The Dome at Buxton in High Peak

Nine of us went for a St Patrick’s day lunch except there wasn’t a nod to Ireland on the menu. It was £12.50 per head with a choice of 3 starters, 3 mains and 3 puddings. We we’re expecting something exceptional for the price at a college which is charging more than restaurants in town. The leek and potato soup was good and nicely presented with a swirl of cream through the green soup. To follow the roast lamb was supposed to be leg but there was too much gristle and fat, more like shoulder but the student waitress insisted it was leg! The accompanying veg was just about okay, the long stemmed broccoli was almost but not going yellow. The desserts were a choice between lemon tart, tiramisu or panecotta which were quite good but nothing to drool over.

We had meaning to book into the training restaurant at The Dome for a while and finally got round to it on a very cold, day in February, accompanied by a couple of friends. There was a warm welcome from the girl at the front entrance and we were shown to our table. The students were very attentive and we all chose a different starter and main. The food was of excellent quality and well cooked, although my OH had ordered the vegetarian option and was presented with the salmon and was told that the veggie dish had finished. He didn't want the salmon and chose the pork chop, which unfortunately meant that we had all eaten our main courses before his alternative arrived! My only gripe was that we would have liked the main courses to be hotter, all were lukewarm. This, of course, maybe due to the nature of the building (ie a large dome), which is obviously difficult to keep warm. None of the above detracted from a very pleasant lunchtime, served by great enthusiastic young people! We filled in a questionnaire at the end of the meal, which was complimentary. We will certainly return, as the three course meal including coffee was excellent value at £12.50

Amazing dome - with a very special echo when you stand beneath its centre. Fascinating history to this building too.

Extrodinary place that is very unusual. Spacious with a cafe. The building has an excellent echo if u stand in the centre.

Seven of us had lunch there today and we all agreed that the service, food and ambience were probably the best eating experience we have enjoyed for some time. Attention to detail was second to none, the meals were served hot and all together. The only complaint was a warm bottle of white wine which was replaced with a cold one , no doubt, the student serving it would not make the same mistake. Hats off to the students and staff at the Dome Restaurant. Thank you.

Fabulous meal in beautiful surroundings. We were served by keen, attentive students who did an excellent job. The food was beautifully served and very tasty. We will all look forward to our next visit.

We have just experienced a wonderful lunch in The Dome from start to finish everything of the best quality and very good service .

Wow wow wow. You really need to visit here!!! The acoustics are amazing. It's so grand. What a privilege that the students get to use such a building.

Within the impressive Devonshire Dome building in Buxton is a restaurant run by students from a local university and college that promises fine dining at bargain prices. We have a point of reference with this type of establishment having eaten a couple of times at the brilliant Atrium restaurant (run by students at Birmingham’s College of Food), so we arrived with high hopes that it would match the experiences we have had there. Unfortunately it did not quite meet our expectations as there were a lot of small mistakes that kept adding up to a slightly disappointing meal. For starters we both had the squid, anchovy and courgette salad, a dish that was pleasant without being delicious and could have benefitted from being served warm rather than cold. Between courses there was a snack of cheddar and gruyère beignets, which was tasty if you are a fan of cheese. The mains courses we had were pretty much the same in that they were good without being special because of a few minor flaws. The chicken supreme had moist well-cooked chicken which was under seasoned. The red wine sauce was flavoursome but the pastry was too thick on the red onion tartlet. The lamb rump was to be served pink but came medium-well. The Pomme Anna was great but the mint sauce over powered everything else on the plate. For dessert we had a pretty good cherry tart with supposedly cherry ripple ice cream, although it was lacking in ripple, and the rice pudding which was disappointing, particularly as we wanted the chocolate pot but was told it had run out and then watched it be served to customers who arrived after us. However, because of what happened with the chocolate pot the staff didn’t charge us for our bottle of wine, which meant the meal and wine cost us £24. We were promised fine dining at bargain price and while we would contest their definition of fine dining it was most definitely a bargain and in that sense we didn’t leave too unhappy.

This former stables is now part of Derby University campus, but free access to visitors. Make sure you stand in the middle of the floor under the dome and hold a conversation! Good explanation of the history of the building on the right as you go in, easily missed, worth looking at. Well worth a detour.

