Restaurant at Charlton House in Mendip

Booked table . Restaurant empty, no one else in the dining room. Had to ask where we put our coats. Service extremely slow , ordered pre-lunch drinks at bar as no one attended to us, and had to ask for menu as no-one came to take our order. Long, long wait for main course and inbetween courses. Main courses very tasty but whole meal served already on plates not in serving dishes. Puddings very disappointing, profiteroles stodgy , heavy , no cream or sauce with these or the chocolate tart, very basic . Had to go to bar to request coffees. We were very neglected , staff were more interested in putting Christmas decorations up and putting fake flower arrangements around. It took three hours for five persons to be served lunch and it felt as if we were unimportant. Very disappointed , lots of staff but no attention to dining guests.

£69 for three people! Scones were rock hard, sandwiches were dry and the size of the afternoon tea was small and not a true reflection of what was advertised. Poor customer service from every staff member. Wouldn’t return. However, the spa facilities were good and had a nice setting.

We had breakfast here with some friends on Saturday the 4th of December. The breakfast was nice and reasonably priced for a full English, although the portion size was on the small side as were the juices we ordered (200ml). They asked if we would like some toast which would be extra so we ordered 4 slices (one for each of us). The toast came out cold with no jams and only enough butter for 2 slices. The service was good but nothing out of the ordinary. When we came to the bill I was a bit surprised at the price of £85, given the full English was £10 a head meat £45 in extras had been added on. Essentially the 3 juices, 3 hot drinks and 4 slices of toast came to £45. It wasn't until later in the day when my wife asked how much it cost that we checked the receipt and realised they had charged us £16 for 4 slices of toast. Not nice rustic handmade bread just plain supermarket bread. At £4 per slice of basic supermarket quality toast is this the most expensive toast in the world? There was also a service charge added on which bumped it up to the £85 in total. In summary the service was fine, the food was ok but the price was extortionate for what we had.

I've eaten in the restaurant over 16 times in 10 months and the food has been of a very high quality every time. The array of dishes are very good and more recently after the COVID-19 lockdown has been lifted. Although operating a drastically reduced menu, the chef managed to delievr squid rings with a lovely chilli sauce, which I could have taken home with me and also I asked for a straightforward burger as the main, and it was very tasty. Service was excellent I'd recommend it to anyone.

We booked an afternoon tea in the Lounge with friends as a New Year’s Eve treat but sensed when we arrived that the head waiter was perplexed as they were busy clearing the Lounge for an evening function. He eventually found our booking on the system but regrettably didn’t have a table for four (as booked) and offered us to sit in the bar area at two separate tables for two with the promise of an “upgrade“ to a table for four if and when one became available in the increasing busy bar. No such table materialised so we made do with dragging the two bar tables closer so that we could at least converse with our guests. The afternoon tea was well presented but the savouries were unimaginative (cheese & pickle, turkey & cranberry, smoked salmon and just cucumber sandwiches which were dry and not fresh bread) The cakes were fine and plentiful, but the lack of preparedness really took the shine off our family gathering. Sadly, we won’t be rushing back here.

We booked afternoon tea a week in advance, which was a gift for a special birthday treat. On arrival The staff where uninterested. Hospitality 0 The afternoon tea was very disappointing. The experience was most definitely not a treat.

Prior to this, we last visited this restaurant about 12 years ago at that time it was very expensive but warm and welcoming, with a very buzzy atmosphere. We booked a meal for two on a Friday evening and when we arrived all was as I had remembered it. It’s a wonderful building, full of old world charm. However, on entering the dining room, We wondered if they’d had a power cut, and were operating on emergency lighting. It was the darkest gloomiest room I have ever entered, and we were shown to a table in the dusk next to a window and it was frankly, freezing. There was no power cut, this is how someone had intended it to be, a more unwelcoming and dreary atmosphere would be hard to create even if you set out to do so. A room so wonderful cries out for candlelight and could look so beautiful but instead we could barely read the menus, the cheap LED mock candles were just ridiculous in the opulence of the surroundings, and the food when it arrived was universally grey in the gloom. It was such a shame because actually the food was very good, and looked good under the light of my iPhone, the staff were very friendly and attentive and the price is very reasonable. Dear Mr Bannatyne please have a word, as despite everything, this was not a pleasant experience and splashing out on a few candles, or better LED’s would make all the difference.

Daughter s21st No welcome had to find our table. Incorrect meals. Had to request drinks. Waitress didn’t know flavour of soup they had served. Reservation not amended. No atmosphere . Lack of staff training

WOW. I cannot wait to visit again. I simply cannot fault the food in Maxine's at Charlton House. The service was second to none and the food is just faultless and picture perfect. I am drooling, just thinking about the amazing food that we sampled.

We were on a set menu but mixed and matched with items from the main menu. Great food, breakfast was also a very good experience, would recommend

We had a great birthday party here and it was all superb. Great service too. Would highly recommend it.

Arrived early had G & T's in the beautiful grounds and enjoyed the evening sunshine. Called to our table and had a very enjoyable meal. Thought the meal and wine prices were very reasonable, staff were pleasant and seemed competent. At the end of the meal we were given our bill without requesting it which seemed a little strange. Overall would recommend.

Excellent food , with a large choice well prepared and served by friendly staff We ate in the conservatory with views over the gardens

WOW! What unbelievably amazing food we had during our visit to Charlton House. It was fantastic. Could not fault this at all. Cannot wait to revisit again. Dinner was great and I struggled to choose what to eat, as it all sounded beautiful.

