Makeney Hall Restaurant in Amber Valley

Went there for an ' Afternoon Tea '. My Wife, her Brother and his Wife. The food was simple, straight forward and not over presented. Just as an afternoon tea should be. It was excellent both in quality and quantity. We all agreed it was very good, and in wonderful surroundings. It was quiet and relaxed, with the wildlife outside running through the woodland. As for value, that too was excellent. We will be going again.

Afternoon tea was very disappointing and definitely not worth £19.95 per person. There were only 4 tiny oblong pieces of sandwiches each, 1 scone with jam and cream plus 1 tiny brownie square, 1 tiny macaroon plus a tiny shot glass of a vanilla type dessert. In our opinion only enough for just 1 person! They do not replenish sandwiches unlike all other afternoon tea venues we have been to and this was not value for money at all. Both of us were still hungry afterwards, very expensive sandwiches and tiny cakes we feel. On a positive note Makeney hall is a lovely setting and was very relaxing afternoon apart from leaving hungry! Will return but not for another afternoon tea sorry!

Absolute rip off!!! Ordered a glass of red wine and was billed £11.60. I wanted to say no thanks, I'm not paying that and order something else, but I was with people I met for the first time, and it was awkward to do so. We then had a three course meal that came in the tiniest portions, and the chicken was dry. Would never choose to come back here again.

Groupon Afternoon Tea this afternoon 2nd February 24. I have to say was absolutely beautiful and incredible value lovely selection of fresh sandwiches and cakes. Served by a lovely lady (blonde hair) couldn’t do enough for us. Ate in the conservatory lovely and warm lovely outlook definitely go again thank you for a great day

Used the Resturant part of this hotel before, having enjoyed our previous visits we decided to take our family for some Christmas fare, now 17 of us not any easy number to cater for although we did use their set menu selection which was more than adequate. Service was good, food arrived on time with the orders correct, and, we did not feel rushed. Large groups or couples are well catered for with plenty of space to get out the way for quiet time if required. Great setting, and easy to get around for those with mobility problems.

Beautiful big warm room, lots of space, lovely corner bath which was very welcome after a long cold day at Alton towers. Very clean with free bottled water still and sparkling. We had breakfast the next morning, a bit pricey for what was given, a great range of choice but presentation was lacking, I had eggs Benedict which looked like it was just thrown on the plate.Attentive friendly staff. Would return but not stay for the £15 each breakfast.

A sunny Sunday in late October and a chance to sample lunch at Makeney Hall. The service was prompt and polite, the fodd adorable and the cost was really good value for money. Highly recommended!!

I had a lovely three course dinner party with my family and friends for my birthday recently, and the whole experience was excellent. I had requested a round table so all eight of us could sit around and speak and enjoy the relaxing and beautiful dining room. The gentle piano background music was perfect and added to the elegant ambiance. The staff were all lovely, and the restaurant manager, Oliver, made sure everything was perfect for us. All the dishes on the menu for the evening were delightful. Perfect seasoning, balance, and portion sizes, so that the three courses were comfortably manageable. My guests all remarked on their various choices, and said how tasty it all was. I was so pleased that I had made my reservation, and that I was able to have such a perfect celebration, at very short notice. Thank you for saving the day for me, and reminding us all that we have an excellent nearby restaurant in which to dine for future dates. I'll certainly be back to enjoy the food again.

We've been twice. Once for dinner and once for a champagne breakfast. On both occasions, there were slight issues with the convenience of the layout and considerable wait times. However, on both occasions, the food, drink, and service were perfect and very modestly priced.

Attended a family birthday at Makeny Hall and it was first class. It’s a lovely old building set in stunnning grounds with plenty of car parking.There was a great choice of food on the menu and the meal itself was excellent and served very professionally by efficient and attentive staff.For those wanting a drink there is a good choice at the bar.All in all a nice experience.

I purchased the Groupon deal for sparkling afternoon tea for two and decided to book in for 2:30pm on a Sunday. My friend and I arrived a little early and were greeted by a lady on the reception desk who directed us to the room that was serving the afternoon tea. There was only one server working in this room and most of the tables were taken or needed clearing. The room was very warm and stuffy so we asked for a jug of water. The server brought over a pot of tea (not loose leaf) for two and I had to remind her about the glass of Prosecco, this arrived sometime later. The cake stand had seen better days and wasn’t stable on the table. We found the sandwich fillings very basic and so were the sweet treats. The only enjoyable item was the fruit scone. At no point did the server come over and ask if everything was okay or if we would like more drinks. It looked like we were given less food because we were there via the Groupon voucher. We decided to make the best of it and left promptly. A Tip For The Ladies - If you do need to visit the ladies toilets whilst you’re there, please take a peg or a face mask to cover your nose and mouth. The nasty smell that greeted us was horrid. The toilets certainly need a deep clean!