Had lunch here on 14th December. The students were run ragged, apparently a number of them just hadn't turned up. There was no evidence of management presence. The food appeared designed to be 'complicated' but wasn't particularly nice and took a long time to arrive. This was in sharp contrast to my experience last year when the students were well supervised and the food was good. I felt dreadfully sorry for the students that had turned up to work, they tried really hard, with very little evidence of support.

Fascinating that this beautiful done is part of the university; we had a coffee and students were out and about getting coffee at their break, and people were having meetings - all in a beautiful building. Well worth seeing

I visited with a large group for afternoon tea. The students were polite and attentive. The food was very good from sandwiches, sausage rolls, mini quiches, mini pastries and scone, cream and jam. And copious amount of tea or coffee. A guided or audio tour then followed rounding of a very enjoyable visit. Well one to all staff and students

We were introduced to the Dome by our tour guide on the Victorian tram and were so impressed that we went back later for another visit. The building and its history is interesting and the added bonus is the choice of lunch at the university cafeteria.

As with other buildings in Buxton, The Dome is quite stunning. We have been several times as they have various special occasions here. We once attended a vintage WWII ball, with a Swing Band, where everyone dressed in clothes from that era and took a picnic. Very enjoyable and certainly worth a visit.

This says it is the University but it is possible to go inside the former stables. There is the most amazing acoustic if you stand on the floor in the middle of the dome

Nice for conferences and meetings. But also for a lunch. The dome with a long history and very good acoustic. You must stand in the centre and speek and you hear voice back.

We visited the dome as it was once the hospital where Vera Britain did her VAD training. It is now part of the University if Derbyshire - it is really quite stunning inside with a number of small showcase restaurants run by the catering courses that occupy the building. Yet it does not feel either like an eatery or a Uni and has been sympathetically restored and occupied. You can still imagine it as a hospital although I suspect even then it was considered very unique and special.

Part of the catering college, the restaurant is excellent value, great service and great good. Well done everyone.

Very impressive old building, now part of University but it is allowed (and free) for anyone to walk in and admire the size of unsupported dome. Also there is coffee shop to visit too while you soak up the history.

Stopped off for a cup of tea whilst shopping. Amazing location, welcoming staff along with a decent cup of tea.

Went here to see the Dome as we heard a good deal about it. It did not disappoint. For this building to have once been stables and also a hospital in its history is amazing. If you stand on the wooden star under the Dome and speak quietly be prepared to be amazed.

This review relates to The Dome restaurant which is run by the University of Derby within The Dome Buxton.

we had a look inside the dome and it is impressive they have a cafe inside with food and drinks its well worth a visit

A lovely cafe and restaurant all served and cooked by the catering students. Excellent place to eat the ambiance superb

My wife & I went here for lunch. A magnificent building with food to match. Great value & friendly service. Well worth a visit.

Not only is this magnificent Dome a landscape feature for this lovely town but the interior is delightful where even a whisper echoes and the history is so interesting

We were staying at the Palace Hotel and the dome was on the next street, right outside the hotel. We wanted to see what the fuss was about and had read about the size of it-it did not disappoint! As we were walking in, another visitor was leaving and told us to go to the centre of the hall and see what happened...we did and the kids had lots of fun with the echo feature. It was pretty and I can see why it is a popular venue for weddings. Parking outside, for 2 hours and free! Enough time to walk around the nearby park or shops.

The Dome exceeded all expectations. The food was exceptional. The staff were welcoming, professional and great fun. Our friends from Somerset were blown away.

Asistí a una feria de arte el 22 y quedé muy impresionado por el esplendor de la catedral y de la calidad de la feria de arte. Conseguir un café tomó 20 minutos, aunque pedí una pantalla blanca me dieron una débil americano y dijo...

Hemos estado en la feria de arte de artistas pico durante muchos años y disfrutamos de nuestras visitas.

Este edificio es simplemente magnífico y la cúpula en sí es espectacular. Ha sido recientemente reformado y redecorado. Un entorno maravilloso para ocasiones formales o de gala, con un gran sentido de un importante pasado y el patrimonio de esta área, defendido por la familia cavendish. Bien merece una visita.

En la excursión de atracción tranvía buxton te tome en el interior de la cúpula y te dan toda la historia muy interesante mejor visto en este tour

Habíamos oído hablar mucho sobre el lugar, que cuando estábamos en una carretera, viaje con amigos" en nuestros coches clásicos a Buxton, parecía ser el "lugar".