Avoid at all costs. A disgrace to the hospitality industry and the hotel should look hard at its customer facing training. The only achievement was to win the award for the most shambolic experience in the last 12 months. Congratulations on demonstrating to the world on every facet of service and food on how NOT to run a restaurant!

we had dinner and breakfast in this restaurant. Dinner was ok, while breakfast was simply the worst i ever had.I seriously don't remember when last time i had full english breakfast with ONE egg, NO beans, NO hash browns, one sausage (that simply not eatable), ONE piece of bacon. Toast from the cheapest bread that you can buy in Sainsbury

Fabulous meal catered for all our quirks vege, gluten free etc. Wonderful service. We celebrated in style. A lovely place to relax & dine in style.

Went out for meal with friends,menu has 3 duck starters - would be nice to have less duck and some more interesting starters. The starters we ordered were o.k nothing special, goat curd is nice but pickled veg is a bit boring. Two of us ordered Barnsley chops - when they arrived they looked very unappetising - insipid and grey looking and were more bone than meat! Would be nice to have alternative to chips - apart from sweet potato chips there were no other potatoes on offer, some side veg dishes are needed. The veg that came with one of the meals arrived cold and were sent back - came back nuked in the microwave. This has to be the most uninteresting meal i have had for a long time. Ordered Vanilla ice cream and was served a strange dish with some cream stuff - just vanilla ice cream was what I wanted - nothing else!. Wine was not poured or replenished for us and wasn't asked to taste before serving either. Our server was very nice and polite but inexperienced. If there is a Maitre D then he is not very good at his job. We had a table full of empty glasses for the duration of the meal and we had to ask for them to be removed as were running out of space by now. Need to seriously up their game if they want return restaurant customers. Very Poor and will NOT be going back ever again.

Having just returned from the restaurant with two friends and my wife I have to say how disappointed we all are . Sadly the service is poor with the exception of one young chap who was trying to be efficient . I think the staff have not been instructed in the correct way to wait on tables . As an example we had our empty aperitif glasses still on the table until we asked for them to be removed after we had finished our main course. We also had an empty upturned bottle of wine in the bucket and we were never asked if we required another bottle. I ordered a cheese plate and no person offered an accompanying port ! Perhaps a proper maitre D may be an idea ! The meal is ok but not worth the money ,cold vegetables and not attractive chops !! The restaurant may work well for the hotel guests that are using the spa and have the dinner included but for guests to the restaurant for dinner that are paying a fairly hefty bill the service is not up to standard . No more visits for us!!

Reservé una mesa en el restaurante en casa para el té helado Charlton sábado por la tarde como parte de un fin de semana de eventos para celebrar una ocasión especial. A su llegada, mis amigos y yo nos dirigieron a la zona del bar por la recepcionista, donde nos recibió el frente femenino de persona de la casa. Nos dijo que teníamos una mesa reservada y en que su nombre, entonces ella llevó a negar que una reserva se había hecho en ese nombre y nos pidieron para intentarlo de nuevo. Comprensiblemente nos desilusionarse y estábamos un poco confundidos por la política. Me reafirmó los detalles de la reserva y que estaba a mi nombre y como ella continuó denegar cualquier reserva se había hecho que empecé a sentirme muy incómodo y avergonzado en frente de mis amigos. Entonces ella nos preguntó si estábamos seguros de que aún tenía el hotel justo antes al final, después de un silencio muy largo y raro, diciendo que era sólo una broma con su contraparte masculino de suficiencia.

Excellent choice for breakfast and equally spoilt for choice for our evening meal, first time I have eaten perfect sweet potato chips, melt in the mouth steak and a dessert to die for.

Tenía 4 estupendas comidas aquí como parte de ofertas spa. fabuloso ambiente en el invernadero en un día soleado. Mojarlo con una copa de Prosecco, café y chocolates. La felicidad! ! !

Recientemente visité la Casa de Charlton para pasar la tarde con mi hermana. El té de la tarde era delicioso, era una fantástica experiencia de spa y nos bien cuidado por el personal amable. Sin duda volveremos a visitar

Tomamos el té de la tarde en el jardín. Una ubicación muy buena, excepto para todas las personas, desde el spa en su vestuario. Nos hicieron sentir un poco fuera de lugar. Había que ser sólo un tipo de té que nos pareció un poco extraño. La comida era excelente. El personal podría haber sido un poco más atento; esperaba un mejor servicio en un sitio como este.

Hamburguesa se sirve en una tabla de quesos. Pescado servidos en una pizarra. Barato de vino peleón. Espantoso café. El personal de la recepción es maravillosa. No molesten nunca más.

We visited for birthday celebrations and had afternoon tea. Not that it matters too much but we all had mismatch tea sets. Just looked a bit odd. The staff were nice but when I asked what the selection of teas were he came across as annoyed for me not just knowing. He also made it seem like I was asking for the moon when I asked for an extra tea strainer so we didn't have to share 3 between 4 of us. The afternoon tea was lovely. The sandwiches were nice but the scones were amazing. They were freshly cooked and still warm. We each had a plain and a fruit scone. The cakes were ok. The macarons and eclairs were lovely but the fruit tart was really soggy. The lemon meringue cakes were far to sickly sweet and the curd didn't taste like lemon at all, more like custard. I couldn't even eat half and I have a really sweet tooth. If I was to go back for afternoon tea, I think I would just have the scones as they were some of the best I've had.

On parking the car we walked to the entrance only to see a bin bag floating in the fountain. Inside the hotel looked a little tired but on the whole ok. The afternoon tea was fine and the service too, and a nice little touch was to have HAPPY ANNIVERSARY written in chocolate sauce on our dessert plates.

