The Finch Hatton Arms Hotel and Restaurant in North Kesteven

Very welcoming pub, restaurant and hotel with lovely open fires. Food is great, and service very good. We took my father in law over for lunch from the care home opposite and the staff were very considerate and patient. It caters ok for wheelchair users, however cannot comment on overnight stays (our room was upstairs and we did not see a lift). We also stayed over, rooms are lovely. However we found the rooms cold once the sun went down, and despite having the radiators on full in the room, it seemed the central heating was turned off (hot water ok). It was also cold at breakfast. Breakfast was good, although would prefer personal service for tea rather than a machine, as the water was not hot enough, I felt. We will definitely go back when it’s warmer.

VERY BAD RUDE OWNERS Really the worst customer service.

Went to the Finch Hatton with my friends for Afternoon Tea to celebrate my 1st Re-Birthday (after a close-call heart attack). The room/atmosphere was lovely and the food was delicious. We truly enjoyed our Afternoon Tea. Thank you! Sorry for late review, I had a problem with my Trip Advisor login.

Stayed 2 nights whilst visiting family. Check in was easy, room lovely. Clean and comfy bed. Breakfast great on both mornings. Staff very friendly. A minor point. There was hand soap in the en-suite which was clearly watered down! Why? Also there was hand cream but not useable as the top was broken. As everything else was perfect not sure why you would overlook these basics. Will definitely go again.

I have given this establishment a 1* review purely because 0* isn’t an option. Anyone considering booking, please read ahead so you aren’t left without a room for the night like we were. How they have managed to achieve 4* reviews so far if this is the way they treat paying guests is absolutely beyond me. After an easy booking process, communication about our stay and arrangements was great. We knew ahead of time how to check in and where to collect our keys once we arrived (we were arriving late at night and no reception would be available). Upon arriving, the keys for our rooms weren’t there, yet two other keys for single rooms were. Given 4 adults were staying and we’d booked executive rooms, this clearly wasn’t appropriate. We contacted the emergency number provided and finally got through on the 5th attempt to a woman (the owner?) who said she would send her son. He arrived 20 minutes later, stormed past us without saying a word, and proceeded to bang on the doors of the rooms wee were supposed to be in to try and wake the people who had taken ours! When he couldn’t wake them, he came back to reception, didn’t introduce himself, made no attempt to apologise, and worse still, didn’t make any further attempts to resolve the situation. He told us he couldn’t wake the guests in the rooms we should have had (it was 1.15am at this point!!) and that there were no other rooms available. End of story, not even any attempt to try and help us. We were then left to drive the 90 minute journey back home after a long day at a wedding, finally arriving home at 3am. We were promised a phone call from the same man (presumed to be the owners son) the following day. 5 days later, and after I’d had to call to chase him 3 times, I finally made contact. He was still unapologetic, rude and full of excuses, blaming everyone and everything else, and took no accountability for having left 4 people with no room at 1.30 in the morning. I’ve never experienced such horrendous service and feel it important to highlight what happened so people considering booking are aware of what could happen to you, and how poor the customer service is.

An all round great venue. Stayed overnight and dined sitting in the bar. Must mention staff first - simply perfect, polite, helpful, friendly, professional. Try the full rack of ribs only if your very hungry, excellent, really enjoyed the entire meal. Our room was full excellent, decor, fittings, linen, etc. 5 stars.

I booked the Finch Hatton for afternoon tea and an evening meal the following day. The occasion was my mum’s 90th birthday party and we used their function room at the rear of the building, which also had access to a private garden area. The entire event went off without a hitch and both the staff and the service were outstanding. The food was excellent and extremely good value. The staff on both days were superb and always willing to go the extra mile to provide a top-quality service. I would definitely recommend the Finch Hatton to anyone seeking a location to hold a celebration party.

So so welcoming and an extremely friendly bunch, the Finch Hatton is a delightful place to stay. Dog friendly both in the bar and the hotel side made the weekend we stayed a complete pleasure. Having family in the village that thoroughly enjoy ‘The Finch’ made it an even better experience once we were settled in. Breakfast was a complete bonus to wake up to as the locally sourced ingredients were exceptional. We never felt out of place through the whole weekend we stayed and quite honestly would not choose anywhere else on future visits. Cheers all.

Fantastic meal tonight, called up on the off chance of a table as were nearby. Lovely staff, very welcoming and helpful. Delicious food, will definitely be back 🙂

Had a meal here with visiting family who were staying here. The quality of the food was excellent as was the table service - didn't get the names of the staff but it was on Aug 4th and evening and the waitresses were really brilliant. Popped up to the rooms for a quick look - really nice, really comfortable. I'm a beer drinker and the Timothy Taylor Landlord was on and what a lovely pint and obviously well looked after. I look forward to popping in again before the summer is over. I highly recommend a visit.

Excellent Hotel, food in the Restaurant was exceptional as were all the staff, a great chilled out place to stay, would highly recommend to family and friends

We went there with our family to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Food was good but we were disappointed with the lack of warmth in the ambience and service. No smiles or friendly greeting from the waitress. There was also a meat delivery man who carried his delivery items right through the restaurant to the kitchen. Wished we had gone elsewhere.

