheap so one sip and it was left.Won't be going back there that's for sure

Not been here before but chose it on a recommendation. The food was fine and plentiful and the waitress lovely but we were seated in the cavernous conservatory which had no ambience at all. In fact the hotel as a whole does not have a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Had booked the Cocktail afternoon tea as it was a birthday celebration too so we were disappointed to be told that neither the peach Bellini or strawberry Daquari were available as they had run out of the cocktail mixers. This could be a really lovely hotel but, based on this visit, we won't be rushing back.

The food was quite nice, except for what they called a ginger cheesecake, not, it was a mousse and wasn't very nice. The service wasn't that brilliant either. The room where you have the tea is a bit like a veranda not very lush. Quite disappointed.

4 family members visited at 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon to partake of their set afternoon tea. It was as good as expected with a nice selection of finger sandwiches, cakes and scones with jam and clotted cream. The tea was good and the coffee in particular was excellent - even an additional Cappuccino was very well prepared with the requisite milk foam in place. When commenting that one of our party was diabetic and we had not advised in advance the Chef prepared a super fruit salad and it never appeared on the final bill.Staff were friendly, efficient and knowledgeable we will definitely return. Overall Very Good.

We booked a table for afternoon cream tea at 14.00 arrived just before to be met by a very pleasant gentleman who Immediately took us to our table In the restaurant and said our waitress would be with us shortly.The waitress arrived within a couple of minutes and asked what drinks we would like my wife had hot chocolate and myself a pot of tea a nice start, these arrived a short time later along with a very fresh and appetising tray of sandwiches both brown and white with a variety of fillings also small cakes and of course scones with home made jam and cream the waitress explained what fillings were on the sandwiches.The waitress came twice to check all was ok and asking If we required more drinks a very friendly lady who we met the last time we were here when we stayed in the hotel for bed and breakfast..This venue also does daytime and evening meals with special offers on certain days there were people being served lunch when we visited and it looked and smelt delicious.We can highly recommend this venue as a very good hotel with very delicious chef made food we will visit again very soon to this family run venue.Thank you.

Recently had a Saturday evening dinner here with 3 friends.On arrival the reception desk was unmanned, but other guests were arriving clutching flowers and presents, and on asking these other people what was the occasion it transpires it was to attend a private anniversary celebration in a private room. We rang the bell a couple of times on the desk but to no avail, so we went searching for someone to say we had arrived for dinner in the restaurant. Staff were eventually located in what I believe is the conservatory/garden room, all standing around chatting. We advised them who we were and asked to follow a young lady into a sitting room, (without as much as a good evening), located just off reception, and there we sat, and sat, and sat., for what must have been 15 -20 minutes, before some rather dishevelled young man arrived to take drinks order. It was interesting to note that when questioned on brands of Gin available he said Bombay and Gordons "that is a Gin isn't it ?" he then proceeded to inform us "it had been a long day". Maybe a little Too Much Information !! This little sitting room was cold and so uninviting, I half expected someone to appear and say "The Doctor Will See You soon". A nice log fire in the lovely fireplace would have made such a difference.After another wait without menu's a most charming and bright and breezy young lady arrived and asked if we had the menu's, and as we hadn't, she quickly remedied that.Once our table was available we were shown to the dining room with no other guests present, so it lacked life and atmosphere, and again a lovely big fire place with no log fire to welcome guests. It had a table for 2 set directly in front almost on the hearth.!!The decor was somewhat colourful for the type of property and the lighting was very bright from the central light fitting that would have benefited from being able to be dimmed. There was some background music, which didn't add to the overall atmosphere as it was very much "beat" music with some Elvis Presley !!With regards to the food, it could not be faulted, it all was well presented, and mains came piping hot and on HOT plates (so lacking these days). Service by the bright & breezy young lady who took the order, was excellent, and just the right amount of interaction with guests. As the evening progressed a few other guests arrived (a table of 2 and a table of 4). Overall a pleasant enough evening with good food, but it certainly needs attention to customer service, and a few other tweaks to atmosphere and overall ambiance as it is a lovely property with great potential. It isn't a place I would be in any rush for a repeat visit due to to service and ambiance, although the food is of a good standard.