This was supposed to be a special treat for a friend's birthday, but the meal was a let down. The spa break was organised as a surprise for the birthday girl by her husband, & he also booked the table for a girly dinner to help her celebrate. I was the last to arrive and, even though I wasn't late, my friends had already been shown to the table. Unfortunately I was told by reception that none of my party had arrived, & that I was welcome to wait in the bar. Luckily one of our friends came looking for me, but we would have expected to be given menus in the bar, & shown to our table when the food was ready. My friends all had drinks, even though one of them was wrong & had to be replaced, and I ordered mine. My friend's replacement arrived, minus the lemon, but there was no sign of my drink, and we asked again after 15 to 20 minutes. There was no record of the drink I'd asked for, & the staff apologetically asked me what it was. The menu has a good choice, although the pricing varies dramatically. My friend asked for more water to be served around the table, but only 4 out of 5 were topped up. This was put right with a very genuine smile & apology. When our meals arrived, one was missing a side dish, & the steak was hard to cut with an ordinary knife. The side dish was quickly served, & we didn't ask for a steak knife, but this is supposed to be an award winning restaurant. When my boyfriend arrived to collect me, the chap on reception said he would let us know that he was there, but he didn't, and it was only when my friend went outside the restaurant, that she saw him waiting. The food is very good, and the staff are very friendly & welcoming, but the service offering does not match the high price. There appears to be very little communication between the staff, with a lot of things being forgotten, and very little attention to detail in areas you would expect to be elementary in this type of restaurant. We note the service charge is included, possibly because no one would ever choose to tip, although Beni was a very warm and natural hostess who helped to make up for the earlier failings. The booking process is no better, my friend's husband spent nearly an hour on the phone over two occasions, mostly held in a queueing system directed to a centralised booking centre that had no knowledge of previous conversations. I hope my friend enjoyed her spa day, but I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone when there are many others to choose from. For these reasons Mr Bannatyne, I'm out.

Taken in the restaurant as no clean table in the bland drawing room available. No china tea available but English Breakfast and Darjeeling ok. Sandwiches had been made some time before and were dry and cold (perhaps using a muslin cloth is out of fashion,) scones a little bland but fresh, poor quality jam ( why not Tiptree or a good local organic one?) and institutional cakes ( cup cakes with a dollop on top and eclairs with chocolate all over the place.) Waiting staff forgot the hot water but otherwise, in the context of this inhospitable place, attentive.

Top class food but slightly limited menu choices for vegetarians. Good service and staff. Scones are wicked! with delicious local jams and clotted cream.

Eating here is like an endurance test and anyone who lasts until dessert deserves an award. This place pretends to do it all properly - maitre d' escorting diners to tables, waiter whipping out linen napkIns on laps, fairly decent menu, and then just as expectations have been set, it all goes downhill. The dining room is freezing cold and though we requested that the heaters be turned on several times, they seemed to have an auto switch-off and never warmed up. Our main courses took about 2 hours to arrive and when they did, the cold meagre portions on cold plates were a disaster! My husband was the only one brave enough to return his and when it reappeared half an hour later, it was in a worse state than when it arrived first time round. i.e. congealed and colder!! A chef who cannot cook a steak medium-well done is not a chef! I daren't think what this place would be like on a busy night! Such a bad experience- we will not be revisiting!

Very nice meal with very good service at a reasonable price.What more do you need .I very much enjoyed the Apple and blueberry crumble .

Visited for afternoon tea, whilst the service was OK it certainly wasn't the best, very slow. The staff did not seem very interested in serving us and surprisingly we had to ask for more jam and cream as only one small dish of each supplied for our party. The gluten free option was extremely poor.I also did not expect to find people in the restaurant and lounge areas in their gowns from the spa. Not a particularly pleasant experience walking through these areas with most people half dressed.Overall it was very expensive and disappointing.

We went to Charlton House for dinner to celebrate a birthday and whilst the service was relaxed and the food reasonable the experience was somewhat spoilt when three of the items on the bill were more expensive than on the menu!! When this was pointed out the response was that "we must have had an old menu" that didn't reflect the recent price increases and this despite the menu at the reception desk having the same prices as our allegedly "old menu"!! Eventually we were offered a refund of the difference but not the resulting overcharge due to the "discretionary service charge". I would have expected better attention to detail for Charlton House

Sadly not the experience we anticipated - for the name behind this, we expected more than a training ground and the lack of quality and presentation of food left much to be desired. Most definitely not worth worth the price or location. Insipid food prep, lack of professionalism from the staff. And worse, the Manager had an "oh well" attitude.

The more obvious places in bath were booked up so we came out here and not to be dissapointed.First class selection of sandwiches and cakes with bottomless pots of tea. We had a choice of locations to sit and enjoy it - we chose the conservatory rather than the lounge but the latter would have been equally nice.Two of our party didn't drink tea and so they were offered hot chocolate as an alternative at no extra cost.All the food was freshly made and delicious.Service was excellent striking the right balance between familiar but polite.Only complaint? Struggling to be honest but the pop music being played was a little irritating to begin with.It looks a lovely hotel and would have liked to stay the night!

Excellent food in a lovely relaxed environment, the braised shin of beef with roasted marrow bone was fantastic, as was all the food.

Visited for festive afternoon tea. Sandwiches and scones were very nice but the selection of cakes which looked appetizing did not live up to expectation regarding taste. The clementine tarts were very bland and the pastry very hard, the raspberry and poppy seed cupcakes likewise were tasteless. The only thing which made it festive apart from the surroundings was a tiny turkey and cranberry sandwich. Having since looked at the website it said there were mince pies but we didn't have any. Also staff were not very attentive and we actually had to ask them for more tea which we had to wait quite a long time for. When the bill came it had a discretionary gratuity added of 12.5% which we decided not to pay. We gave the waiter £80 for 4 teas at £19.00 and although we intended leaving the £4 change as a tip we were not even offered the change. He should of at least given us the change so we could choose whether we left a gratuity or not. Not impressed.

This gorgeous place desperately needs a fantastic, award winning chef. Had a family birthday meal at the weekend and paid extortionate prices for very average food. We would have had better quality at our local pub! I sent my main course back - flat, tasteless, dry fish in breadcrumbs with little veg accompaniment.I don't mind paying for excellent quality food and attentive service, but I object to paying for over-priced, poor quality food with staff that you need to ask 3 times for another drink. I have happy memories of Charlton House Hotel - got married there 23 years ago and soooo want it to be amazing. C'mon Mr Bannatyne, invest in your kitchen!