Four of us thoroughly enjoyed a meal there this week. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was lovely. The log burner roaring away near us in the restaurant made it feel even cosier. We couldn’t fault a thing!

Attended a wedding reception on Saturday 28th August. Extremely well organised and run. Exceptionally friendly and obliging bar and waitressing staff. Always smiling and nothing too much trouble! 👏 Great food. Highly recommended.

This is a lovely hotel and restaurant and the staff are very nice. Overall a good stay but a few issues. We had a really nice main meal in the restaurant and the steaks were cooked to perfection. We then ordered a dessert and I couldnt eat the fresh fruit due to insects on it. I informed the server and she apologised. Given that I couldn't eat all of my dessert £7 dessert and was still charged for it was a bit off putting. The room we had was pleasantly decorated and comfortable, the only thing was a loud generator type noise that is constant. During the day/ evening its not too noticeable, but if you wake up during the nice like I did, getting back to sleep with the noise is annoying. It's a shame that on settling my bill I tried to explain my stay but I guess the young lady was busy with the afternoon lunch guests. I would stay again, but ask for a different room.

Lovely rooms, lovely decor throughout, service spot on in all areas, lovely bar and all well clean. The mega ace is the food, whoever is manning the kitchen knows their stuff, not an extensive menu but everything lovely so very well prepared. Lovely. With significant parking and sitting the location in a lovely village this is an ideal stop-over, a lovely stay centre for visiting or simply a few days relaxing. Yep, tics the boxes. Thank you.

Wow, as a person travelling alone. This place I highly recommended for wonderful helpful staff to the most amazing steak and a chef who really knows how to cook it. The bedroom is a great standard and very clean, comfortable bed too. Amazing tasty breakfast comes with your room. It’s sat in a lovely peaceful countryside location and will defo go again. Thank you for making my first solo trip so good.

We Sayed here for one night in June 2021 having pre-booked by their web site. It is an attractive older hotel having been brought up to date in the recent past providing modern minimalist style bedrooms equipped to a good standard. The hotel ids located in a small village of Ewerby just outside of Sleaford.The hotel has a popular an busy restaurant. We were enjoying a pre-dinner drink in the bar and in fact we were invited dine there if we preferred as it would reduce our waiting time for a space within the restaurant itself. We were pleased and happy to accept this offer and thoroughly enjoyed a fine meal. WE would highly recommend this establishment.

We called here on the off chance For Sunday roast, We are fussy too What a great surprise homemade onion soup was great Followed by roast beef perfect Great host and staff Will definitely return

Disappointed with our meal, beef was quite tasteless and was in a back room overspill restaurant which was empty for most of our stay, it lacked the atmosphere of the main pub restaurant. The food was served hot and the service was good and all Covid-19 rules were in place

A last minute trip away for 2 nights. so pleased we found this place. All staff were so friendly from the moment we walked in the door. Very clean with plenty of sanitiser on hand and adhearing to new regulations, advising to wear facemask at all times until sat down. Table service in operation.food was delicious from a cream tea, an evening snack, breakfast and evening meal. The bedroom was very comfortable. Thank you for a great 2 nights

Went for a bank holiday lunch service very good food ok drinks extremely expensive place was very clean and plenty of hand sanitizers available

My Partner and I stayed at The Finch Hatton Arms on Monday after travelling up for a funeral. We were made extremely welcome, the rooms were lovely, very clean and spacious. We had a meal in the Restaurant in the evening and it was one of the best meals we have had. My Partner had the Steak which was cooked to perfection and he loved the Stilton Sauce (he wants the recipe!!) Breakfast was great too with lots of choice.We would highly recommend The Finch Hatton Arms and will definitely stay again when we are up next.

We took our disabled mum for Sunday lunch. The staff couldn't do enough to help us. The food was fantastic. They have a brilliant chef. DON'T LET HIM GO 😁😁

Visited the hotel/venue due to a friends wedding- bar area is small and quaint with a great gin collection to try - food was excellent and bar staff were helpful and friendly- smallish room to the rear of building was used for wedding ceremony and reception was perfect for a intermit atmosphere ideal for small family occasions- plenty of parking space- small area to the rear of building for photos or outside entertaining

Lovely historic building although only visited for lunch with friends. The lunch was good and well presented with attentive service. The restaurant was quiet being a Monday so created own atmosphere. This would be lovely in the winter with the open fires etc. Would consider staying over for the New Year celebrations as it is a charming place having been an old hunting lodge with interesting history

We had to stay for one night due to a family bereavement. The room was well presented will facilities for tea/coffee. The bathroom was very spacious with a walk in shower. Staff kind and friendly. Good choice for breakfast.

Stayed a night prior to an event at RAF Cranwell. Lovely hotel and good breakfast. Could have done with more milk cartons in the room. 4 is not enough for 2 people! You need at least 3 in one cup! Otherwise a lovely stay.