I was looking for the Opera House and knowing it had a domed roof, I thought I had found it until I went inside and saw no seats and no stage!On asking a young man who was wearing a badge, I learned a little of this incredible place. The Dome at Buxton is the highest in Europe, it was built to house horses and as a place to exercise them in bad weather.I only stayed a short while, but will return, the place is worth a visit just to see the amazing size.

Just returned from our second visit to the Dome. A party of 18 had lunch and what a lunch. It was well served good quality. We had all pre-ordered and everything was well organised name cards with your order on. The lunch we had was well worth the money we paid and the building is just wonderful.Can't wait to visit again.

This building used to be a stables, and then a hospital. Now part of Derby University. Lovely place to have a light snack. The dome is breathtaking from inside the building.

First visit to the restaurant and not the last. Excellent service, atmosphere and food. The restaurant was decorated and had an excellent festive spirit. Loved it so much will book again when friends and family come to visit.

A great event in a beautiful building with a wonderful atmosphere. The food choices were limited but were good quality.

Visited Buxton recently and was unaware of this beautiful building which we stumbled upon one afternoon. Well worth a look!!

This is now part of The College but they are very accommodating and helpful to visitors. It is the second largest dome structure in the world and has a fascinating history. Very well worth the visit.

Amazing size dome. It belongs to the university but visitors are allowed in. Had nice coffee and cake. They had some exhibitions going on with the space. Very interesting.

Treated myself to a 'Winter Warmer Massage & Pedicure' - although performed by first year students- totally amazing- Highly recommended. Welcoming, relaxing well run spa. Fantastic the students are getting that practice & their professions developing from the onset- great standards much appreciated by a fellow therapist. Huge Thank you

Being a University training restaurant, we were a little unsure what to expect, but had been advised by previous visitors.We were shown to our table after coats being taken.Drinks order taken followed by food orders.A fairly limited selection (3 or 4 items per course) but all sounded nice. Homemade break and butter arrived just after ordering, which was very nice.Starters arrived, which were of good quality and very tasty. Mains, were likewise, although seemed to lack moisture (not overcooked, but left you missing something).Deserts were excellent, followed by coffee.For £10.50 for 3 courses, this was a steal.Great to see young people learning their trade in such a great environment.

The Great Stables was built to accommodate the horses, ostlers, blacksmiths etc. that enabled the elite of the 19th century to get to the celtic then Roman spa destination of Buxton, to 'take the waters', just as Mary Queen of Scots did, whilst imprisoned at Hardwick Hall in the 16th century ( Bess of Hardwick had once been married to one of the Dukes of Devonshire who owned most of Derbyshire at the time. With the arrival of the railways, the use of horse & carriage did away with the need for the stables, and it fell into disuse. A charity was established in the town to help build a hospital for the sick, poor people. The 6th Duke of Devonshire allowed 1/2 of the stables (then still without the dome, cupolas and clock tower) to be used as a hospital and by the 1880's the architect RR Duke had designed and built the world's largest unsupported dome. During WW1, Buxton was a garrison town and military hospital town. Many soldiers' lives were saved here, or received the best treatment for their dreadful injuries. An extension (now the uni library) was built from donations from towns whose soldiers had been returned back to them after treatment here. The King granted it royalty status for its contribution to the war effort. As time went on, and the NHS founded, the Devonshire Royal became a centre of national excellence for joint and physiotherapy treatments. By 1999 it was costing the NHS too much and it streamlined its services by merging them with 'local' hospitals 15-20 miles away. The local college/university, based at a former WW2 RAF base in Buxton needed a new home. The temporary buildings couldn't be patched up indefinitely, so the colleg/uni moved in and in 2006 the University of Derby, Buxton opened its doors. Still a public building, an events location, a place of learning and and an historical grade 2 listed building, the Dome is basking in its glory of being a building fit for purpose. Stand in the centre of the dome for the most amazing acoustics you will hear.

A party of 4 of us enjoyed a really good lunch at the restaurant. As part of the University of Derbyshire, the restaurant is a workplace for students. The quality of food and the attention to detail was excellent. It was so good to see students enjoying their role in a supportive environment. The food was very good and amazing value. The 3 course lunch includes a vegetarian option and there is a lot of detail re allergens, gluten etc.The Dome itself is worth a visit. Parking is limited so it's worth considering other nearby parking options. All in all, an excellent experience and thoroughly recommended.