I phoned Charlton House before booking lunch to ensure that there was access to their dining room for someone with limited mobility. The staff were very helpful, not only on the phone , but also when we arrived for lunch with my mother. She walks with a Zimmer frame, but there was a minimum of steps to get to the dining room, and the staff were eager to help.The lunch was attractively served, fairly simple, but delicious, and excellent value for money. They organised that my mother could have something which was slightly different than that which was on the menu. We were all very satisfied with the food and the service.The waiter was very attentive, and my mother found him to be very charming. We all appreciated our lunch, and it was a memorable meal for my mother. We will definitely be returning.

We had dinner in the conservatory the food was very very good, no complaints whatsoever. Service was very good, staff well trained.

Far too many divine cakes to describe - and eat! Sandwiches, scones with lashings of jam and cream. Topped with eclairs and strawberry tarts

We went for lunch on a Monday. It was very quiet, with only 4 other diners. The restaurant itself looks tired and needs a good spruce up. The velour covered chairs looked 20 or 30 years old. It has a look of decline. The food was average in quality and the service quite slow. We wouldn't recommend the restaurant; there are plenty of local pubs & restaurants with much better offerings. We saw people arriving for the spa, so maybe that's what it is all about. The building itself has real charm & the whole place has real potential.

We are regular visitors to Charlton House as we have lunch there every month. The food is very good and excellent value if you choose from the set 2/3 course lunch menu - my only criticism is that the menu does not change often enough so 3 choices for the main meal is a bit limited if the menu does not alter for several months. We spend the whole afternoon eating and then relaxing over a few drinks, coffee etc in the lounge area which is designed for flopping out and doing whatever - chat, read the papers, forget about the world for a few hours

'Indulgent Afternoon Tea' - what a let down! English breakfast tea - fine but the scones and cakes definitely not. The scones were rock hard. The mini choc eclair was filled with a type of custard, the same custard filled the tart. Finally the cake - dry and could have been better decorated with more pride by toddlers. A splodge of icing with a raspberry on top. We complained about the scones when asked .... and then the service charge .... unbelievable. Should have guessed it would be terrible when we witnessed other customers complaining. Will not be returning as there are many much, much, better cream teas served in the locality.

How often is huevos rancheros on a breakfast menu in Somerset! The food was delicious, as was the coffee. There were plenty of extras, cereals, yogurt, toast and spreads, even a Bloody Mary was available.Portions could be just a fraction bigger but I'm sure thats just us being greedy as it was so nice.

We had a great meal in their restaurant with super service from Leon helped by Adina who was cheerful and attentive.His attention to detail was superb and his knowledge of wine excellentThe service was relaxed but focuses and the quality of the food was greatAs I said Leon's attention made a good meal a great occasion

Beautiful venue, plenty of parking. Very welcoming and the staff were all very caring.We had Sunday lunch, a very good choice of starters, mains and deserts which we very much enjoyed. The lovely dinning room was roomy and comfortable.We all plan to return again. A very happy experience

Thank you beni Matt and Adina who were all incredible!!! Amazing service! The cocktails were incredible! Wish I could have had more! Love you guys!

Treated my better half to the full afternoon tea here for our 25th. The building itself is a little tired in places and could do with a facelift.We could choose where to eat, between outside on the patio, in one of two rooms or the restaurant. We chose the latter as there is a conservatory there which was great as it was a very hot day.We chose which tea we wanted to drink then approx 15 mins later the sandwiches etc came out on the 3 tiered plate. Our cakes were presented on a plate and the words HAPPY ANNIVERSARY were written on the plate in chocolate, which was a lovely touch. I would have preferred a list of sandwiches that were available so we could eat ones we liked but they came out as smoked salmon and cream cheese ( i would not have picked them) Egg & Cress ( again not a favourite of mine) Ham & Mustard ( do not like mustard) and finally cheese and spring onion (we like these) but overall it was a lovely experience. The scones were particularly nice, home made and still warm with raspberry jam and clotted cream. The service was tip top but at £19 a head it should be.

Visited last week and enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea for my birthday.Cakes were lovely, could have done with slightly more sandwiches though.Staff were really attentive and were really helpful in accommodating my baby who I bought with me

We went for a spa day last month to include 2 course lunch. We went to lunch first to wait 45 minutes for a main course, (no starter). When the food arrived from the potato fondant was rock hard. They took the food away returned it 5 minutes later with the exact same plate of food but luckily the potato was cooked. The waitress was hard work, unfriendly and I had to go to find her for drinks. She got a bit nicer once I complained. The spa treatment was ok,nothing special. Spa area is tired looking and could do with a refurb! Charlton House emailed me asking how my experience was on the day. I filled in the survey but guess they not really interested as never heard back. Wont be returning especially as it took us 1.5 hours to get there. A lot better places more local to us.