Ok, its not cheap. But soak in the atmosphere, have a nosey round the building, and the gardens if the weather is good, take some fotos..........afternoon High tea, beautiful. You have to pay for this quality. And our waitress Lisa, who was very efficient. Will be back when it gets warmer to enjoy to the fullest.

I took my wife to Dunsley, where we have been some time before. This time was Valentines night. The room was tastefully embelished with the items of Valentines day.The food was a delight, well presented, tasted devine and made the whole night most enjoyable.

Having been to Dunsley on prior occasions I was quietly looking forward to a good quality meal in excellent surroundings with excellent service. What w actually got was something in between. The room was fabulous however the table was bland in it's styling and the wine glass choice was just a small flute type glass other than options for decent red wine or larger wine glass. The table service was disjointed and several people were left waiting for starters mains etc.The food when we got it was decent enough but any attempt to present the food nicely was lost on the chef other than a neat pile of veg covered by meat just plopped in the centre of the plate as if it had fallen there. Staff were very pleasant and attentive but the room setting looked a rushed last minute effort which somewhat detracted from the experience it could have been

I think "rustic" would be the best way to describe this hotel, the food and the service.It could with a big shake-up.My feeling is that it could do with being taken over by a celebrity chef to really put it on the map

Had lunch here a couple of weeks ago - the hotel not the smokehouse - and it was very good - excellent quality food and nice wine list. Visited with friends and was not disappointed as the last time I was here was 5 years ago and pleased to say if anything, the lunch was even better! Would not hesitate to re-visit for lunch again.

I went to Dunsley Hall with a large group of friends for a girly Christmas celebration night out. What a disappointment! The private room we had booked was dingy, poorly lit and very cold. No festive air about it whatsoever. We waited a long time before we got any service and as far as I could see, there was no effort made to serve drinks at the table.Soup came and it was cold. It was sent back. The same applied to the main courses. Vegetables were overcooked. The manager was called and he seemed to be unperturbed by our complaints. He returned brandishing a temperature probe to check the heat of the food! The waiting staff were apologetic and sweet. They were rushing around and were trying to do their best but it was obvious that the place was overbooked and understaffed. We were told during the evening that one waitress had just walked out and another was on the verge of doing so. Guests belonging to a private party in another room objected to us using the bar in 'their' room. As there was no other bar and no drinks service at the table this was a difficult one!Throughout the evening the manager did not make much effort to ameliorate the situation. We had paid in advance for this meal and it fell far short of the standard expected. It was a waste of money and needless to say, we shall not return.

What went right! Basically nothing! Private room with lovely friends for a sparkling evening was anticipated. The starters were served, and the hot ones had to be returned as they were cold. The mains were eventually served and majority were all cold, and requested to see Duty Manager. He refuted they were cold making out that most of us were lying, even bringing in a probe from the kitchen to test our meals!! They all had to go back to the kitchen to be nuked in the microwave. Some meals were still inedible through lack of heat, and the two small plates of vegetables to share between 15 were all mush! Then the desserts eventually arrived, and were not value for money. The waiting staff did their best, and we all agreed it was not there fault. The Duty manager however, made out everything was our fault because one guest arrived late. Really!!! I have had better service in Wetherspoons and been given a free meal, when not satisfied. This was a very expensive evening and did not expect such a negative response from the management.

My husband and I had both worked Christmas Day so decided we would treat ourselves to a Boxing Day meal out. We had never been here before but the menu looked good. We had a very warm welcome and were shown to our table and we ordered drinks. The starter came.... we had preordered the salmon and it was delicious. The poached egg was perfect and there was loads of salmon! Next course I had pork and my husband chose beef. Again very generous portions of meat and lovely crunchy vegetables. The potato gratin was to die for! We didn't want it to end. The puddings were also delicious. The staff were very attentive but not smothering and were chatty and smiley. We couldn't find a single fault. We are thinking this might be our new Boxing Day tradition. Thank you for a lovely lunch. Hopefully see you next year (if shifts allow!)