This hall has lovely friendly efficient staff and it’s a lovely old hall & grounds , we were a table of four for Sunday dinner and I couldn’t fault the quality of and presentation of the food we will definitely be going back in the near future .

My wife and I visited Makeney Hall today, Sunday 14th of May, for lunch on a Group-on deal, we bought the 2 course option and had a main of roast beef and a dessert. On the whole the food is very good apart from my dessert which was served cold, apple crumble and custard, but this was eventually rectified. The down side was the attention to detail, all the tables around us were offered a bread roll, we were not but maybe that was because we were on a Group-on deal. When we got the main course no one asked if we needed any sauces or anything else, I wanted more gravy because what was on the plate was very limited. When I was served my dessert it was cold and I could not attract the attention of a waiter, they all had their eyes to the ground, no one looking around to make sure everyone was happy. I had to go looking for a waiter. At the end of the meal a nice young lady came the clear the table, not a word was said; did you enjoy your meal? would you like anything else? she just took the dishes and left. We might have had tea or coffee if it was offered. With that level of service I would have been upset if I had been paying the full price. Makeney Hall has a reputation for quality and service but the service missed the target today.

Afternoon Tea, very disappointed with the food and service. Food was rabbit portions and cakes were hard. Fruit scones were rock solid and when asked for some more we never got any apology. The new ones which were then brought out were hot from being microwaved. Nothing tasted fresh or home made. The waitress just sat us down and no explanation of the food being served, they were also constantly coughing which was off putting when serving food. They dissappeared and we were left with no service for a good 20 mins, to then find out the waitress was no longer on shift. We went for the 'high tea' for an extra £10 which was literally a cheap sausage roll and a very small quiche to share plus a tiny cup of soup each... The table was wonky so had some tissue under the leg (see photo!). The hotel and grounds looks lovely just a real shame about the experience with the food and table service. We would definitely not visit again.

Went here for Sunday Dinner via Groupon and found the menu to be of a very good choice with myself having the lamb and my wife having the beef only drawback with lamb that it didn’t come with Yorkshire pudding as my wife’s beef did and both only came with a minimal splash of gravy which I couldn’t understand, the included glass of wine was of a good measure and standard.

An absolutely delicious meal in gorgeous surroundings. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the service was excellent.

A wonderful place for a special meal. My wife visited for a Sunday lunch. The set menu was enough to satisfy a range of preferences. The service was swift and attentive. The food a delight. This seems to be something of a hidden gem just outside Derby in lush countryside.

Lovely 3 course meal with nice wine and ice cold lager. Nice spacious dining room. Very pleasant and attentive staff on hand. Tasty menu choices for all I believe.

Dining area is spacious and well laid out and both dinner and breakfast were first class. Good menu choice for dinner, food very tasty and presented well with service from Freya which was excellent. Breakfast is buffet service with lots of choice between cold/hot food and various hot/cold drinks.

We had an excellent dining experience on our recent trip to Makeney Hall. The food was beautifully prepared and presented by Dan and Sally in the kitchen, and thye service by Oliver, Luke and Ben was second to none. It was a really lovely evening. We would like to thank all of these people for their wonderful service

Visited with friends for afternoon tea , was disappointed with the poor selection ,finger sandwiches with hardly any filling .Cakes looked like something out of a pack of cakes you would buy at supermarkets ,the scones advertised with clotted cream ,Not clotted cream ,didn’t even...

When I booked, I was not asked about allergies so I expected that this would be asked on arrival. It wasn't, so I was surprised when we were just presented with cakes and finger sandwiches without discussion. When I say finger sandwiches, they were just...

I visited with my partner in October and he had booked 2 travel zoo visits so I waited to give a review after both. The hotel is a beautiful building in gorgeous grounds, the main Hotel areas have been refurbished and all look beautiful, although...

Attended with family and requested a executive suite with two spare beds. Cot beds provided and very uncomfortable. On arrival met with a very unhelpful and miserable receptionist who did not like being disturbed from her computer. Decor of the room very dated in appearance,...