Was here for my brothers 40th, haven't been in here since it was a hospital, it's amazing inside , the bar were quick and polite, the only down side , they didn't serve champagne, and ran out of lime cordial, and soda , other wise it was a fantastic night

Didn't quite expect the scale of the building once inside. Most definitely is worth walking up the hill to see.Part of the university now so full of students but free to go.

The dome looks impressive from the out side but once inside you can appreciate the full scale of the building, and it was built to house and exercise horses.There is a café inside which we only had a coffee which was good.

I love this place, it it so much fun just walking across the floor and listening to your footsteps following you. It always seems so peaceful. A real piece of architectural history

Great atmosphere of the place. As a student I had a chance to visit this restaurant on various occasions and it was always a pleasure experience.

The dome used to be the largest in Europe. It was once the local Hospital. It is now the University of Derby. You can visit the building and use the cafes. Wheel chair access is good. Worth a visit.

Great place to visit go and stand one person one side one the other side and whisper to each other if done right you can hear other person.

I met a local resident pal here, ostensibly for a coffee and chat, but she wasn't keen on the coffee that was offered and the staff were busy with a buffet for a conference. However, she was able to tell me a lot about the building when it was a hospital and I admired and marvelled at the amazing architecture and its history, taking a fair few photographs! We popped into the library, as I used to work in academic libraries. What lovely stained glass, too! The view from the balcony was good and it was fun to 'people watch'.

We called in here as part of a tour and were told of the history from its origins as stables, through its being a hospital to its present university use. It's well maintained and stunning inside.A "must see" if possible.

We enjoyed lunch at Fine Dining in the Dome. The choice of items for each of the three courses was good. I enjoyed mint pea soup followed by cod on a julienne of vegetables. A trio of puddings completed this delicious meal. It was good to see the waiters learning their craft and this is an excellent way for them to do it.

This restaurant is a learning experience for students from both Derby University and Leek and Buxton College.The opening times/dates has to coincide with term times and will reopen in mid. SeptemberThe Students are eager to serve you with a silver service for £10.00 per head,( bookable in advance) with a three course meal and coffee.A must try, fine dining experience.

We were encouraged to visit the Dome by a shopkeeper who seemed to be impressed by it herself (which we find is a good recommendation). It didn't disappoint.

Enjoyed a lovely massage, experience the thermal pool, well worth a visit. Friendly staff, welcoming. Had a relaxing afternoon.

Visited the Dome during a 2 day visit to Buxton. We were truly amazed (try the echoing accoustics).And to think that this is where the Duke of Devonshire would stable the horses for his carriages (would love to see Cameron's garage !!)

Excellent value for money. Fascinating venue at the Dome. Reasonable price of wine an a very good Chilean merlot. Fine linen table cloths and cutlery. Staff are students in training under supervision so you need to be a little forgiving. Our starters were good, main course less impressive because vegetables were over or undercooked. Desserts were a little disappointing but not bad. Overall we enjoyed our lunch but visitors must recognise this is a catering college so each experience may vary. Bon appetite!

If you in the area definitely worth stopping by and viewing the inside of this building. Stand in the centre of the room and check out the acoustics - quite something! Pop in there is no charge and it wont take long, but Worthing seeing.

This dome was once the largest unsuppoted dome in the world. It is very impressive, and the accoustics are just amazing, stand in the centre of the room and speak, it really resonates.

Friday lunch served by the students is very good value but allow plenty of time as cooked to order and if you get a student in their first semester then they can be slightly nervous

Visited with my parents who had previously dined there and thoroughly recommended it. What a spectacular evening thanks to the attentive students and staff. The dining experience was faultless. High quality food, good portion size in a spectacular environment. Vegetarians are well catered for, and three options for each course are provided. In total there are 4 courses plus coffee for a set price. I enjoyed chatting with Kaylem at the bar and I appreciated him accommodating me with an Australian white by the glass. I will be returning...