We went for an arranged lunch with friends just before Christmas. The restaurant is spotless and warm. The attention was faultless, without being intrusive. The food was wonderful and the overall experience was most enjoyable, we will certainly go again.

Have never been here before but was looking forward to a really lovely meal with friends in a private room after hearing all positive reports. However, what an absolute disaster. The soups were served cold and had to be returned. Twelve of the fifteen main courses had to go back also for the same reason only for some of them to be brought back still not hot enough. The waiters and waitresses were really very helpful and were sympathetic but the problem lay with the person in charge who had difficulty in believing how cold the food was. Surely fifteen people can't be all wrong! We were told that there had been a double booking by a waitress and not enough staff on to cover and as the night progressed we found out one waitress had walked out and another was considering going too. On speaking to the manager again when we were leaving he was very dismissive, now we had paid a lot of money for this meal ( up front) so it feels like a case of we've had your money so tough! Glad I haven't booked for Christmas Day if last night is anything to go by!

So when you arrive the place is lovely. Cosy old fashioned rooms full of character and charm. Then you walk into a large modern stark and cold looking extension which has no charm or character - just a big function room with tiled floor. For me this is the most disappointing part of our visit. We prebooked afternoon tea the man in charge was polite but not over friendly. No menu given to show what was included. My friend hates smoked salmon so would have swapped that had she known. No choice of tea, just Tetley tea bags which is fine for me but I would expect to be offered a choice. The food I cannot fault, it was lovely. Great fillings in the sandwiches on fresh bread. All home made cakes including Christmas cake and mince pies plus two scones each.Service was disappointing though, no one asked if we wanted more tea and it was impossible to get anyone's attention so in the end I had to walk to the bar and ask the manager who's attention I'd been trying to get for ten minutes. Same issue when we wanted the bill. Overall the food was worth the money and I would recommend it definitely. Just a shame the room does not continue the charm of the older part of the building. Also the staff need to be more attentive and keep an eye out for customers needs rather than waiting to be asked.

Most restaurants can deliver a good meal from time to time but it takes a special team to cater for c. 50 people simultaneously and get every single one right first time.Martin and the chef team at Dunsley managed to do themselves and us - as organisers - proud last night.The majority of our party visit with us every year which is surely testament enough, but we also had new friends in attendance and they enthused about the superb quality of their meals.Thanks to the professionalism of the team, and their can-do attitude, even our minor faux-pas regards a mistaken cancellation was dealt with efficiently and as such without causing any inconvenience to guests.I was surprised to hear that friends - even though living locally - had not visited previously.Dunsley really is a special place to visit but do not be put off by the perception perhaps of opulence - staff are welcoming and friendly and it is very easy to become comfortable here.

Lovely venue, great private room for £75 which was very reasonable! Food ok nothing special, when you order pork with crackling you don't expect puff pork scratching!!! no excuse when we had pre booked our meals!! Staff very friendly and efficient and looked after us well!

Good food, very quiet dining area, no dress code so dining next to young couple in trainers and tee shirt on a saturday night. management poor. waitresses trying their best.

My friend treated me to afternoon tea here for my Birthday back in March. It included a mini bottle of prosecco which was lovely. The ambience is quaint, relaxed and cosy with traditional china and décor. We had a window seat which was lovely and we watched a wedding party arrive which was nice. The joining conservatory room where the wedding reception was being held can be looked into by visitors and I'm not sure I would like this if I was getting married there. Sandwiches, cakes and mini deserts were lovely. Staff were pleasant enough and I would return.

I visited the Dunsley Hall today for afternoon tea. It's a beautiful house. The tea - sandwiches and a good assortment of cakes, not forgetting the scones, was excellent. The teapot was refilled quickly. Little short on staff today but I have been before and know how efficient they are. Sunday lunch is also recommended.