We had a meal here while staying nearby and found the food and service to be good. We had booked a table as the restaurant does get quite busy with hotel guests as well as other diners. There is a separate bar area which is well frequented by friendly locals.

I cannot review the main hotel as we didn't stay here and were only at the place as quests at a 70th birthday party. The hotel looks as though it is very nice and it is certainly in a quiet village location. We went around the bar to the separate function room which is somewhat bland but it compares perfectly well with many others that I have experienced. The service was efficient and friendly which must be a challenge when dealing with a full room and the other guests in the main hotel. The food was perfectly Ok and tasty without rising to any exceptional standard and I have met a lot worse when attending functions of any size.

Very clean great food including breakfast can’t wait to go back in June staff are super friendly nice wine to

We stayed just one night after visiting family in Sleaford. The staff were lovely and the manager was really helpful. He said he took it over a while ago and is improving it all the time. We loved the pub area and ate there. This will now be our port of call whenever we visit Sleaford.

Used to be one of our favourites and then closed but now reopened under the direction of the young man who used to run the bar.

As young parents a night off with yummy food and drink child free was a true treat! Very welcoming and friendly bar staff as well as food server. Highly recommended.

We had dinner here last night and had a superb meal and a great time. Lovely pub with an open fire, very friendly staff and locals, highly recommend, only sorry we live so far away or we would be popping in more often.

We stayed as a family of five to visit in laws. Booked the family room.

Arrived late en route to a golfing tournament in Suffolk. Friendly welcome, and a well decorated, comfortable room with tea / coffee making facility. Had a good nights sleep and the shower was great. Unfortunately, the continental breakfast didn't match the rest of the stay. Nice enough, attentive service but, the fare itself was sadly lacking. A few slices of cheese and ham, a few yoghurts, some mini Danish and the rest was bread or toast. I actually finished up calling at a place 10 miles down the A17 for a proper espresso and a bacon roll. Overall, £70 is I suppose fair enough but I think there's room for improvement regards the breakfast experience. As it's bed and breakfast, I think the latter is important. It is for me.

We stayed only one night at this lovely hotel. The room we booked was exactly as described, and the walk-in shower was brilliant. We had a lovely dinner in the restaurant and the price was fair. Breakfast was included in the price of the room and was a continental style. There was a variety of foods to choose from, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I would definitely return to this beautiful country hotel, and have already recommended it to family. Thank you for a lovely stay

I stayed here 4 years ago and had a wonderful stay, great staff, fantastic cooked breakfast, very good value for money. The hotel has been extended and now has brand new rooms, the normal doubles had been booked, the old rooms in the old hotel, in the new extension, the executive double were on offer at the same price of £75 for the od7ble including a continental breakfast. We arrived at 1400 to check in but the only person available was the chef, who gave us our room keys but said we couldn’t actually check in until later in the day as she didn’t know how to take payments, although we did have access to our rooms to drop off bags etc. As we were staying at the hotel in order to attend a family gathering, we then left to join our family party. We got back to the hotel at 8pm and checked in, paying for our rooms. We had a snack in the bar, chips, (it’s all that was available other than the restaurant menu) we also had a few drinks. Some of our party stayed in the bar until 11pm when we asked for another drink at the bar, we were told we could have one but had to drink it in our rooms as the barman wanted to close up! We declined and retired to our rooms.

Returning to this out of the way country pub with great anticipation of a relaxed, fine dining experience, the first thing to greet the eye is a smashed, broken and unkempt inner door with broken glass! Oh dear...the Oscar Wilde quote etched into the glass has all but disappeared, causing one of the younger members of the party to immediately "google" it-on a "phone-free" night out....so far,so bad. Naturally,we headed toward the restaurant area, only to find we had been seated in a corner near the bar. The leather bench seating was none too clean,with the seating positioned in such a way that 3 people had to move in order for me to extricate myself...plus my place setting caused me to sit at an angle to eat,or suffer a sore posterior from the wooden latting within. Our server was wonderful, bringing the menus promptly,although leaving us to attend the bar ourselves for drinks, barring the pot of coffee,which, on reflection was the best part of the whole experience and the only reasonably priced item on the bill. Weighing in at £2.65 (3 cups full),whilst a white wine "spritzer" commanded a tag of £6.25 per glass. Beer was £3.50 per pint. So,our warmed sliced bread arrived...one tiny piece each accompanied by the obligatory unspreadable butter which tears into it. On to the mains that were available...leaving 8 dishes to choose from, none of which seemed to match their online menu as such. Hats off to the chef, who cooked the steaks exactly to order, but the seasonal vegetables were obvious imports. Green beans do not grow in Lincolnshire in March!! Making them an ecologically ignorant establishment, so if the airmiles were to be capitalised upon, maybe the 'stringy' beans had validation to remain on the dish. Speaking of which, my order of blade of beef (£14) was served in a Bowl, with a knife and fork. Space for 7 individuals to eat in comfort was very limited, so we cleared space for ourselves by piling empty bread plates, empty glasses,and ramekins together...although the dropped hint to remove these items wasn't picked up. Again, we could not order our first choice of dessert, as again it was not available... (we ate at 7pm on a Saturday)Perhaps supply and demand needs some tinkering! Catering for alternative needs was excellent, although we did not expect a single sliced avocado to cost £6.25. That really takes the clientele to another price level, of which the restaurant had no obvious claim to. I would only recommend this eatery to the Pseudo-posh, or to someone I disliked. Poor show Finch hatton management! Well done service team. Suffice to say,we will not be returning, unless I hear of changes back to its former good reputation locally, upon which the owners are still relying, despite it taking such a radical nosedive. Basically I felt they were 'dining out ' on us...rather than vice versa.