Impressive from the outside, breath-taking inside, a must see for all architecture and history lovers. Its occupied by derby university and often used for functions, but most times free and simple to access and view the amazing dome interior. Well worth seeing. A big tick-box of it being the largest dome of its kind in Europe I think? please check with the tourist info.

the food and the service was really good and was made to feel welcome restaurant was set up well good value for money

We had an excellent Three course Christmas lunch at The Dome, Buxton. The meal was served,prepared & cooked by students studying at the University of Derby who use this fantastic building. Simply "The Dome" does not do this wonderful building justice. It is well worth a visit in it's own right. Anyway,we were served a 3 course meal to savour. I had a prawn starter & roast beef main course followed by a trio sweet. My partner (vegi) had soup & salmon main course. Tea/coffee plus mince pies are included in the price which with tip came to £20 each. The staff were all students learning their trade who were brilliant. This is the second time in 3years that we have been & plan to return next Christmas. High praise in itself.NB. Booking early is essential.

The restaurant is situated in a fantastic building and is run by students from the college to refine their skills and obtain customer service experience, the food is amazing and plenty of it, the students were all polite, happy and professional, the drinks were not the cheapest we have had but this was out-weighed by the meal. I would recommend anybody try the 'Dome' we will certainly be going back.

If you are in the Buxton area and are looking for a good place to eat then you will not get better than The Dome. Nine of us dined there last night to celebrate a silver wedding anniversary and the experience is second to none. As part of the university of Buxton, the food and service is prepared by the students under the guidance of the teaching staff and I cannot remember a meal I have enjoyed as much!! Four courses followed by tea, coffee and mints is only £15 a head and for the quality provided I would expected at least four times as much. Remember to book ahead and take advantage of this hidden gem!!!

Now owned by the University of Derby the Dome is well worth a visit to marvel at the wonderful engineering and architecture. During term time the cafe is almost always very busy with students.Out of term time the Dome is used to house some shows and exhibitions - there was a wedding fair taking place at my most recent visit. Part of Buxton's history and an essential visit. Some very interesting acoustic effects

If you are visiting Buxton this place is a must, although we were unable to see all around the building as there were workmen stripping the vast wooden floor, it is amazing, students have salon facilities (hairdressers etc) around & also a coffee shop, unfortunately they were closed, but it is a fantastic area for weddings etc.

A magnificent Grade 2* listed building, completed in 1779 as a stable and riding school. Later, the Derbyshire Dome became a hospital and Vera Brittain, author of A Testament of Youth, trained here - there is currently a small display about her. The building is now the Buxton campus of the University of Derby and Buxton College. The restaurant, spa and special events are open to the public - but you can just visit to see the dome and experience the amazing acoustics!

Quite an amazing building. Started life as the stables for Spa visitors and then had the dome added which was the largest in Europe. That the university tok over and made such great use of the building is to be admired. Look out for events when the building is open to the public

We popped in while on a tour. It is a very impressive building with lots of history. They now have a spa with treatments. I'd like to take advantage of that next time.

Easy to miss, but worth a visit. Its history is explained in a leaflet available from the Pavilion art shop. The little sightseeing bus stops for you to look inside.

Superb building and café available to all, not just students. We had breakfast batches and coffee at reasonable prices. Sitting under the Dome was something special and in the centre of history. Highly recommended. Also Costa stall if you want something more expensive.

We have had dinner at the Dome Restaurant several times. Today we had lunch for the first time - £10pp for 3 courses and coffee. It was excellent. The food is cooked and served by catering students.The restaurant is open only during the Derby University semesters and reservations are necessary.This is fine dining at an amazing price.

went with a group for a dinner which was really good - tasty, well presented and served beautifully. Will go back and try the lunch next time I'm there.

A beautiful building now used by Derby University. There is a budget cafe for students which is open to the public. Also there is a restaurant which serves a three course meal for £10.00 which is prepared by trainee students. You have to book. Well worth a visit.

Lovely experience, great looking and tasting food, cooked and served by the students. Very reasonable, dont miss out!

We visited the Dome Restaurant for the first time to try out the the three course Christmas lunch menu. We had booked (as it was Christmas, and my daughter is at the university) and it was lucky we had as the restaurant was full - but I expect outside of Christmas you might find it easier to get a table on request. Mind, its good so avoid disappointment with bookingGiven this restaurant is staffed by people learning the trade the menu requests you try ordering different choices to give the students maximum opportunity. We found everything tasty and very well presented on the plate. If you've a mind you can have a looksee at the open kitchen and then go outside and see "back of house" . I was particularly impressed with my starter of salmon and beetroot. While, for me the beef was too well done everything was well prepared - and the desert was delicious. The waiting staff were very friendly and accommodating - even with an especially challenging adventurous two year old. We appreciated the boxing up of her meal so she could finish it later. As others have, I would highly recommend anyone who enjoys great food to support these students. If you don't pay a visit here while you're in Buxton, you're missing a treat and a bargain - three great courses for less than £20 We look forward to returning.