I've been to the restaurant and hotel once before in January 2014 and enjoyed it, so thought to celebrate mine and my partner's engagement we would treat ourselves with a spa hotel stay and book in at the restaurant - we couldn't have been more disappointed. We arrived in the bar and were greeted warmly, ordered our drinks which would be waiting at our table and the waiter also took our food order. We then had to sit for with nothing to drink because it got busy so weren't shown to our table for 15 minutes which made us feel a bit out of place in the bar area. We reached our table and were advised there would be bread to enjoy whilst we waited for our meal and I requested a bottle of still water. The bread came 20 minutes later and one table even got their bread after their starter! I still hadn't received any water so requested some again and was given tap water. Good thing was our peroni and glass of prosecco was waiting so we could enjoy those drinks whilst waiting, although after 30 minutes we had finished the drinks and nobody asked if we wanted another or anything else to drink even though I'd put the glasses right on the edge of the table in clear view - considering we had been in the spa for the afternoon and were dehydrated this was a real shame they weren't more attentive, perhaps they just weren't interested in serving us! Whilst (still) waiting for our food 2 tables nearby were served their starters and main courses and both tables were served the wrong main courses! It's embarrassing to get this wrong once in what is considered to be a quality establishment but to happen twice in the space of 15 minutes was beyond terrible. After ordering our main course 65 minutes earlier (we didn't have a starter) we finally received our food, which was average and fairly small in size, we decided we didn't want to waste another hour waiting for pudding so asked for the bill and went and got some chips from the nearby chip shop. Terrible experience, we won't return!! Rather overpriced for what you get and definitely not filling.... I think some people might also expect to see a generic dish for someone that's a bit more fussy when eating, maybe a chicken and vegetables dish. Breakfast the following morning was rather enjoyable, perhaps because our expectations by that point were so low....

Such a shame, I was hoping our stay and meal here was going to be a relaxing experience.The starters were lovely, and arrived quickly but the wait for the main course was over 45 minutes.When the main arrived the venison was pretty much raw and cold to the touch.The duck was cooked pink, but missing the accompaniments that were listed on the menu (no duck leg pie for me!)The venison only needed to be cooked slightly more but it took a further 10 minutes for it to come out again.The portion was so small, so we asked for more vegetables. After 2 hours we have had a rubbish experience that was meant to be great, and I can't stay awake any longer to order the 3rd course which is also a shame because I would of loved some cheese.Safe to say we will be cancelling our booking for tomorrow night. And to be honest the room we have is not worth the money either, so dusty/dirty and unloved. Just look at the dust on my hand from the bed frame, curtain rail and top of the bed!

I booked for my husband, my mothere and myself to have Afternoon Tea at this venue. This was a Mothering Sunday treat for my mum. We went on Saturday afternoon. The young lady on reception was very pleasant and when I told her I had booked she said we could either have tea in the lounge or in the restaurant. So we all went and had a look at the restaurant and were greeted by (I assume) the restaurant manager. He was very curt and when I told him I had a table booked for 4pm said he didn't know anything about it. He was very agitated while we were deciding whether to have tea in the conservatory or lounge area but my mother is 85 and dithers. In the end my mum decided she wanted to go to the lounge. The restaurant manager then asked if tea was for 4 and I said it was for 3 however he insisted on laying up the table for four with cups and saucers! I ordered afternoon tea for two and an extra tea which was a regular tea for my mum. When he came back with the tea he announced he had earl grey and "builders" which I corrected and said we call it regular, however I did not expect this kind of service in a hotel! Although the rest of the staff were very kind and the lady who brought out our scones and cakes was very polite and checked that everything was ok, it was the restaurant manager who spoiled what should have been a very enjoyable experience. The afternoon tea was very nice and the homemade scones particularly good. I do like to support local businesses but would be very reluctant to return.

We ate in the restaurant as part of our spa break and were not disappointed. The food was wonderful and the staff so attentive but, not intrusive. The whole ambience was lovely.

We were disappointed with our visit to Charlton House. We used to be very frequent visitors and then moved away, we'd heard there's been a change of hands and were keen to try it out. However, gone was the comforting faded grandeur, attentive staff and the feeling of stepping back in time. We weren't greeted at all as we arrived and despite being with a 99 year old we were left to fend for ourselves, I even had to drag a stool over to sit down. My mother spotted a dirty teaspoon under the sofa near by. Our food took a while to get to us and when it did arrive it wasn't as hot as it could have been. We had considered having a 100th birthday tea here but considering our recent experience we might think again. I would like to add that the waiting staff were helpful and friendly.

Food was well overpriced. I had the veggie option which was basically sprouts and pastry! Pudding wasn't much better with figs and strange sugar bread. Very average, very disappointing given the price and the great setting. Don't go!

We decided to have Christmas lunch out this year as having lost a member of the family, we didn't relish a 'family' lunch around a table at home so we chose Charlton House. From the moment we arrived we were made not just welcome but 'at home' with a choice of pre-lunch drinks and canapés. We were taken to our table when we were ready and the excellence continued. The Maitre 'D was very calm and measured but obviously in control, his staff were wonderfully professional and gave just the right level of attention and as for the food - brilliant doesn't do it justice!Although eating out on Christmas Day was something we would not normally consider, Charlton House may well have changed our minds!

Popped in to Charlton House on Boxing Day for lunch. We had a lovely meal and all the staff were very helpful. House is set in its own grounds and provides a great place to unwind and relax. Food was well cooked and well presented and it made a nice change from cooking a large family meal at home.

Even though Charlton House is a fantastic venue for host a party I have to say that the catering facilities do struggle to host a function which is attended by 200 + guests. The service of the 3 course Christmas meal was average at the very best with some tables being on the dessert whilst others were just starting there main course. The gravy was luke-warm, the offering of vegetables was very poor & the service by certain members of the bar staff was not what you expect, a couple of the bar staff looked & acted like they didn't want to be helpful in any way, shape or form. More staff training required.

We had gone here for a Sunday Lunch with no great expectations,but knowing that the restaurant had at one stage previously been awarded a Michelin star , we did expect a reasonable standard of food,served by knowledgeable staff,in a 'comfortable and clean'setting.I fear that none of these 'expectations' were met by the Charlton House restaurant: miniscule portions(2 sprouts and 3 small chestnuts with a turkey dinner!) ; a young and seemingly disinterested staff group ; and all of this in a setting in which the decor was 'tired' ,and in parts 'dirty'.And the final insult was the Bill which was 'expensive' in comparison with other better quality restaurants!So,a huge disappointment!