Lovely traditional pub with a fantastic open fire perfect in the cold snowy night we went. Friendly staff with tasty food.....my ribeye steak was very tasty and cooked to my liking.

I visited here for the first time with friends for a full night out. I'd heard that it was under new management and had something of a refit. On arrival the building is impressive, really get a feeling that you have arrived!

After our successful Christmas Day lunch, my friend and I decided to try the Finch Hatton on an "ordinary" day! - we were not disappointed! We both had the pork loin main - delightful gravy (it did taste of honey as the menu said!) and the mustard mash was to die for. We chose different desserts - apple and sultana pie and chocolate cheesecake and both proved that Chef is as good with sweets as he is with mains! We shall certainly be going again and so must you!

We held a retirement party on 8 Dec and had excellent food, service and good value for money. The drinks are quite expensive but worth it, there is a good choice and the bar staff are knowledgable! All staff were very professional and the managers ensured that the event was planned and delivered without any hitches. Thank you.

I ate here during a business trip and the restaurant is a lovely olde World environment with a real log fire and they serve proper beer.

I've eaten here on and off for the past 18 months as part of a club meeting and find the food very hit and miss. Don't get me wrong it's never been poor food or service but always feels like it's lacking somewhat. Portions are once again very sporadic in size. Two of us had the same meal and whilst mine looked more like a starter than a main course my friends plate was full to brimming. Coffee is by far the worst I've ever had leaving an unpleasant aftertaste reminiscent of Camp Coffee rather than filter.

Tuvimos un almuerzo muy agradable aquí un día el verano pasado y esperamos que otro, ayer. Me registré en su sitio web de antemano y dijo que estaban abiertos para el almuerzo entre semana.

A very pleasant welcome on arrival. Check in went smoothly Room clean, light and airy. Bed mattress a little firm for my liking but that didn't stop me having a good nights sleep. Evening meal cooked to order and well seasoned. Waiter was a very...

We recently had our wedding reception here, to say we all had the most amazing time is a huge understatement. Everything throughout the day was perfect, staff were very helpful and couldn't do enough for all of our guests. The food was exactly as we...

Disfrutamos de un delicioso almuerzo aquí después de un paseo alrededor de Rutland Water. Hambledon es un bonito pueblo y fue hermoso parar aquí para un excelente almuerzo. Comimos en el comedor, con vistas al jardín. La comida y el servicio fueron excelentes. Aunque era mayo el clima no era nada especial, así que lo bonito que era ver el fuego en el bar iluminado.

Fabulous place to stay we stayed in the barn conversion, we didn't want to leave loved it and the food was fabulous only comment I can make is the breakfasts could of had a later finish especially when up until early hours as at a function

Llegamos al bar a 20. 00 se dijo que el personal del bar que era demasiado tarde, pues las comidas paramos en 20. 30! ! ! Aunque mi esposa era anteriormente dijeron que el restaurante estaba abierto hasta las 21. 30. Nos dieron una comida por grudgedly la desagradable camarera.

I stayed here for a night with my boyfriend and his daughter as we attended a family function. The hotel is spotless, warm and welcoming and the food out of this world. We stayed in a family room that was fully equipped and had all the usual amenities. The bed was so comfortable and the bedding clean and all just perfect for what we needed. Our room stay included breakfast that I can honestly say was fit for a king !We met the owner and he seems to work tirelessly and I can honestly say if you're looking to stay in a local hotel to Sleaford this should be the hotel you choose.Thanks for a great stay.

I've read some of the other reviews and I'm confused by them. I've eaten here every few months for the past 3 years and I've always found it to be consistently first-rate food with really welcoming staff. I have read that some others have had problems with the staff, but I've always been pleasant to them and they've always been pleasant and helpful in return. Is there something in this? The beer and the wine are always really good and the food is consistently excellent and well presented. This is undoubtedly the best restaurant in the area and on our last visit I had a risotto which was the best I've ever tasted, anywhere. Also, I booked a large function here last year, with some 50 guests. Often, you find that the food quality deteriorates when catering for such large numbers, but we were served a selection of hot dishes, all of which were excellent. This is not just my opinion - lots of the party guests specifically commented on how good the food was. Moreover, all of those who stayed the night in the hotel mentioned that the rooms were fabulous, the service really good, and that the breakfasts were outstanding. I cannot rate it highly enough.