Had Christmas Lunch today and the service, food and attention to detail was brilliant. Incredible value and a unique place to visit.

We visited the Dome restaurant for the first time yesterday for the three course lunch menu. We were politely greeted at the door by a lovely girl ( think her name was Amelia) who took our coats and seated us. Our waitress introduced herself with a pleasant smile. As requested on the menu, we each ordered different choices to give the students maximum opportunity to cook and serve different things for one table. Everything was fresh, tasty and excellently presented on the plate. Throughout the meal, we were offered fresh water as well as our drinks which we had ordered. The open kitchen enables you to watch the students at work under the guidance of their tutor chef. Likewise the front of house students were descreetly supervised by their tutor. On learning that they were all 1st year and had only actually spent 7 days in the restaurant, we were extremely impressed by their professional manner and the high quality of food and service. We would highly recommend anyone who enjoys fine food to support these students. We will definitely be returning soon.

We enjoyed our visit to The Dome very much. Very cheap, good quality and the chance to sit under the Dome. Will definitely go back next time we are in Buxton. Best carrot cake ever.

A Group of us had a 40th party last night, great test for the new students.... Two weeks in and they all did very well, excellent food.Thank you to all.

Pre concert dinner with friends, amazing building, not the restaurant, but the splendid dome, restaurant presumably doubles as student refectory, but the dinner experience no worse for thatNicely dressed table, excellent linen, very good food, super "sharing" anti pasto everything fresh and tasty, superb steaks, perfectly cooked, easy to ditinguish between rare and medium, salmon and chicken equally good. Fabulous sweets, clearly "home made", not bought in commercial rubbish. Well done chef and students, it would be better if "service" could be a little more relaxed, one knows they are training and its nice to get away from much of the more common disinterested service, but overdoing the "care" becomes intrusive. Well done the Dome, I hope the students are able to stay away from hospitality cynicism. .

We ate here on a Thursday night when food is cooked and served by catering students. Large, well-spaced tables. Well-prepared, tasty food. Generous portions eagerly served. Four courses including partridge, rib-eye steak and crepes suzettes cooked at our table cost £12.50 per person. A glass of wine, a Pepsi and a bottle of sparkling water added a few pounds to the bill but a jug of water is provided free at your table.

I cannot speak highly enough of our experience of eating evening meal at the dome. Silver service 5 star all round from the moment we entered until we left. Service was outstanding food was outsttanding value for money was outstanding. Bearing in mind that the staff were training they were as good as any 5 star restaurant I have eaten in and more respectful and polite than most. I believe this to be one of the best pound for pound meals I have had. 4 course meal with a 5 star rating at the price of mass produced food outlets this is a must. Thank you

Superb food,wonderful staff,impressive building.Our first time but we will be be back.Great to see all the young people who are working so hard and producing a quality service

Having read previous review of this restaurant I was expecting a high standard, I attended as part of a large function, there was a choice of 3 mains, no starters which consisted of lasagna, veggie lasagna or shepherds pie, no veg or salad, just a small piece of limp garlic bread, the main was just ok, the dessert was strawberry cheesecake which had obviously been frozen and not made in the college as you would expect, it had been left on the side for a number of hours before it was served and tasted decidedly awful, most ate it because at this point they were really hungry, but other left it , my friend was not able to eat the cheesecake because of dietry requirment which the college had been informed of weeks before, she was told there was no alternative, after causing some distress and being singled out, and a fuss having had to be made, which was not what my friend wanted, an alternative was found. Water was not served with the meal, but a number of jugs were left at the bar which we helped ourselves to along with coffee cups to use as glasses, the bar was open throughout but not whilst the food was being served , which was most of the time, the service was as expected being as they were students so I would not criticise, having been in their position myself, I can only hope that smaller parties get a better experience or I cannot understand the good reviews I have previously read, but mu experience was far from good.

My wife and I went to the spa enroute to the Lake District. We went in the summer holidays when this place is run as a commercial business rather than with students staffing it. Despite this we found that the therapists although friendly were very inexperienced and our treatments were disappointing. The spa area was nice but the atmosphere was somewhat spoilt by people chatting loudly outside the therapy rooms. It could be a good little spa with more attention to detail.