I treated my father to evening dinner at the Charlton House as he had not visited for many years and was keen to see how it had changed over the years.On arrival there did not appear to be anyone specifically dealing with guests as they come through the door, however, there was a young man behind reception who ushered us directly into the lounge to take a seat and wait for our waitress, at this point we were still wearing our coats and they were not taken from us.The lounge we found very comfortable and cosy with a log burning real fire and a really nice ambience, We did find the jazz music playing in the background a little bit loud at times. Our waitress taking the orders was very helpful and pleasant and on being shown into the main dining room she then noticed that our coat had not been taken from us and duly took them away.The conservatory restaurant was very pleasant if somewhat chilly and again the staff were very attentive, sometimes maybe a little too attentive.The food to both of us was disappointing. I had a scallop starter on a pea puree and on the side were raw pieces of celery which to my mind just did not go with the rest of the food. Main course we both had fillet steak which was fine but again placed on top of the steak was a very undercooked piece of artichoke which quite honestly was inedible and we both left this to the side of our plate. We chose not to have a sweet so cannot comment on that.We would visit the hotel again for its character, charm and friendly staff and maybe have a light lunch or afternoon tea.Our general feeling regarding the food is that the combinations were a little strange to say the least. Not for us.

Nice lunch whilst visiting the spa. Good value for money and tasty food. Little chilly in the restruant but was a cold windy day.

My wife and I had booked a meal here as we had some vouchers to use and to be honest I didn't know what to expect.We arrived around 8, made our wayto the bar where we were met by Leon who seated us and took our drinks order.We were left to enjoy out drinks and several times we were asked about ordering and if we required seating immediately or wished to wait and take our time. This meant that our evening was a lovely unhurried affair.When we were ready to move to the restaurant another gentleman took our order, a little more knowledge on the wine list would have helped but not a major issue.Once seated our friendly waiter served bread before a short wait saw our mains arrived. Lobster ravioli for Mrs F and scallops for me,followed by plaice for the lady and chicken for me.The food was excellent, portions were adequate but it's all about the flavours. I didn't come here for a big lump of pie and a plate full of chips and peas.A fine dessert followed by drinks in the lounge before our bill discreetly arrived.As we left we chatted to Leon for around fifteen minutes. He was a pleasant, knowledgable chap and certainly a credit to the hotel.Would we come back? Yes, for a special night out most certainly.My only nag? Change the blown lightbulbs :-)

Didn't enjoy much messed up our bill and charged us double and then didn't want to give us a refund. Spoilt my birthday treat.

Lovely decor and hotel, staff all good, meal tasted good (what there was of it). The smallest adult meal I've ever been served, even my wife with a small appetite was shocked at the size! Shame cuz it tasted great but leaves you hungry and feeling ripped off to be honest.

We've been coming to Charlton House for many years when we're in Somerset. This time for our wedding anniversary. The food was as good as ever and justified the premium pricing. What shocked me this time was the service.We arrived to be told by the grumpy maitre d that we were late ( 5 minutes !) and that we couldn't have a drink before being seated because they were busy !! Well excuse me, there was me thinking I was the customer about to spend several hundred pounds on a lovely dining experience but no clearly I was seen as just inconvenience in the running of his operation. Can't get over the arrogance of this example of this frankly appalling example of customer service.

Afternoon tea for two consisted of 4 finger sandwiches - 1 ham and mustard, 1 coronation chicken, 1 salmon and horseradish and 1 cucumber. 2 of the tiniest (although delicious and very fresh) scones - 1 bite and they're gone! 1 finger slice of chocolate cake, 1 finger slice of a pink cake with butter icing and glitter on top, 1 finger slice of lemon cake. 2 pots of jam, an enormous pot (would have needed about 20 scones to use it all) of clotted cream. Barely enough for 1 person let alone 2. We were there for a spa experience which was this hotels saving grace. I certainly wouldn't eat at the restaurant after this.

Called into Charlton House for lunch. We ate in the bar which was relaxed and informal. Lovely Caesar salad and flat breads. Good service by staff. However I really felt uncomfortable about customers wandering into the bar and restaurant in their spa dressing gowns, especially as some had bare feet. Not hygienic in a food environment?

Stayed over after a wedding,good choice of breakfast both cooked and self service. Staff a little rude at breakfast.

Consistently good food and service, I have eaten here occasionally for years and got married here once! Fine dining worth it for that special treat.

Visited the restaurant for a cream tea with a friend after a fabulous pedicure in the spa treatments room within the hotel. Friendly restaurant staff and very good traditional cream tea served in peaceful surroundings. Perfect.

We stopped in for a Family lunch (with a toddler and baby) and had the 3 course set menu.What surprised me first was the quality of the House Chardonnay. It was glorious.The lunch was beautifully presented and all the dishes we had were delicious. We oo'ed and ah'ed as we tried each other's choices. It was so good, we are planning to come back and stay - and make use of the spa. The chef seriously impressed us - and it didnt break the bank (the 3 course set menu was £18.95).There are also stunning gardens and some people were eating outside, although we ate in the dining room.

Had lunch here on our spa Day two course for £14.95 and it was beautiful the look and taste great. But the drinks are ultra Expensive, £5.25 for a glass of wine and £4.50 for a pint!

Brilltiant - absolutely delicious food and wonderful service. The supervisor - whose name I'm afraid I do not know - was especially accommodating and lovely - she was italian!

Nice meal although main course portion very small - pistachio parfait delicious and staff attentive!