Stayed here many times and for Christmas, food is excellent and very reasonably priced and staff that actually care if you have a good visit - very refreshing !!!

Dreadful 'hotel' and I use the term loosely. From the lady who 'welcomed us' on it was awful. The room wasn't properly cleaned from the previous occupants - a used tooth brush mug, empty toiletry bottles on the floor, grubby sink, skid marks on the toilet and the shower was dirty and mouldy. The thermostat on the shower was on the blink. You could hear the plumbing from the rooms next door. The coffee tray had used saucers. The tv had a line running up the screen. I didn't dare delve as far as the mattress but the linen did look clean. It wasn't the spacious room on the website and you overlooked a building site. The walls were damaged in the hall and full bags of dirty linen were left by the stairs. Breakfast was good when it came out - but the dining room didn't open on time. The hotel was supposed to be 'dog friendly'. It is absolutely correct that dogs are not allowed in the dining room at any time but you weren't allowed to take your dogs though the bar to the stairs when the dining room was open even though it was separate. You had to take them up the metal, spiral fire escape round the back which was very difficult. I don't know what a disabled guest would have done. Mr Hilton was too busy in the kitchen to speak in the morning. Very glad it was for one night only.

We arrived yesterday to attend a family wedding. Stayed in the hotels' cottage which was absolutely beautiful, very pleased with the accommodation for our family of four. Fabulous Canapés & wedding breakfast, food could not be faulted for members of the family who do not have allergies. One member of the party is allergic to gluten, but their 'gluten free' cheese & biscuit option contained only cheeses & grapes/celery which was fine. However traces of biscuit crumbs were on the plate which could have caused cross contamination of gluten, causing illness. More so the rude, ignorant, poor waitressing service put a downer on our experience at the Finch Hatton Arms. Waitressing staff did not engage with customers when spoken to, this morning during breakfast the waitress actually walked away whilst I was asking her about the breakfast during breakfast service. After discussing the issue with another member of staff behind the bar, no apologies were given for the rudeness of her colleague. Having been a waitress myself in the past I know that staff work under stress and can come across awkward customers, however there is absolutely no excuse for rudeness and attitude towards customers. Especially in situations where the staff have made errors during service. Beautiful accommodation and food, but waitressing staff could benefit from further training in customer service as this majorly let the hotel down.

Nice pub/restaurant, great food and alright service. I would recommend going on grill night if you like steak!

Plenty of choices on the menu - even though we only eat fish & chicken, and a great choice of wines . Very attentive service & white linen napkins made eating there a real pleasure!

Booked a room here for an overnight stay the night of a wedding at this venue.Room was nice .. A little small but had a fresh feel about it.The wedding breakfast was lovely ... Not quite what was ordered but near enough.The food that we got was exceptionally nice with good size portions and I would be more than happy to recommend the food.Evening hog roast seemed to come out really late .. After 21.30 hours, again was really nice ...My only issue was the drink prices - I take offence at the prices going up as the night went on !After being charged £1.70 for a glass of almost bubbleless soda poured from a bottle of TESCO soda water i decided that was enough.it seemed people being charged more and more as the night went on .. Which I felt was not appropriate.Breakfast was nice and freshly cooked... Did miss hash browns though.This review is just my personal opinion and still feeling pretty hacked off at soda water price !

I went here with my wife and friends. We were warmly welcomed and the bar area had a nice atmosphere to it. We all had 3 courses and I have to say the food was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the slow cooked blade of beef.This is not our first time here and likely we will be back!

We treated our daughters and partner to a meal out. Not good on whole, the steak was very grisly and the blue cheese sauce was like water to say I paid extra £2.50 for it. It was all well presented. We asked for a wine menu, they said they don't have a wine menu and offered us a choice of 2. At the end of a not so great a meal, we questioned the bill as it seemed high. She said our bottle of very basic £5 rose wine was £23.00. We live near by, but on that experience alone we shall not be returning.

