Retreat East in Mid Suffolk

This place is expensive for what you receive. What we liked: the accommodation we booked was beautiful and comfortable. We enjoyed lighting up the wood burner, our dog was so happy there. The staff at dinner time were wonderful. The hot tub was nice, we walked with our dressing gowns from our room. What we didn’t like: when we booked over the phone they said to book everything in situ, there was no need to book in advance, however when we arrived they told us we should’ve booked in advance , we ended up having lunch at 17:00 (earliest slot) The place has complimentary features eg wellies and bikes but it wasn’t told to us at reception. I think the most disappointing aspect of it all is that this place doesn’t have a spa. The showers were all out of service, the steaming room wasn’t steaming and the sauna was lacking the water bucket to adjust temperature. Lastly, breakfast included was underwhelming. A poor selection of options. We had to chase for plates, glasses and cutlery, no one offered a menu or even a coffee… If the ‘spa’ gets sorted out and the staff become more attentive of guests it would make the experience so much better but as of now I wouldn’t recommend it based on value for money.

Pros: - Loved our barn (little burrow)- toasty, really tastefully decorated and an amazing shower! - The great barn is an impressive space for breakfast, dinner or an evening cocktail - Complimentary mountain bikes - loved using these to get out and explore and the staff were very relaxed about timings - Great local walks Cons: - Cars everywhere onsite (see photo) - we had cars parked directly outside our barn, to the point where we couldn’t get up our path. We came via train so it was frustrating to have the area ruined by so many vehicles, especially for a quieter time of year when it feels avoidable. - Poor soundproofing - we were in an adjoining barn and sleep was disturbed by the barn next door.

We went for the spa day which we were told was 10am-5pm and told to arrive 15 minutes prior therefore arrived by 9.45. When we arrived we were given our smoothie shot and just left in the barn without being informed of what was going on. We were told there was nothing to do until our first treatment time of 11:30 so we were just sat waiting around until then. I was anticipating that a spa day 10-5 meant full access to the facilities but due to limited facilities they have to be booked on a private basis and we could only use the sauna and steam room on our allocated hour. The massage ladies were lovely and we enjoyed our massage. We then had our lunch and we were told via email that our request for an afternoon tea was included (also states this on the website that you can choose either an afternoon tea or lunch). When we sat down we were just given a two course lunch menu and not asked what we requested, therefore never received the afternoon tea. We also were not asked for our soft drink included and we had to chase this up. Again, our allocated slot of the sauna was not until 3, so from 12:30-3pm we were left hanging around doing nothing. The showers were not working so we could not even shower. I feel for the price you pay - the spa day is not worth it and felt the service was lacking. Most of the day we had been sitting in the barn doing nothing and waiting around. There is also not a-lot to do around the premises unless you stay there.

The rooms are a great size, with a kitchen area, sofa and a very large, comfy bed. The grounds and restaurant are all lovely. I think it's quite over priced for what you get. The breakfast is basic, unless you want to pay extra. The spa also gets booked up far in advance, they don't have space for guests to book on the weekend, which was a shame.

One star because the showers that are meant to be accessible with the steam room/sauna were out of order all weekend…..there was no warning or apology for this just signs up when you arrive. Really poor for somewhere that calls themselves a spa retreat

This was my second visit to Retreat East. The first time I went for lunch and although good quality and nicely presented, it was over priced and the food wasn’t hot. I decided to give it another go and took my Mum for her birthday lunch. Again.. staff were nice but food was almost cold. The custard served with dessert was split! I was more disappointed about this as I couldn’t believe they served it! It is a beautiful barn and lovely staff but sadly I won’t be returning again.

Really lovely relaxing stay at Retreat East back at the beginning of October. This was a birthday surprise from my wife. We were staying on a Spa, Supper and Stay style package and all was lovely. The massages we had were great. Very dog friendly, our large greyhound was very well catered for although we did make sure to bring his own bed as the bed in the room would be more for a Small/medium doggy. There are plenty of places to explore and walk on a short stay. The outdoor bath was definitely my favourite part. The only one issue we had was at breakfast but this was quickly rectified by helpful staff. We would love to come back and to stay in the summer.

We booked this as a birthday gift. Dinner was lovely on the night we ate there but to be honest my overwhelming review is that it is very overpriced for what is included. Basic breakfast, no cooked options and no barista style coffees included! Uncomfortable, hard mattress. Limited spa facilities for somewhere that calls itself a “retreat”. Also our room was described as having “views across the estate” - all we could see was the nearby lodges and the car park. It’s far too expensive for what it is, which is a shame as the Great Barn is very pretty.