My friend and I went for a lovely Floral Demonstration which we enjoyed and a meal was included in the price. The meal was adequate but the service very poor the head waiter Julian was extremely rude and if you didn't have a plum in your mouth you weren't worth bothering about

The bar food was great,we didn't try the restaurant wanted to try local pub/ restaurant around and about

The booking was made to celebrate the occasion of my elderly mother's birthday as a surprise. I had booked the most expensive option for afternoon tea but was shocked to find that I had been charged a further £14 for extra tea. Therefore I paid £90 for afternoon tea for 4 people - not exactly value for money.When we arrived we requested 3 tea's and 1 coffee. This was served in a small teapot and a larger teapot for 2, along with one small jug of hot water (same size as the milk jug). We enjoyed the tea but quickly run out so requested more and to also an extra tea instead of another coffee. At the price for an afternoon tea I had expected an unlimited supply of tea or indeed to have been offered extra hot water to refill the teapots. I was horrified to have been charged an extra £14 for this.I most also express disappointment with the cake selection. There was no pastries as mentioned on the menu but instead 3 slab type cakes (lemon drizzle, red sponge and a chocolate fridge cake type biscuit - the type you would buy in any bakers. Nothing looked home-made or special in anyway - a real disappointment. The two scones served were delicious but minuscule. The 4 finger sandwiches again were nice but hardly spectacular. All were served on a 3-tier serving stand but there was no finishing touches or garnish to add to it's presentation - all literally just put on a plate.The service was polite but not attentive or any sense of care. Indeed the restaurant manager was walking around directing his staff who were setting up for the evening service so we felt a little uncomfortable and in the way. No acknowledgement of us sitting there was made - slightly rude considering the cost of the service.I therefore have to admit that I could not recommend this experience to anyone. Disappointing and over priced is the correct description for my experience. I did make a written complaint and was refunded the £14 but the tone of the reply was surly and unpleasant - and only sent after I queried if my complaint had been received and that I may make a Trip Advisor review.

the food was delicious! i cannot wait to go back again. such a range of food to select from on the menu. potions seem a little small but they did fill me up (and i am a big eater). a lovely atmosphere full of a range of people (business meetings; couples; families and friends) which was lovely. pricing is high but it is value for the quality of the food.

We had a superb afternoon tea in the conservatory, very peaceful and lovely views over the gardens. Delicious sandwiches, scones and cakes. great service, a lovely place to wind down!

Website pics are skilfully taken and make the place look far more plush than it is - shabby chic with the emphasis on the shabby. Scruffy sofas and bare floorboards - very bare and unkempt. Waiter who received us was devoid of personality or people skills and had to be asked to take our coats. Drinks came but no nibbles. When we had finished our drinks he dropped a miserable little bowl of some kind of nuts on the table. They tasted of garden soil. Really crappy and horrid. Food was only fair: tiny portions looked lost on the plate and we filled up on bread - we had to ask for it to be replenished, it wasn't offered. Main of grouse rolled in pancetta was best part of the meal but, as mentioned, tiny - nouvelle cuisine gone mad. Sweets were dreadful: rhubarb trifle (at least that's what the menu said) was not anything remotely resembling a trifle but a few unconnected bits scattered over the plate, the sum total of which would just about have filled one dessert spoon. Chocolate hazelnut mousse was terrible: dark and bitter to the point of being unbeatable. Coffee was nice - but just a bare cup each and no refills offered. Duncan Bannatyne has his name on the door but he was not in residence. In fact the place lacked any kind of management as far as we could see. A bill of just over £200 for four was very poor value.

Oh dear! The food was a disaster, not as described on the menu, cold and overpriced. Argumentative maitre d'. Completely ruined our Mothers Day celebration. Definitely won't be eating here again.

The restaurants is situated in a conservatory in the hotel overlooking beautiful gardens. We were served complimentary bread on arrival and this was delicious. We could not fault the food but the presentation was a tad pretentious. We thought it good value at two courses for £28.99. We were pleased that a waitress filled our glasses with tap water on arrival but it would be good if they could have been refilled. We ordered a bottle of water but it never arrive, although we were charged for it. At the end of the meal we opted to have coffee in the lounge. The bill was bought for us to sign with the coffee but this was not collected so we had to go and find someone to hand it to. Despite the food being so good, the atmosphere was not because the restaurant was virtually empty.

Somewhat limited for local choice for a restaurant in taking a guest with limited mobility, I opted for Charlton House. I have been once under the new ownership for breakfast and had a wholesale disappointment, and having read some dubious reviews, I blessed my wallet and my party of four headed over. The ramp over the steps had been put out at the front door as per my prior arrangement, I announced our arrival, they were expecting us, took the ladies coats and ushered us through to the lounge. Now, the only disappointment was that the only table available to us had not been cleared.Drinks ordered, menus delivered, nuts eaten (could have more in the way of canapes), all good.Three courses, plus coffee and petit fours, no problems. Portions on the effete side, but for lunch I like this, I use the Quat Saisons standard when judging restaurants, and then make adjustments to be kind.I really enjoyed the meal, and so did my guests, I can't give 5/5 because it was not perfect, but it was close.I am a very critical reviewer, I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world, some I do not even put on this review site.The waitress did not know what Calvados was, and when one of my guests asked for a large fondant for pud, was told, 'I can only go by the menu', personally I would have asked chef to do something a little tongue in cheek, for fun.Smiles all round when we left, staff and us, I will be going back.

The complimentary bread was delicious and not your usual plain bread rolls. One had roast red pepepr in it, another was a salt and roasted onion foccaia and th ethird was wholemeal with raisins and poppy seeds. Our starter of beetroot risotto with pistachio salad was stunning and so flavoursome. You can really tell the ingredients used are of a superb quality. We had the pork loin for main and were not disapointed with it. beautiful flavours, some of which were daring but worked really well. We did not have pudding as we were staying and still had cakes left over from the afternoon tea! We did have coffee and petit fours though which included scrummy chocolates and macaroons. Can't wait to go back for more!