I booked the Spa for a hen party lunch, and we then used the facilities for a couple of hours. We were welcomed to the Spa with a drink, then taken up to the Boardroom which had been specially decorated for us. A beautiful pea soup followed, with olive or sundried tomato bread. We were then given 2 platters of delicious wraps and sandwiches, all healthy and very fresh. We were then given yoghurt with a compote, and a selection of biscuits and cakes to follow. This was a special menu that was put together for us specially for the party and perfect for what we wanted. The staff served us expertly, with a smile. The spa experience was also brilliant, and overall I was very pleased indeed. It was simply superb value for money and if I was a local I think I'd be going to the Dome at Buxton on a fairly regular basis.

Excellent food, in a brilliant building. Staff are students learning their trade, so come here with that in mind and you will have a really worthwhile experience. Recommended.

This was our first experience visiting a Spa. We visit Hartington and the Peak District as often as our busy lives in the South permit and decided that we would treat ourselves to a morning of relaxation and Spa treatments.We booked well in advance and were informed by the friendly therapist over the phone that the 'evening bliss' package was as it described! We opted for lunch to be included which was an added £10 each.There were plenty of therapists who are very professional. On arrival you are asked to fill in a brief health based questionaire. The facilities are excellent and after getting changed you are given towels and a robe and are shown which facilities to use for best effect in the Spa. We spent an hour or so in the Spa before being personally collected by the therapist assigned to us and taken to the 'quiet area' where treatment is delivered.The whole experience was incredibly relaxing (i.e. the music, aromatherapy, lighting) and the therapists who delivered the treatment were very attentive and didn't make you feel that you were 'a customer on a conveyor belt'. If we had one blip to our fantastic experience it is that on the day we visited the 'quiet area' was not particularly quiet as there were two ladies who were having pedicures and did not appear to grasp the idea of relaxation . They were engaged in loud conversation throughout our treatments and despite having separate treatments rooms with doors their constant dialogue permeated the entire quiet area.However this small blip did not detract from our overall experience. This is a truly amazing facility and if we lived locally we would use it regularly.

Booked a three hour spa experience for myself, sister and my two nieces. It was heavenly from start to finish. The therapists are very professional and attentive. They give you a tour of the spa first to show you how everything works and offer you drinks.We then went in for our treatments, the next two hours were pure bliss.The whole experience from booking to finish was excellent and the staff are very pleasant. I would recommend anyone visiting Buxton try to fit in the Spa.

Went for a morning of true relaxation. Sumptious spa and lovely girls. Gave a tour to start with explaining how things worked then had a lovely massage and facial and relaxation time.

I was pointed out due to a reviewer of my 1 star rating and was formally asked to review the Dome restaurant again which I graciously accepted. The Dome restaurant is a training catering college restaurant based in the heart of Buxton town centre thus service is expected to be intermittent at times due to levels of learning the trade. On this visit service was good and the students had to be appraised for all their hard work and efforts. We did hear the odd waiter getting a ticking off but this is to be expected. I would recommend for the member of staff to be abit more discreet when telling off a student and out of public eye. The atmosphere for a catering college restaurant is acceptable but could be better presented however the food and service speaks volumes as on this visit was very enjoyable and very good value for money compared to other professional restaurants. The students serving us were very friendly, smart, clean and very professional which set other professional dining establishments an example on how to run a restaurant business. After this visit I highly recommend a visit. I congratulate the staff and students on a high quality service and I thank the reviewer to prompt me to review again.

The Dome is the training restaurant for the University of Derby, so with that in mind we allowed for a little bit of faulty towers when we arrived. Although our waiter seemed a little nervous the food was excellent - I'd love to be able to recommend a dish but the menu rotates regularly (every day??) in order to provide the trainee's with a variety of cooking experiences.The only thing that may seem a little strange is that you are specifically requested not to order multiples of the same dish (suppose if your group was 6+ then they might not be as restrictive).Pricing is good for the quality of food (they cant train without customers) and booking is a must (I've never been there when its empty)

Professional from start to finish, trainees are being taught very well, and should stand them in good stead when out in the real world! Nice touch to have the restaurant manager and chef come to each table after service. Have been on many occasions and have had no cause for complaint, always recommend and visit in the future. Well done!