Harrison Higgins the duty manager would not have been out of place at the Ritz or Savoy Hotels in London. Smart , Polite, Patient and very efficient. He dealt with our slight problem of booking in on App and a delay due to my wife's...

We visited here recently for afternoon tea. We arrived at Reception, and the lovely mature lady directed us to the restaurant. We walked into the restaurant and there was nobody there, so we sat down at a table which was set out for afternoon tea....

It has been a while since my last visit but there was an offer for Sunday Lunch which seemed too good to miss. There is a roll-out of refurbishment taking place and the parts that have been done are looking fabulous. Lovely greeting from the...

We had our Christmas Day lunch here this year for a change to the usual home cooked dinner. It was superb here - the atmosphere was festive, staff were all friendly and attentive, the time between courses was just right, the food was lovely and...

We had afternoon tea as a party of eight. Restaurant was very quiet so we had it to ourselves. Most of us had the high tea which I thought was a good choice as the extras, a small cup of soup and quiche, were delicious....

I note a previous reviewer extolling her enjoyment of the feeling of ‘stepping back in time’ which is fine, I can think of several hotel restaurants that do this really well. What I didn’t appreciate were the stained carpets throughout the bar and restaurant areas....

love breakfast and there is a good selection, but not always what is on the breakfast menu was available (Cold cuts and continental cheeses)

This was the second time this year we visited Makeney Hall’s Strutt restaurant on a Sunday. We had such a lovely lunch on mother’s Day in March that we decided to eat here again on Easter Sunday. Although the menu was pretty similar to before...

Not as i would have xpected for a top venue on xmas day, ok you have to pay a lot to get good slick service on such a high profile day, but unfortunately we was left slightly disappointed, we had to ask for the next...

. This was the scene—we are seated to our table and our menu requirements were gone through. Amuse bouche arrived one plated and three on a separate plate which we were told to help ourselves, we had not finished this when the starters were presented,...

The hotel is lovely the food was very good,our room was clean, warm,quiet and comfortable.The staff were polite and helpful.A lovely two nights in a vintage setting .

Booked a afternoon tea for 4 ,as I am coeliac wasn’t expecting too much ,but was surprised ! Lovely assortment of sandwiches , then amazing assortment of cakes just couldn’t eat them all however much I wanted to . Unlimited coffee and lovely views from the conservatory ,great service and we weren’t rushed at all . Certainly will be visiting again .

We only experienced the bar food but it was a high standard. The hotel also has a full restaurant menu.

large, airy room or conservatory, nice polite people, music may not be to everyone's taste. Bar menu is every bit as good as the restaurant and a fair price. What more could you want?

We had sandwiches on arrival they were generous, freshly made and to much for my wife.In the evening we had a meal in the restaurant lovely setting,the staff were very pleasant and helpful.

Great food, served on hot plates overlooking the gardens. Reasonably priced with a good selection of wines.

Excellent food and service. Highly recommended. It's a pity I can't say the same about the hotel room we stayed in.

Whilst staying at the Blakeney hotel we had meals in the restaurant, very nice, enjoyed the food, friendly service pleasant view over garden. We also had Bar meals they were excellent hot and cold food available. enjoyed our visit.

Today 4 of us went to Makeney Hall Hotel to celebrate my Mum's Birthday. We had a wonderful time and a perfect afternoon tea was served to us in the conservatory. The oval table was in a central position giving us super views over the gardens. One of our party was a little late so we had a pot of tea while we waited. The fine blue flowered cups and plates were so pretty and I am sure tea tastes better out of china cups!! As soon as our friend arrived our prosecco was served. The tea was replaced for a new fresh pot, swiftly followed by a platter of freshly prepared sandwiches garnished with watercress and tomato. We sat and chatted enjoying the luxury of peace and time to ourselves. When we were ready a fantastic assortment of cakes and desserts arrived at the table. We really had not expected to have such choice.. mini Lemon Possets with raspberries, soft Chocolate Brownies with slices of orange and little crispy pieces, Strawberry Cheesecake squares, Carrot cake with traditional topping and blueberries and finally scones with jam and clotted cream. Tea was topped up whenever we asked. Some previous reviewers have said the decor is tired and I might agree. Our scones were fresh, though I think they were bought in ( Makeney Hotel .. please correct me if I am wrong). However, the service was exemplary, the staff from front of house to our afternoon tea server (sorry I do not know your name) could not have been better. Our server was perfect in her role, she was attentive, listened and smiled constantly what an assest to Makeney Hall Hotel. I can overlook rooms needing a make over when we were made to feel so welcome. A return visit has already been discussed!!