We had booked to stay here as we were attending the 1940's weekend in Woodhall Spa and this was the closest with rooms still available. I see now why.The lady behind the bar (Sue?) is the only asset this establishment has. Her greeting was cheery and friendly and she immediately showed us to our room. The room was in fairness clean, but really had no other redeeming features other than a fully opening window! The bathroom configuration was such, that in order to go in, you had to do a strange kind of tango with the door, which unless fully closed, was just in the way. Given that it was very very hot weather wise, and the bathroom itself had no window, this was not ideal. There is NOWHERE in the bathroom to put any toiletries other than the sink, or the floor. We discovered that the room had not been properly finished off by room service and had to wait to be given towels and then ask for tea bags. Also, the bottle of water on the tray was open and full of bubbles. I dread to think how long it had been sitting there? Also space to put anything like make up, toiletries etc was in very short supply as the very small dressing table top was mostly taken up by the hospitality tray. We were advised that if we wished to eat in the restaurant, we would have to do so early due to a large function being held there that evening. We dutifully ordered our food at 5.30pm. It arrived at about 7pm. The food in fairness was very good and well presented. The waiting staff, though clearly rushed off their feet were cheery and professional.It would seem that the closing mechanisms on the upstairs corridoor and bedroom doors were set to slam mode. This did not make for a particularly peaceful night/early morning.And our toilet flushing mechanism was faulty, meaning that unless you fiddled with the flush itself, the toilet continually flushed!Had there ever been anyone availble, we would have told them, although the cleaners must also surely have experienced the same issue!The following morning, we went down for breakfast at 8.15, (breakfast started at 8), where three other couples were waiting. There was a range of little cereal boxes to choose from and three different juices. The jug of milk was almost empty, as was the orange juice. We took at seat and were then told by the other diners that they hoped we were not hungry or in a hurry as they has been sitting there for 15 minutes with no sign of any staff! Eventually, one of the women ventured to the kitchen door and called out a tentative "hello?". This was greeted by an extremely gruff "take a seat" to which she replied, "I did, 20 minutes ago, but no-one has appeared yet to take our orders, and some of us are in a huury!" The reply was a simple "take a seat". A few moments later, the chef appeared and addresses the whole room with "who want's tea and who want's coffee?" followed by "toast?". He then stormed off. It was embarrassing and totally unprofessional. A short while later, he appeared with a notepad and went round all four occupied tables to take the cooked option orders, clearly annoyed if you strayed from a simple "the works". Again, it created an awful atmosphere and was totally unprofessional. The waitress did eventually appear, clearly late and very obviously in receipt of a telling off. The whole dining experience was terrible although again, to be fair, the food was good and well presented. (other that the toast being served in a small bowl!)After a full day out, we returned to the hotel at around 6.30. We asked Sue to reserve us a table for two. She advised us that if we wished to eat, we would have to wait for around thirty minutes, to let some of the rush die down and we happily agreed to have a freshen up! Within two minutes of us getting to our room, she knocked on the door to advise us that the chef had said he would not be cooking any meals for us until at least 10pm as he was too busy and then said that actually he would not be doing any furthe cooking as he was too tired!! We were somewhat taken aback, but we said we understood it was not her fault, (she was apologising profusely) and asked if she could advise as to where else we might go as the area was not familiar to us. She suggested one pub but made no attepmt to offer to contact them for us or even supply us with their number. After spending some time on the ipad, we tried six other places within a 5-10 mile radius without success. We therefore drove into Sleaford and found a Wetherspoon's. Great service, happy staff, good quality food.The following morning, the breakfast experience was better, although juice jugs were not refilled promptly and the toast was positively anaemic!Upon checkout, we waited for ten minutes for someone to come and settle our bill. At one point, my husband went on a walkabout to try to find someone. Eventually, the waitress said she would attempt to do it for us although she wasn't entirely sure what to do!This establishment needs to decide whether it is a pub, a restaurant or a hotel. It clearly cannot cope with being all of them. It is clear that the ego of a stereotypical rude and arrogant 'chef'' is pandered to above everything else, not least of all paying hotel guests, whom if anything receive the worst service of all.I would not recommend this place to anyone.

The hotel has undergone some renovations since we last stayed here ten years ago. The room my wife and I had was absolutely beautiful and the bathroom was stunning (see photo). cost of rooms are very good value for moneyWe had a reunion dinner in the restaurant/bar downstairs and the food matched the standard of the room. Service was excellent and the quality did not disappointed. It has a touch of old world charm and we wont leave it so long to come back.

My wife and I were given a voucher for afternoon tea and put it to use last Sunday. It would appear that they only do afternoon tea on a Sunday so that was the day. I pointed out when booking that my wife should be gluten free, which was not a problem for them. We have had afternoon tea in other places and my wife has been very disappointed with what has been served up. No need to worry here. A very warm welcome followed by the tea. What a surprise it was, the gluten free was exceptional and my wife said it was the best she had tasted. I'm lucky, I can eat anything and by the time we had finished we couldn't eat another thing. Both the tea and coffee pots were refilled, first class.

Well what can I say about our special day! Firstly we would like to thank John, Sue,Anne and the rest of the wonderful staff who worked so very hard to make our day so unforgettable and amazing! The food was out of this world and we was treated like royalty!The rooms was so comfortable and spacious.Unforgettable experience well done to you all.Lots of love Mr&Mrs Farrow

I visited this pub yesterday ( 09/04/16) I had a soft drink and a friend had a glass of wine I was charged £10.45 ! I queried the price to be told I had been charged £2 for a lemonade top up in addition to the £2.50 drink. What a rip off. Wont be setting foot in there again. If you are unfortunate enough to go to this pub check what they are charging you on drinks.

We booked a table for Mother's Day. My daughter is coeliac and on booking was asked if she could be catered for. On arriving we checked again with an abrupt waiter if she could eat safely and was assured quite flippantly that there was no problem. Also because of his manner we emphasised the point about cross contamination. On returning home she suffered symptoms which are associated with eating foods containing gluten. I would suggest they need educating about the needs of coeliacs and we obviously won't be going there again.