An annual tradition now us for my friend and I to meet for festive afternoon tea.The chosen venue for December 2015 was Dunsley Hall hotel.Upon arriving the venue looked absolutely beautiful and so idyllic.Unfortunately there were not any spaces available at the front of the building so we had to park in the car park to the rear - whilst it wasn't ideal the weather is dry and the walk to the entrance was too far away.We were seated within about 5 minutes of arriving and the decorations were lovely. Not overdone, which surprised me as many hotels go all out with decorations but what they had done was tasteful and helped the ambience.There were quite a few tables set and most were filled with guests - I am not sure if it was the guests or how the room was laid out but it was like being in a doctors surgery, every time you spoke it felt like everyone could hear and was listening to what you were saying. We both felt a little uncomfortable!Shortly after being seated our afternoon tea stand arrived together with our hot drinks. There was plenty of choice, so much in fact we couldn't eat all of the goodies. Staff were very good and boxed up what we couldn't eat, so we could take it away for hubbies later. Sandwich selection was very good and they were freshly made.We had plenty of time for a catch up and didn't feel like we had to rush to be out by a certain time which was good.Staff were attentive although quite slow. When wishing to leave we had to wait at least 15 minutes before we could ask for/get the bill. I had looked in different parts of the hotel and couldn't find anybody. Thankfully and eventually someone arrived. Our bill was settled and we could leave.I would return but maybe not for festive afternoon tea.The experience was not as wow as the picture the outside portrays but this may be a one off experience hence why I would return, we all have bad days !

We returned again to Dunsley Hall for a birthday celebration this year. Sometimes when you go for a special meal and return again the next year, you can be easily disappointed when it does not live up to expectations. But not on this occasion it was just as we expected.A nice quiet dining room with just the right amount of people to create the right atmosphere. First class staff and delicious well prepared and presented food. Thanks to everyone for making it a superb birthday evening for my wife.

So disappointed, with our recent Sunday lunch, fish of the day staff not sure if it was cod! That was served with gravy jus, that was exactly the same as on the roast pork! Except the fish was dry and over cooked at over £26 per head we expected better.

Went for afternoon tea which was very nice, service was very good and staff friendly. Very nice setting

Gorgeous lunch in lovely surroundings. Warm welcome by Wilf when we arrived and staff were so lovely and helpful. This was an 80th pressie for my mother in law and what a treat. If you fancy a special afternoon tea this is the place to come. Grounds are breathtaking and house was spotlessly clean. Ample parking and easy to get to.

Invited to dine here with group of friends, choosing from a fixed price menu. Lovely location and shown to a beautiful traditional room with fresh flowers as decoration. One long table which was well presented with linen napkins. A little concerned to be asked if we wanted to order extra vegetables with the meals....! Mix up with starters with some having smoked salmon presented instead of melon order. I had the soup which was good there was just not enough of it and it would have been so much nicer if it was hotter. The bread on the side was tasty. Our mains were chicken and fish. Both these meals would have been good if the portion sizes were bigger. My fish dish was barely warm - had to eat quickly before went cold. Both meals served on cold plates. Very small portions and now know why they were asking about extra vegetables. We were both still hungry when we left. Disappointed as wanted this place to please as I love the venue but on this experience we will not be returning.

My partner and had a delicious evening meal at Dunsley Hall. We both had tomato soup to start which had a hint of smokiness, this added to the flavour somewhat. My partner had the duck as her main course I went for the corn fed chicken. We over did the extra veg though. The meals were delicious and the service was second to none. Many thanks to the staff at Dunsley.

My first visit to Dunsley Hall for afternoon tea. Lovely building & room for the meal. Staff very friendly & attentive. Delicious food & great choice of sandwiches for a vegetarian. My veggie food was presented on a separate platter to the others, which was good. Had a wander outside, beautiful surroundings. Would be fab for a wedding! Will definitely return.

We had a lovely afternoon tea with a selection of sandwiches and cakes. The staff where very friendly and polite would definitely go again

The evening meal was superb in a lovely restaurant with pristine table cloths. Small menu but big portions. All well presented and we didn't feel rushed between courses. All staff very welcoming and friendly.