Although I didn’t get to have my romantic meal with my husband, I did have a bar meal and my breakfast and supper, I hope to return soon.

Breakfast very good and plentiful....self service buffet when busy, but booked to order when fewer guests.

A very fresh and delicious selection of sandwiches, scones, posset and cakes, with plentiful tea and coffee. The staff were very friendly, unobtrusively checking that we were happy and offering drinks. The large room was ridiculously empty, but the two of us were quite comfortable sitting by the window and looking out onto a lovely garden. It was warm enough on a chilly day with comfortable seating. Happily took some of the cakes home wrapped in foil as there was far too much for us. My only minor issue was finding the hotel as it wasn't well signposted and my phone decided not to work!

Food in this restaurant is to die for excellent. When staying in hotel it is a must to have dinner and breakfast.

Booked a family lunch for Boxing day with high expectations after seeing the beautifully presented brochure. On arrival we ordered a drink from the bar which resembled a doctor's surgery, no festive tunes playing. We were shown to our table that had no table cloth on and chairs that were ready for the skip. Candles on the table that we decided to light ourselves and was promptly told to blow them out due to health and safety. Cutlery was dull and greasy looking. No atmosphere in the place at all. The food was OK but lacked. The whole place looked tired with paint peeling from doors, and tables that looked like they were out of the skip.

Absolutely beautiful place ideal for weddings etc and a lovely place for any venue set in superb surroundings of the Derbyshire countryside and 2 minutes off The A6 Derby to Matlock road not a cheap place though .

Had dinner here on the Sunday night and had a bottle of very nice white wine and a bottle of red wine not expensive for a hotel of this quality.

The breakfasts and evening meals were excellent with a good choice of good quality food served really well.

12 of us booked afternoon tea and sat in very pleasant surroundings, tea and coffee brought prior to sandwiches which were adequate, not everyones choice of filling as mustard on ham. Scones did not appear home made and a little dry, jam and cream ok....

Stayed in this lovely old building and loved every minute...other reviews point out it's tiredness but we think it adds...

As we were staying in the Hotel we decided to eat in the Restaurant in the evening, the food was...

Makeney Hall visité con mi madre para el té de la tarde después de ver que era mejor votado en Derbyshire. Los bocadillos eran bien, teníamos 4 triángulos cada uno, 4 eran blancas y de color marrón que era suerte 4 porque prefiero blanco. Había...

Merluza era magnífico, necesita añadir parte de ensalada o verduras, pero barato. Menú cambió el segundo que estuvimos allí, que cera una ventaja

We recently ate in the restaurant and were very pleasantly surprised as to how good the food was the service could have been a tad better but they were all very helpful with their suggestions.

Treated my wife to afternoon tea for her birthday. Wasn't a vintage style tea but a good selection of cakes, could of been more sandwiches, all in all ok for the price we paid

The rooms are majestic,a frequent venue for Weddings and afternoon teas There is a book on the family the aristocracy of Belper seven teen century industrialis and benefactors, il it's stone they built it.Schools factories waterworks.There is a fine viewing tower..

Stayed here in may 2016, chosen from the buyagift.com range of hotels.Great room, clean and spacious. Location of hotel is good and set in the countryside with amazing views.Ate in the restaurant on the Saturday night, lovely meal and great wine.Definitely recommended.

I stayed here for my birthday and invited family to join me for breakfast. it was well worth the £10 they charged for guest just for the setting alone. lovely warm, conservatory with fantastic views across the lawns and Derbyshire countryside. staff very attentive, pot of coffee bought to table which was laid out lovely, buffet breakfast, continental, but we indulged on the full English couldn't fault it. lovely treat start to day. very relaxing and chilled out.

Makeney Hall Hotel is comfortable and well placed for the southern part of the Peak District. The food was good, and the staff were so helpful throughout our stay. The conservatory part of the dining room is spacious and airy, although the other dining room is probably best reserved for dark evenings! Our rooms were comfortable, if rather 'tired' in their decoration. The bathroom was clean but in quite urgent need of some modernising. Taken as a whole. We enjoyed our stay and would come again.

Enjoyed a lovely 2 course meal here while staying at the hotel. Good value, well cooked and thoroughly enjoyable.