Went to celebrate my Wife's birthday and was very disappointed. It was a Monday night and we were the only diners. We were given menus at the bar to choose from rather than seated at a table, and then juggled our coats, drinks, and gifts in hand (birthday presents) while trying to choose what to eat. It took about 25 mins before we were seated. The food was ok - nothing special considering it's slightly above average price wise. There was a mix up with my Wife's meal but it was quickly resolved - a new meal arrived in about 3 minutes which considering it was chargrilled salmon seemed a bit suspicious. Maybe it's pre cooked and was reheated? I don't expect on a Monday night with just two paying customers they have extra food waiting just in case?Overall I'd say if you're looking for a nice village pub head for The Bustard at Rauceby or The Hare and Hounds at Fulbeck - they're worlds apart. The Finch Hatton Arms just feel amateur in comparison.

We were recommended the Finch Hatton by some friends and decided to go the other night. We were welcomed by the staff as we came through the door and made to feel really welcome. I had the wild mushroom risotto to start which was beautiful, a perfect sized portion for a starter, it was well presented and tasted fantastic. And then for mains I had the belly pork which was out of this world, so flavoursome and perfectly cooked, the cabbage with it was awesome. I'm quite a big eater but couldn't manage all the potatoes that accompanied the dish. Great service was given to us, and we'll definitely be coming back when we can and also recommending the Finch to our other friends. Thank you so much for making a lovely evening.

Office party of 10 on Friday 18 December . 3 course meal was excellent, disco was OK & unbelievable all round value for £20 On the downside, staff seemed stressed & unfriendly, those who chose soup for starter were told 'no' when asked if they could have a bread roll & the room would have benefitted from some Christmas decs as it appeared to be just decorated with a few silver bits & looked more like a wedding venue than Christmas party night. Would however return next year & hope these small things are improved

A large party of us decided to hold our Christmas meal here for the second year running. Our previous visit was outstanding, which was part of the decision to return.Although the food was very good, the service was appalling. The barman seemed inconvenienced by a request to serve our drinks and practically threw my change back at me.During the meal one of the waitresses was great, however the other waitress was surly and could barely muster a smile. The barman also waited on us and was unfriendly too.Disappointing! We won't be returning for next Christmas get together.

Service was excellent and the food was excellent and this picture was my dessert which was the chocolate delice with salted caramel icecream

We went for the afternoon tea, using a groupon voucher. It was very quiet, with only another couple in the restaurant / bar area- but it was 4 o clock!Service was very friendly but pretty slow and maybe a bit disinterested. Sandwiches were cold, maybe straight from the fridge? There were 4 slim fingers each and not very tasty-- no mustard with the ham, no pickle with the grated cheese etc. Scones were lovely and the little cakes were plentiful and ok. My wife got a refill of her earl grey, which was a bonus.So all in all an OK experience.We'd have been better perhaps to have gone at an earlier, busier time, when there might have been more atmosphere.

Seven of my relatives met for lunch at The Finch Hatton. I am wheat and lactose intolerant and was surprised to find that there was not one gluten meal available. I enquired about the chips and was told they were fried with wheat based foods. I decided to have gammon, egg and new potatoes but alas the butcher had not delivered the gammon order. I had ham, egg and new potatoes which was very nice but not quite what I wanted. I am surprised in this day and age that there were no meals available for people with allergies as they are quite common now. I was informed that if I had rang and told them they would make something available for me. I honestly didn't feel comfortable and felt that they could have made more effort in supplying an allergy menu. Not the place to go if you have a food allergy or intolerance. I enjoy going out for a meal but restaurants who don't make an effort make it very difficult. Food was very good and the staff very helpful but not if you have a food allergy or intolerance which for me is not a choice but a health requirement to ensure I stay healthy.

Booked Afternoon Tea for my Mum and Dad's Anniversary present. We Had a lovely selection of mini cakes and a warm scone with jam and cream each. A selection of freshly made sandwiches with fillings including beef and smoked salmon were also included. My dietary requirements were also catered for without any fuss. Would definitely recommend their Afternoon Tea as a treat or a catch up with friends

Had a lovely afternoon tea. Selection of sandwiches (4 each) including smoked salmon and roast beef, lovely crumbly scone each with cream and jam and then lots of mini cakes including a mini cup cake, macaroon, carrot cake, chocolate slice, coffee and walnut cake and lemon drizzle cake. All fresh and tasty. Only downer was that you could only have one pot of tea and had to pay £2.00 for a second pot.

I have had afternoon tea at the Finch Hatton and it was very good.Also Sunday dinner, wow my lamb was out of this world,good work.

I booked a table for four for a Saturday afternoon tea at 3:30. We arrived a little after 3:00 and after ordering drinks at the bar we were shown to our table. Tea was plentiful and two, three tier platters was used to serve our food. The lower level was a selection of finger sandwiches. These were freshly made and a variety of fillings, salmon, egg etc. The middle layer was a selection of cakes and decorative fruit (strawberries and physalis). The cakes were a wide variety such as fruit, fairy cakes, chocolate, macaroons, carrot etc. Finally, the top layer contained fruit scones and were accompanied by the cream and jam served separately.There was only one person serving food and working the bar and although busy, she managed well and was very pleasant and jovial.