Visited with family for a birthday meal at the weekend. Surprised how far away from restaurant parking was. Thank goodness it wasn't raining. Once inside the amazing barn, we were welcomed by friendly, polite staff, enjoyed a pre dinner drink, followed by an excellent meal with very attentive service from all staff on that night. A special mention for Anya, who was very knowledgeable when asked about the dishes on offer. A delightful young lady.

Would say is overpriced for what you get and breakfast should really be included, continental breakfast which is included is quite disappointing/ stale and service is slow. Also they booked a hen party to use the function room next to the dining room during our last dinner, with loud music and the door constantly open which is really disappointing considering it is supposed to be a retreat. Otherwise had the best time !

Beautiful place to come and relax

We had a lovely stay at Retreat East in the week of Sept 16th. Along with our dog Olly, we all felt welcome and could relax pretty much as soon as we arrived. It's a very easy place to exist, with food and drink available throughout the day. We look forward to going back. Highly recommend booking a massage! One of the best I've ever had.

Sadly my wife's meal was very poor. We advised the waitress of her dietary requirements but unfortunately, despite stating that they could cater for those with such issues the food simply came devoid of any of the offending ingredients without any suitable replacements whatsoever. Prices are top end & no deduction was made. I could understand if the place was busy but it wasn't ( it was a Saturday night ). My food was fine, but the wood table tops were super-sticky to the point where the cutlery was stuck & clothing stuck when leaning with elbows etc. I did contact the manager but he simply paid lip service to our issues & offered no real meaningful response other than to say that it was down to miscommunication between the waitress & the kitchen. My suggestion of putting table cloths over the sticky tops had been implemented. It would have been nice to have been offered the opportunity to be invited back to show what they could do, but this was not the case. We will not be going back in a hurry & I suggest that anyone with dietary requirements think twice about using this establishment in future.

Just returned from Retreat East Suffolk after a lovely afternoon tea Food was so fresh and staff very pleasant I would thoroughly recommend you give it a try

A long walk up partial gravel/dusty road from car park for our afternoon tea, which would be even worse in bad weather & was not nice in heat or heels. No sign to confirm which way to the main building from there & there was another track out of the car park which luckily we didn’t take. All seemed a bit hit & miss. Lovely surroundings, but we entered the barn & just stood waiting for someone to wander in, even though we were booked so they should have been aware we were due. Table was incredibly sticky, which apparently was due to being treated & it not being fully dry. I am vegetarian but only abstain from meat which I emphasised when booking. Instead of the lovely open salmon sandwich my hubby had, I got grated cheese on a bit of bread with the largest pile of sickly pickle I’ve ever seen. Really? Such a lack of effort. The wafer thin cucumber sandwich was just like eating dry bread, hardly visible cucumber & no moisture. The rest of the tea was really nice, though I don’t consider a square of sugared jelly appetising & I left it. On vacating our table we went to the desk & presented our gift card. The lady had to go to the bar area to verify/confirm it. A different lady returned with our card, tapped the screen for a bit, then went to go back to the bar area. I questioned why & she said the card needed to be verified or whatever. I queried why this wasn’t done on arrival & she said “we didn’t have your card”, & I confirmed I offered it on arrival but was told it wasn’t necessary. Having to go back & forth 3 times to verify it? All a bit of a faff & frankly annoying. It would have been nice also, to have had a fresh plate for desserts, as my plate had pickle all over it . A fresh knife for the scone as we had used ours on savouries. We asked for & were given them, but it’s just not considered beforehand. To relax with our cuppa after eating, a few magazines or newspapers would be great, which we’ve had at other venues. On leaving the site, a banner on the verge completely obscures the view to the right, so it’s impossible to see if a vehicle is coming. Sorry Retreat East, but you could do with being a bit sharper. Why didn’t we say something whilst there? Because we didn’t want to feel awkward on our treat from our son & it wouldn’t have altered the situation. I tried to send a private feedback message but there didn’t seem an option on the website.

This is a review of the Great Barn restaurant at Retreat East. Service was great and the facilities were very nice. But the food was a bit blah. Healthy restaurant probably means less salt, less fat, etc. making the food a bit flavorless. Nettel soup was bland. And our two vegetarian entrees were less than flavourful. Desserts were very nice, coffees a bit tepid.

We loved our stay at Retreat East. Our barn was beautiful, the food in the Great Barn is fantastic and there are lovely walks and bike rides nearby. We will definitely be back!