Where do we start. service is mediocre at best. Breakfast was cold both mornings, cold bacon and beans not good. We had afternoon tea which Was £28 for two, ridiculous price for a few sandwichses and a cakes. staff are not happy. The TV remote didn't work unless you were standing directly in front of the TV, which defeats the object of having a remote, the clue is in the name. Our least favourite part the dinner disaster. Starter was basically pate and toast with onion chutney. It was meant to be posh toast, cold, damp and like cardboard and I found a piece of wood in my chutney. We told waitress who said sorry and scuttled away. Main course, mine was pork with crackling that I could of hammered a nail with. Vegetables which were extra were raw, I like Al dente but not raw veg. My husband ordered the steak, medium to we'll done, picture attached. It was medium rare and was swimming in blood. His three times cooked chips were hard so maybe they should be four times cooked from now on. We complained to the staff and he said sorry and that was it. I complained at check out and was told that people don't usually complain about the food, well that doesn't help me. they did take off £20 off big deal and we won't be back. The hotel is neglected, sad because it could be amazing.

Had the Full Afternoon Tea ordered in the Drawing room. The conservatory room just finished a big lunch, & we where greeted by a young blond hair girl, who gladly took our to our seat & took our order. the sandwiches where lovely & the Cakes where stylish & Delicious! highly recommend to eat here

We had a meal here on our first night it was quite good but not really to our liking for us it was a bit prices and the meals were nothing special. It seems popular with the local population I will say the breakfasts were really good

Quiet location close to the A6 Matlock to Derby Road 1.1/2 miles south of Belper. Also convenient for Derby and the A38. The venue is a charming country house hotel with some more recent additions relatively in keeping, with extensive mature gardens.I visited as on a number of days, as part of Company/Trades Unions negotiations. The days started with bacon rolls, followed by morning coffee/tea with homemade biscuits, a two course hot lunch, always with two choices including one vegetarian, and finally afternoon coffee/tea, again with homemade biscuits. Food quality was always good, and the lunch menu varied from day to day. One member of our group is a celiac, and was catered for very well on all of the occasions previously listed.Service was always very friendly and efficient.The venue proved ideal for our negotiations, with ample break-out areas when required.

Warm welcome from all staff, afternoon tea in drawing room a real treat. Evening meal was really delicious, again all staff really helpful and served all evening with a smile! Breakfast was good too.

We went to makeney hall for an afternoon tea ... A Christmas present ( groupon voucher) from a friend . The food was lovely .. Sandwiches,Jam/ cream scone ,a lemon mousse and small cakes . There was enough to eat , all served in the conservatory with nice views of a small garden. The waiter was on his own for 5 tables , and we had to ask for more tea.... Unfortunately he just put extra water in so it was undrinkable... But as he was busy and on his own I didn't like to bother him . .. Apart from that it was lovely ... I would go again . We went on a Saturday ..so it was probably a bit busier

Spacious dining room plus large conservatory-type extension, good spacing between tables, which were good sized.Staff were polite & attentiveFairly restricted menu, but food was well presented and good quality

We visited for our valentines treat. The afternoon tea was nice, served in the conservatory, which was nice and warm for saying the cold weather outside. It was very quiet with just one member of staff. The food was standard for afternoon tea and there was enough, little sandwiches, scones, a lemon posset and tiny cakes. We had to ask for more tea. If I was asked how it could be improved I would say that it would have been nicer served on a traditional cake stand and if we had been offered more tea. The decor is a little tired and characterful if that kind of thing bothers you.

The Hotel had been given an award by a leading county magazine for its afternoon teas and our daughter had given us a gift token for Christmas. What a delight it was.to have this lovely selection of sandwiches, scones and fancies served to us in the conservertory and, which made it extra special, by a charming waitress. We thought it wonderful and we will return on some special occasion which needs a celebration

The food was very good. Tasty, fresh and well presented. In the course of a week we worked our way through most of the limited menu but there few complaints in our group. Personal favourite was the roast pork.

The fawlty towers show was fantastic. It was a laugh all the way through. But we booked a room for the night. Never again, the room was clean and ok but the service from the staff was awful. They were slow and miserable and unwilling to please. The meal at night was awful. Bland soup and smash potato with a chicken breast which was dry. I recommend you to go to the show but don't stay over. Instead go to the holly bush across the road. Much friendlier.

My friend and I went for Valentines afternoon tea. I'm vegan and I was very happy with the response I had from the food which I was offered. Lovely salad sandwiches, sorbet with passion and summer fruits, a vegan cameral cake and a scone. Soya milk was provided too! My friends afternoon tea was also delightful with a choice of sandwiches, cakes and scone too.I would come here again. Nice friendly staff too. Thank you :-)

We went for lunch on Valentine's Day and had a very good meal (a party of 6 adults and two children). The service was great as was the food and the conservatory dining area was very nice. It's just a shame it wasn't all that busy - far nicer to eat there than some busy local pub, and there are lots of those around locally! Would definitely recommend. Good value to.