We attended for a celebration evening dinner as a couple.Dinner times are 18:30 to 20:30 only.Main gripe... ordered starters and main from menu given to us; however, this appeared to have been the wrong menus as my choice of slow-cooked blade of beef was replaced by beef cheek with totally different accompaniments. On being givens menus for desert, we then realised that the choice I made was on a different menu and hence the rather odd looking dish from what I ordered. Spelling mistakes on the menu didn't help either! Typically example, wine described as taste of manderine! Really? is this a new fruit somehow related to mandarin orange?Prices were reasonable for a restaurant - starters £5-£8, mains £16-£20, desserts £6-£7. However, the choice was limited - there was 5 options for starter and 5 for main with vegetarian option for both available. So not an extensive menu by any means. Dessert options were likewise somewhat limited.We were seated in the small breakfast room so cannot advise on the main restaurant room. This room may have been suitable for breakfast but was not conducive to a romantic evening meal setting. Small room with tables close together so that conversation is easily overheard. Staff seemed rather distracted as they were mostly clearing up from an afternoon reception and preparing for another wedding the following day. This meant that waiting staff were often not around. The staff were pleasant enough but obviously distracted enough to not advise us that what we ordered was not what we received.We had two starters, two mains, one dessert and one coffee, which with a bottle of wine, came to less than £80.00 in total.Overall, the food was good if not exceptional but the little niggles and the setting degraded the experience.I guess that on another day with the main restaurant room being available, this might have been a better review - however, the restaurant should be able to provide a consistent experience.

My friend and I came here for coffee and cake one of the mornings - very reasonably priced at £5. We ate outside - Beautiful surroundings and a lovely garden. The service was very good and the cakes were beautifully presented. We loved it here and would definitely visit again.

Visited on a very sunny sunday, great line up of music acts as part of Kinver music festival. Very pretty location and striking building. Soft drinks were very expensive as £3 for a large cols which was the same as lager

We have had a Sunday lunch here before which was lovely and our return visit was based on that experience however this visit wasn't that good. Firstly on arriving we were taken to the dinning room and our table was pointed out to us. We were not escorted to it. Our starters were very nice and we both ordered the roast beef. The beef was beautiful but the Yorkshire pudding was so hard it was not edible. The waiting staff were very efficient and pleasant.

We visited Dunsley Hall as a party to celebrate the fact that one of my company's employees has tolerated my mis-management style for 20 years.We were allotted a private room which was idea for the occasion. Everyone was more than satisfied with the location, food and service.It is not cheap but places of this quality never are.

We hired a room for privacy and had the afternoon tea for a family members birthday. The afternoon tea was very nice and the surroundings were lovely, had a lovely afternoon catching up with family members we hadn't seen for quite some time.

Mixed experiences. Beautiful building and gardens. First visited in 2012 for a school re-union and they always insisted on a deposit every time we booked with no refund .and If someone didn't turn up we still had to pay for that person. Perfect for special occasions or even just tea on the terrace.

Took afternoon tea with three colleagues/friends to celebrate my forthcoming retirement.Despite appalling weather preventing us from eating in the pretty gardens, it was, nevertheless, a special afternoon.Tea was served in a beautiful garden room ,complete with flagstone floor.The food itself was beautifully served in the traditional manner i.e on three-tiered stands comprising an array of finger sandwiches, scones with jam & clotted cream, fruit jelly and delicate bite- sized cakes. The food was freshly prepared and delicious.Two of the party had special dietary requirements ( vegetarian & pescatarian) and these were served on separate stands to avoid any confusion.Our young waitress was attentive without being intrusive, such a pleasure to experience good, old-fashioned service.We were offered the option of boxing up any uneaten morsels to take away with us - a thoughtful gesture- but, in the event, did not need to, as not a scrap remained.Not cheap but well worth it for the quality of food, service and surroundings.

Excellent day and lovely afternoon tea. Service and surroundings were excellent - I could not believe I was only yards from a busy A road - tranquility was great

Had a lovely afternoon tea with my mom here for my birthday. Sandwich and cake selection was lovely just the right amount of each. Staff were friendly although we were unsure where to go when we arrived as nobody at reception area. Overall great experience just a little pricey for me, but I didn't mind as my mom was paying as a treat!