A TOTAL shambles. Beware, search elsewhere.

To us this was a very "nice" meal but nothing really special and it is quite expensive. All the food we had was excellent and properly cooked but the portions for the starters and desserts were a bit mean. The surroundings are lovely but I think my comments are borne out by the fact that there were only a handful of customers at what should be a very busy time at Sunday lunch. At nearly £60 a head with a couple of glasses of wine for jut one of us it's a lot and we all said we think there are better value Sunday lunches.

I was spoilt to a long weekend trip away to Retreat East and it did not disappoint. The cabins / lodges are finished to a very high standard and we both felt very relaxed throughout. They do allow dogs which was a must for us but they do charge quite a lot for the luxury. Spa was lovely, massage was great and the main barn was cosy by the fire with a cocktail. Comments for improvement, they need more than 1 hot tub available for the number of guests staying and the parking situation was tight but I understand an overflow carpark is available for high season. In the main barn, we ordered a coffee, a diet coke and the house salad which came to £30... That's a bit much. Overall, a beautiful spot and we would highly recommend.

Afternoon tea booked by my husband for my birthday & unfortunately no spaces in the car park left so we had to walk along the long muddy driveway to the restaurant & were shown our seats. The offer was a mix of defrosted soggy bought in bakes. They were carrot cake with soggy defrosted frosting, Bakewell tart , an apple & more almond sponge. Vanilla fudge piece & another apple shaped mousse was more style over substance. It was meant to be apple and custard but wasn’t very flavoursome at all. A cold bought in sausage slice, cherry scone with clotted cream & smoked salmon cream cheese wedge sandwich plus a cured salami (?)sandwich & egg mayo sandwich strip. The chipped spout of the teapot screamed a lack of attention to detail & despite the wellness air of serenity, quality exclusivity & luxury this afternoon was meant for us.. We were both disappointed & felt a wasted opportunity for showcasing their offer not just defrosted soggy sponges & a dull variety. The cherry scones were lovely as were the sandwiches. Being in a healthy wellness retreat we were so hopeful to be impressed but it was not the case. We would not recommend nor return

Visited on a Saturday afternoon for pre-booked afternoon tea. Once seated, the waitress only asked one of us for our drinks order. We had to call after her to tell her there were more drinks. We were then told, ‘there’s a lot of people at the bar so it will be a long wait’. We didn’t feel this was appropriate or acceptable. We were then brought bottles of water, after a considerable wait, but no glasses. I ended up drinking water from my tea cup. Our food was brought out and left, no explanation of what we had, like you usually get at afternoon tea. We were not offered any more drinks though out afternoon tea. Some of the food was OK but most was average, at best. Scones were a few days old I reckon - very dry. Not enough jam in Tescos to lubricate those!! The place itself is odd, there was a wedding up one end, people in swimwear, people in robes. Seemed to be that whether you were getting married, having lunch, or in the spa you all just sat together. Very odd. To top it off, we were automatically charged a service charge. For what? I’ve had better service in McDonalds. Possibly better food too! Definitely wouldn’t return, if only for the terrible service.

This was my first visit since new chef Adam Spicer has arrived at the helm. I'm already a huge fan of RE, having visited several times before. But I must say that the menu last evening was the best of all previous visits. Being an allergen diner, the options were also fantastic even for myself. The staff were lovely, friendly and polite. The atmosphere with the live singer and a couple of large Christmas parties was great and the place had a good buzz about it. All 5 diners enjoyed a full 3 course meal, sampling an array of the options on the menu, including the tapas type 'snack' options as starters, which were truly amazing. Not to mention the after dinner cocktails which were equally as high standard. An all round great experience at one of my favourite places.

I stayed here with a friend; we had a beautiful room the ‘little hive’ ample for two people. Set amongst the fields and countryside it’s so peaceful. The food in the great barn was top tier; the best food myself and my friend have ever tasted from the sirloin beef Sunday roast with hints of aniseed and honey glazed carrots to butter chicken with an amazing potato gratin that melts in your mouth…….onto desserts well the salted caramel tart and tosier chocolate tart were our favourites. And then afternoon tea blew us away……the smoked salmon melts in your mouth; choux bun filled with a caramel/butterscotch creamy delight! Myself and my friend just could not stop talking about how much we enjoyed every single meal!! We had a beautiful bottle of rosè wine also to compliment our roast dinner. Everyone made us feel at home especially Stuart who made us laugh and told us all about the history of the retreat. The back massage from Emma was brilliant; she listened to my preferences and made me feel really good and I appreciate that so much. No negatives on this trip and all staff work so hard; good work! And Thankyou for making our time special We’ll be back in the summer xxxx

Visited retreat east for a spa day with a friend today, difficult to find as signage was poor however as we were leaving new signs were being placed!! Staff were very attentive nice facilities in the spa but my favourite was my 60 minute facial by Emma (hope I got her name right!) The lunch was amazing especially the steak and the signature mocktail, great value. Will come again.