We took our son and his girlfriend here for afternoon tea, to celebrate his graduation.We arrived a little earlier than anticipated, and were invited to wait in the drawing room. We were there for only a few short minutes before we were seated, and drinks orders taken. We were looked after amazingly well by Lisa, who did an excellent job of appearing with the pre-ordered champagne for our celebration, and even offered to take group photographs for us. The food was freshly prepared and of an excellent quality. As is the usual story with afternoon tea, we thought of it as a 'light bite' and left feeling very full ... it was just too nice to waste a morsel !!This is such a lovely setting - both the building and the grounds. It is a wonderful rural setting, yet just a short drive from the centre of Derby. If we did not live so close, I would be persuading hubby that we needed a weekend here !!

Took my husband for a birthday meal tonight. We arrived early and were offered a drink which we sat drinking in the bar. Menus were brought after a few minutes and we quickly made our choices. The menu was nice and interesting, not basic fish and chips! My husband chose a Thai Spicey Fishcake for starter, and I had the Ham Hock, Chicken and Leek Terrine with piccalilli. The piccalilli seemed to be home made and was lovely, as was the Terrine, apart from the cold whole of leek running through the middle which just didnt go. My husband enjoyed the Fishcake too. For mains my husband had the calves liver, which was very nice, and I had the pork fillet wrapped in ham, with belly and crackling, which was lovely too. This was served with a creamy cabbage, which tasted lovely, but was a bit rich for me to eat it all. After being taken to our table and being told the starter was nearly ready, we were brought very dry stale bread rolls, which were not at all enjoyable, and I only ate mine as I was starving! It was still another 10 minutes before the starter appeared. Mains came quicker, but the waiter didnt appear to have any experience and never asked if we wanted water with our meal. We had a bottle of red wine, but I wanted water too, as I was driving and only had a tiny amount of wine. The waiter did ask if we'd enjoyed it at the end, but never came over to make sure everything was ok when we were actually eating. It wasnt that the restaurant was busy - there was one other couple in there, and a gentleman on his own, so no excuse for lack of service. I even had to go looking for the waiter to get our bill and, despite ringing the bell at the bar twice, no-one appeared. Eventually he came into the restaurant with one meal and I was able to ask for our bill. I get a gut feeling that this guy didnt seem to be a "proper" waiter and seemed to be doing lots of jobs at the same time? Overall a good meal using my Tastecard, but had I paid full price I think it would have been a little overpriced entirely due to the service.

I was asked to join a Christmas party for a meal and dance. The service was painfully slow, and one particular member of the bar staff was rude, and unhelpful. The three course meal was ok, but forgettable. The atmosphere was good, and was definitely helped by the fantastic company I was keeping. I don't think I could confidently recommend the venue and service, and it's unlikely that I'd return for food.

I have waited a little while to leave this review as I had a feeling I wasn't going to hear the end of this afternoon I organised.I pre booked afternoon tea for a pregnancy get together for a friend, there were 11 of us in total. The lady on the phone suggested having a private suite for a minimum of 8 people which sounded fab. I later had a girl say she could no longer make it. I called to ask if that was a problem, and was told no. I then received an email asking me to sign an invoice with a note to say that I would be losing £5 deposit. I could understand them doing this if there was less than the minimum of 8 in the room or if they had told me this would be the case when I called to check. After many phone calls and exchanges of emails, it was finally agreed that the £5 would be taken from the total bill at the end. As it was a surprise gathering for my friend, we asked everyone else to get there first. When we arrived they were all in waiting. We went to the reception and I stated my name and that I was here for afternoon tea. The receptionist showed no tact whatsoever and completely ruined the surprise by asking if we were here for the baby shower and said there were people already in the room. Not a good start. When we got in there the room was lovely and the food was too. No complaints at all there. However, we were left for over an hour, nobody came to check how we were or clear the plates away. I stood at reception ringing the bell. Walked around to find some staff, but the place was a ghost town. Eventually I found a guy behind the bar. I paid him the balance and asked for a receipt, having a feeling that I wouldn't hear the end of this. Six days later I have received an invoice stating that I owe £94.50. The organisation of this place leaves a lot to be desired and I am furious to say the least! I am sad to have to write this review as the place is beautiful, as was the food. The staff have let it down massively for me.