My wife and I had dinner here on 14/2/2015.We had to wait an hour for our table then when we were seated. We felt rushed asked for a rose should have been already offered fixed price menu no tea or coffe available food ok but a conveyour belt feel in/out . Then we got bill had to have 3 items we never had refunded the couple next to us got overcharged for 9 classes of wine @ £6.50 a glass I found drinks very expensive a Bombay sapphire was £6.50 without tonic decor very outdated a bit more attention to detail esp on Valentine's eve would help !!!!!!!!

You could have the most beautiful location and menu in the world, but without atmosphere a venue is pointless. We were staying at the hotel (beautiful) and booked in for dinner on our first evening. We headed down at about 8pm and were shown to our table. The restaurant was nearly full, but the place was silent! No music, no talking, no laughter... just hushed whispers. I immediately felt on edge, and we tried to chat to each other and laugh at a normal volume to encourage others to join in but it didn't work! There was something about the restaurant that made you feel uncomfortable.We enjoyed the food and wine, but were happy to take our last drinks back to our room so that we could feel at ease enjoying each others company.Dining is about the experience as much as the food, and sadly for me Charlton House Restaurant just didn't cut the mustard.

Food was in short supply, waiting staff, expected us to know the drinks options, no communication and the manager, chap in the black suit, made me feel an inch tall, which his snooty attitude, Glad I went to war for the country!.

The lunch that was included in the spa day was very good ,the smoked duck starter was absolutely delicious ,I do however feel that the pots of tea were rather expensive.

Having lived in France for the last 10 years we are more than au fait with good eating establishments. We have eaten in many Michelin starred restaurants plus a huge variety of unstarred restaurants. The 'meal' we were provided with on Thursday evening at Charlton house was terrible. As I was recovering from an illness I decided to have two starters instead of a main course. Both were poorly executed, lacking in any flavour and minute. The meal took ages to arrive. We threw our cards in after this and drove into Shepton Mallet to buy chocolate.This is the kind of restaurant that gives British food such a bad name in Europe.Never, ever again.

We were staying at the hotel and booked a table for dinner at 7pm. The first warning sign was the menu, where the choices all seemed to consist of many more ingredients than seemed wise. I wish I had walked out at that point, but did not like to as it was supposed to be a treat for my wife. We ordered starters and mains very soon after 7pm and the starters eventually appeared some 50 minutes later. (No the restaurant was nowhere near full, and they had phased arrivals so I doubt if the kitchen was dealing with more than six diners at a given time.) The starters were minute, and would have passed for amuse bouches in many restaurants at this price level. Not that Charlton House does amuse bouches, in fact. My small devilled kidney was, to be fair, perfectly acceptable, but the prawn ordered by my wife was not. My main course, forty minutes later, consisted of chewy pork loin, four chunks of decorative but undercooked Romanesco about an inch long, and what had been billed as red fur (sic) potato cake. Joke: potato slice cooked on one side but not the other does not equal potato cake. My wife's roast goose needed a steak knife to make any impression, and (as she is a small eater and had ordered a second starter) was again minute. Since we had had enough of this nonsense we left without dessert or coffee.Excuses? Well, allegedly they had just started a new menu. What a pity the ingredients were not to hand. Chef's night off? I know not, although the only kitchen person I saw was a lanky 20 year old. Maybe he fancies his chances on Professional Masterchef, but I do not.

The service was fantastic. We felt no pressure to make decisions, to eat our food quickly. We felt looked after and important. The food was beautifully cooked. It was a wonderful experience. Thank you very much.

We had Avery delicious 3 course meal Presentation and flavour of the food was first classStaff very attentive Restaurant setting was light with a nice outlook onto the gardenA very pleasant lunch

We shared our romantic night in The Charlton Hotel. Naturally we chose to eat in the hotel Restaurant. How disappointing it was. My starter was small, but acceptable. However my partner's was terrible. Caviar was mentioned in the dish, yet you needed glasses to see it; about five grains which were barely discernible from the other weeny portions of indeterminable vegetables on the plate. Prepared to accept this we proceeded to our main course. Tiny, tiny portions. The pork loin that was cooked in an appalling manner leaving the meat barely edible, tough and tasteless. The cider jelly was completely tasteless. My partner's meal was so small, with the only real element worth commenting being the beef which was cooked OK. However, this wasn't seasoned and was let down by the lack of other components on the plate; i.e. the Potato Lyonnaise which just was not served. The other vegetables were literally so small (about 3mm cubes) it was impossible to determine what they actually were. Both myself and my partner have dined over the years in many good restaurants and this certainly wasn't one. Mr Balentine, please, please address these issues with your chefs? This is letting your lovely hotel down. On a more positive note, the breakfast was well cooked and presented. However, it's a shame about the unfriendly waiter.

Went here at the weekend for a christmas party. Atmosphere was good. Sat down ready for our meal and then the starters came out... Smoked chicken risotto which wasn't very appetising and the chicken appears to be abit pink. Then on to the turkey this was ok but hardly any veg and no pots. Dessert was blackberry cheesecake - this was ok but you couldn't taste the blackberry. All our party was disappointed with the food. One did not eat any of it. The disco however was brilliant and because of this we had a great night. Not likely to return sorry!

Excellent food and comfortable conservatory room. Wine choice was very good if a bit expensive. Service excellent and very friendly.

Ok so its a health Spa so perhaps the tiny portions of art on a plate are designed to help you cut out the calories and the prices make your pocket lighter, but the staff were slow and disinterested. Would have rated the whole experience as terrible if I hadnt found it charming that my date and I ended up laughing all the way through the meal, we did wonder at some point if someone was going to leap from behind a potted palm with a camera and reveal the whole thing as a TV hoax. Someone should tell them an espresso coffee is not a thick brown stain in a cup, its a beverage requiring you to swallow a liquid not lick it off the cup

brilliant for a birthday treat excellent spa day with massage and very tasty lunch included would highly recommend everyone to go there staff were excellent and welcoming.