Very small portions Food was served Luke warm and dessert based rock hard Expensive for how much get and the quality of the food Nice setting though

I suppose we were, in theory, "checking out the place"!! Visited on spec and were delighted. Imposing but inviting, beautiful & sensitive conversion of the Great Barn. Lovely welcome as we approached the building at the same time as Leighton, (Commercial Manager?) and then young Ryan who cared for us at our table. Both of us loved our breakfasts. I had Avocado on Sourdough but the bread had SUCH good flavour and the presentation was great. Everything about our meal was fresh and uncompromising. It clearly mattered! The tea as wonderful too. The surroundings were beautifully clean, tidy and the service brilliant. Thanks. DEE

Well what a find ! Seems so modest as you enter the grounds you really don’t expect such a collection of beautifully restored farm buildings! Inside one of them , a spacious barn , is a restaurant. The menu shows fresh , slightly unusual platters, my friend and I were pleased with our choices The portions are small but very flavourful, the service excellent, ………..all very relaxed and thoroughly pleasant. We would certainly go there again .

Definitely a hidden gem we live fairly near and had never heard of the place. The food is lovely, but don’t go if you are in a hurry, the service is very very slow, like 3 hours for a 2 course meal. But would definitely go again.

I was so looking forward to taking my vegan goddaughter to the lovely surroundings of Retreat East for lunch but the staff eating their lunch at the bar and the continual opening and closing of a cleaning shed opposite our table were not relaxing. The food is beautiful to look at but the portions are tiny! The Fig starter was over vinegared so you couldn’t taste anything else and the beetroot gnocchi main course (7 pieces of) and the bbq carrot laska (1 carrot) were inadequate as main courses unless you are on a strict diet. . I have no idea where the protein source was in any of the dishes bar a couple of walnuts on the figs and a few hazelnuts on the beetroot. Lunch was £61 for two with no alcohol and no dessert. Bitterly disappointed and can not recommend

Lovely meal in a new place to me, ‘Retreat East’ just the other side of Stowmarket, lovely venue, they do Spa’s & all sorts of things. BBQ Carrot? Who’d have thought it, Best Carrot I’ve ever tasted!!

Looked on Tripadvisor for places to eat near where we are staying and this lovely place popped up. So glad that we chose to eat here in such a fabulous setting. The staff were all so welcoming and friendly and made a fuss of Dixie,our dog and it was great to be able to eat here with her with us. The food was delicious. My husband had the hake and triple cooked chips. I had chip envy after pinching one-yum! My vegetarian choice of lentil shepherds pie was very tasty and delicious. Puddings were great too and so was the French martini recommended by our lovely waiting staff! There was also a guy singing and playing guitar in the background,which was lovely to listen to and really added to the relaxing atmosphere. We're planning a walk back here tomorrow and hopefully another meal on our weekend away. Highly recommend

Simple but well presented menu that did not disappoint. Airy but cosy barn restaurant with adjacent bright bar and pool table area for pre/post dinner drinks - also cosy sofas in front of fire in winter. Really nice place.

I ordered a house vegan salad, much of which was from their vegetable garden and was fab with the English sparkling they offer There was a good selection for vegetarian and vegan diners

Fabulous food and good service. They warned us there would be a delay on food due to a large function in the main room, so we ordered some of their yummy bread and butter to keep us going. The dining room we were in is large with a high vaulted ceiling, well spaced for covid and well ventilated. A touch too ventilated as it wasn't the warmest day but they soon sorted that for us. When the food came we weren't disappointed, this is proper restaurant quality food, with presentation of the food, plates, bowls etc. to match. Obviously prices reflect that but it's still a lot better value than a high end London restaurant that you'd get similar presentation at. Don't worry, the quantity and flavour wasn't lost at the expense of presentation. It was all delicious, special mention to the desserts. It's not exactly on the way to anywhere, and it's also not especially well signed, so there will be no passing trade. Well worth hunting out though just for the food. Also looks excellent as a place to stay, hold a wedding etc.