Not cheap, but worth paying a visit to eat in a qiuet location. Restaurant staff are very attentive, althjough the hotel did run out of some basic foods and wine possiblky related to a wedding party taking place in another dining room

Good restaurant, food very good, presentation excellent. We ate in the conservatory which had a lovely atmosphere

Ate here twice whilst enjoying a special offer break and (almost) could not fault the food or service. On both occasions starters and main courses were cooked to perfection - the only fault we could find was with the food that required no preparation at all. Unfortunately the cheese board came straight from the fridge and the three cheeses were bland and uninteresting. Given the wealth of locally produced cheese available just a tiny bit of thought and care would round off an otherwise superb meal - instead it just left a faintly disappointing finish especially given that the wine list was above average as well (give the Bonada a go with any red meats)!

Good varied choice on menu. Had starter and main course each time. Very pleasant staff. Restaurant set in pleasant conservatory.

tried to order drinks a glass of wine and a beer be warned the choice is extremely restricted. I requested a Rose' the girl disappeared out the back and come back with three bottles in her arms, I looked at the label and noticed it was dry as I wanted a medium to sweet I asked if they had another, No I was told I then asked for a Red Merlot, sorry we don't stock that and I was shown an alternative wine they recommended which I accepted although it wasn't what I would have chosen. On arrival into the restaurant I placed the napkin in my lap ready for the first course and noticed my lap feeling damp, the napkin was damp this was replaced with an apology, I then asked if the pre-booked meal was for two or three courses as I couldn't remember what had been said on the phone and the prices are astronomical, she didn't know and went to ask, on returning I was told two courses which I thought didn't sound right but accepted they should know the rules (on checking the website) it looked to me that I should have been offered three courses. We found the service to be disjointed and slow, the bread rolls which were offered were an insult being the size of golf balls and my husbands meal included spinach which was heavily over salted not ideal as he is restricted on salt medically, again we were just offered an apology with a comment I'll speak to the chef, we ordered a dessert and a coffee to complete the meal the coffee was delivered but no sign of the dessert I asked if it was on its way as I found it very rude and upsetting to have to eat separately and the whole point of ordering coffee was so that I wouldn't be eating alone. I can do that at home I do expect to have to eat my dessert at the end of the meal on holiday in a hotel.Breakfast the next morning was lovely its served buffet style and the choice was good the toaster actually produced browned toast which I found a novel experience with self service, this was a totally different experience from dinner the night before. Again the windows in the restaurant were dirty with what appeared child's hand prints and dogs pawing marks on the large panes.

We stayed here for 5 nights, but only ate in their restaurant on the first evening, as we were not impressed with the value for money. One course is £18, 2 for £24 and 3 for £30, but the food was very average. My starter was a ham hock terrine, with only one very small piece of thin toast with it. When I asked for another piece, I was told it may take a while as they would have to make it! (how long would that take?) The Breakfast was a help yourself buffet with hot and cold food. The cold buffet and cereal was as basic as it gets, and the hot buffet was not kept warm properly, with only the chafing dish under the mushrooms, tomatoes and beans having it's burners lit underneath, and on a couple of days under the fried eggs (when there were any without asking for them). I ate cold or, at best, very tepid bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs etc. Every day I had to wait as one component or other had run out and not been replenished. It seemed that they were not pro-active in ensuring the breakfast was good as it could have been, and it would have been so easy to get it right.

We needed a hotel near Belper for a work stop over, this one was at the right price so we booked. On arrival we were asked if we wanted to reserve a table in the restaurant, so as it was our first night in the area and been a long day we said yes.Little did we know that we were in for a nouvelle cuisine / fine dining experience!As such our overnight stay expenses weren't going to cover the cost of three courses.. or two for that matter! So this review is based purely on the main!Oh, how I would have loved to experience all three courses, but alas that will have to wait for when I bring my wife up here - and I will!I had the Slow cooked belly pork, crackling, bacon crumb, smokey pulled pork bon bon, spring onion mash with roasted carrots and cider reduction.I was in heaven every mouthful.I'm not one to wax lyrical about flavour combinations or the finer notes of the individual ingredients, but this had it all - and was quite filling too!Of course if I'd been able to afford even one more course I would have been completely satisfied.

We visited Makeney Hall last Sunday for lunch. Prompt service and a great setting made the experience a treat from the start.Lunch was beautifully cooked and the sauce accompanying the chicken was nothing short of amazing ! For chocolate lovers...... make sure you have the Chocolate Torte.A Great Sunday treat at a very reasonable price.....I will most definitely be visiting Makeney again very soon.

We boked afternoon tea for two a couple of weeks ago and I requested one dairy free - unfortunately we were the only ones in the restaurant but of course that's no-ones fault - we were surprised that the food came out on slates - we looked forward to china cake stands etc. The sandwiches were brought out to us first - a good variety but surprised to get pickle on the cheese and mustard on the ham as not everyone likes them - the cakes were absolutely delicious and a wide variety was offered to both of us - I had just as many on my dairy free choice as my husband had - the staff were friendly and made sure we had enough tea and coffee - I would recommend Makeney Hall

Makeney Hall restaurant,very well presented meal with a good cheerful service,nice seating overlooking the garden and the surrounding area,good value and selection.

As vegetarians we ordered what was a limited selection from the menu. The food was ok but nothing special.

Have set price for 2 or 3 courses. Good choice on menu had 2 courses food was very good. Waiter service, clean white linen tablecloths and napkins.

My son and his girlfriend bought us afternoon tea with pressecco for xmas through amazon vouchers. It was absolutely lovely. The waitress was really friendly. The selection of Finger sandwiches and cakes were lovely. We were offered unlimited tea and coffee and a glass of pressecco each, which was very nice

You could have a 1 course 2 course or 3 course meal. We opted for 2 course had the steak and chips with vine tomatoes. The steak was a little chewy but the meal was good.

we booked quite late for Boxing Day and we were quite concerned our table would be in the corridor as I knew they were almost fully booked! No need to worry. Food and service were very good. Quite often for festive meals you feel that you are on a production line, but we were able to relax and take our time. We have been on and off diners at Makeney for 20 years. It's good to report it is getting back to the quality of the original owners. Building is now a little tired compared to the glory days, but still a lovely place and setting.

We found the afternoon tea very well presented, crustless sandwiches, a variety of cakes and copious amounts of tea and coffee. However, the experience would have been more enjoyable if the staff we encountered had been more welcoming. Attitude is everything in the hospitality business and we felt Makeney Hall needs some help improving its customer care.

We had high hopes given the recommendation from the Derby Evening Telegraph and were prepared to ignore some of the negative reviews on this site. Unfortunately, those reviews are right. This was an entirely forgettable experience for what was supposed to be a special birthday. On the plus side, you do get copious amounts of tea and coffee, the scones were nice and warm and the lemon posset is delicious. But the negatives outweigh the positives. Unless you are staying in the refurbished bedrooms, the place looks tired and well past its best. We barely got a hello or a smile when we walked in and despite having been promised (when we enquired beforehand) a table in the conservatory, this was simply untrue; we were directed to find a seat in the soulless, empty, dark Chartwell room (about which other reviewers had complained hence the reason for our enquiry) and got not so much as an apology but rather a denial that we had ever been told anything different. We were served a bland poor quantity of sandwiches on a roof slate supposed to feed 5 people and it was obvious the cake and clotted cream was fresh from a freezer or too cold a fridge. At £12 per head, this is not a good advert for Makeney Hall and it is no point complaining because all you get is a shrug of the shoulders. It was our first visit here and it will be our last.

Very poor quality food, spoilt the wedding & we had to leave to go & get something to eat. No service, just depressing

We had a beautiful Afternoon Tea at Makeney Hall. Considering it was just two days before Christmas the conservatory was busy with families, couples and ladies enjoying the setting and the delicious selection of sandwiches and cakes. This treat was through a 'voucher' website but it is one of the few I would be happy to pay the normal price for. The room was tastefully decorated for Christmas, the lady serving was very attentive. When entering the hotel the reception looks a little'tired' but once beyond that the ambience is warm, cosy and friendly.

Having ordered beef as a choice from turkey, it arrived as a steak - rare, as did every steak, which is fine for those who like rare beef. Rather than create a fuss in a party atmosphere a kindly person exchanged with me for turkey, that was accompanied by a lump of plastic stuffing, two small roast potatoes, a meagre mount of vegetables and a pig-in-blanket (poor), and gravy from bisto or the like.Desert was a, yes, plastic xmas pudding the size of a 50p with a meagre amount of white sauce. And to be quite honest I can't remember if that was followed by a drink, tea/coffee, I was too busy drinking water to clean my pallet. The setting was great, beautiful big fire place and reasonable table service. But as I now have seen the interior I shall NOT be eating there again!