Delightful location, lovely staff, appalling presentation of food. Roast beef and trimmings served in a soup bowl swimming in gravy, yuck

We went for Afternoon Tea here recently using a Groupon voucher for 4 people. The service was very quick and the sandwiches nice and fresh. The cakes were nice but nothing special. The building itself is lovely, with lots of Olde detail especially inside. I would probably recommend visiting if in the area, but I do wonder if they skimp a little for Groupon customers? As other reviews state, we looked at the menu, the choices sound lovely but pricey. Drinks were also dear, 1 white wine, 1 coke and 1 lime and soda £8.75!?

Visited with friends. Most of my friends enjoyed their food, but I felt that it was quite ordinary. I had the salmon and shrimp cocktail to start which was nice, I then had the gammon for main. The gammon was very salty, the chips were awful, very floury and tasteless. The coffee was very weak and tasted as if it had been stood for a long time.Service was very slow.I have been here once before and really enjoyed my meal before so this was a disappointment.

At last I had found a restaurant that had good food and wonderful managers.Then the expansion of the building took place.I returned one evening, as we were regular customers we were greeted in a wonderful manner.We sat in the sparsely decorated yet expensive restaurant, and took third place to a wedding function going on in the new extension. The starters were off and we were served the wedding leftovers free of charge.We were served by any passing waiter so at the end of the meal, even though the food was first class, we left disliking the experience. We have found that giving a good tip was prudent for future visits but after being served by so many different waiters and waitresses in between their main objective of the wedding party it was not worth while.We stopped going.Today was our wedding anniversary and just because the food was so good, expensive but good we returned for Sunday lunch.Nothing has changed 3 hours to get a meal is too long.The serving was done by one manager who did her best but was certainly biased in who she served first.It is not a carvery so it is a limited menu and being unable to see the meat you are asked how you like it.The restaurant serves good expensive food and so I expected good service that I was paying for. They failed and the restaurant is just a forgotten money maker to support the extension.Watch out for new owner signs soon and I shall never return until I see them.If you are tempted by the good menu beware as you will leave frustrated and disappointed.Trip Adviser offers many alternatives.

Wanting a light lunch in the Sleaford area I decided to visit the Finch Hatton Arms at Ewerby. We were greeted with a very friendly welcome from the manageress (owner). For those who do not know the Finch Hatton, it is steeped in history and the bar area resembles an Elizabethan coach house with numerous beams, coats of arms and horseshoes (the right way up my companion advised!). There is also a substantial car park.We chose a beef salad and a smoked salmon, prawn and crayfish baguette with an accompanying green leaf salad. The beef was pink and beautifully tender and tasty, and my seafood baguette was well filled with correctly seasoned dressing/sauce. The salad was a delight. These two dishes were just £4.95 which I consider represents excellent value for a gastro pub. I have previously eaten in the main restaurant, but for our light snack, the bar was ideal - friendly locals provided some useful updates on an old business colleague who used to live nearby, making our visit all the more enjoyable.Main course dishes are reasonably priced at around £9 to £13 (Haddock and chips was £11) and the wine is listed by ABV and is competitively priced from around £13 a bottle, although there is a choice of 3 different glass sizes 125, 175 and 225 (not seen that one before?). The specials board gave a good choice over and above an extensive menu that would suit most people's tastes. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

This pub/restaurant never fails to impress. The food is superb and service is amazing ... all with a personal touch. It sounds like a cliche, but the service is so personal that you really do feel like a valued family member. Add a lovely ambience, genuine surroundings, excellent cooking, fresh ingredients and a seasonal menu, and you really do have a venue not to be missed!

It is nearly a year since I first enjoyed the excellent lunch time food with some 30 friends.Went back yesterday 21st Jan. 2015 and had a perfectly cooked lunch, The food here is of a very good standard, and attractively priced at £27 for main, pud, wine, glass of coke and coffee for 2.This is a village pub, and survives because it sell great food at a good price.It also has some accommodation rooms to letMany thanks to the front of house staff for their very attentive service..Apologies for parking on the grass, you need a larger car park!!

At last I can write to you about my last visit to the above In April 2014 I suffered a stroke which parylised. Me down my right side .As I laid in hospital for 9 weeks, I kept looking to visiting the Finch again. We had been going almost every Sunday for nearly2 years. Well I. Got my wheelchair and sideways transferred into the car. We had already booked and told them about the wheelchair. It was a Saturday, and there was just 1 couple in the Inn .A young girl took our order. My husband ordered. The sausage and mash, andI ordered the Lamb, We waited a long time for it coming and when it eventually came it lookedOK Then she brought the accompanying vegetables1 carrot and 1 parsnip. It was disgusting John never showed his face ,so we paid the £34.00 and left, I was so disappointed.

Food is superb, service is excellent and the surroundings are first class. A genuine 'olde world' pub but with bang-up-to-date standards. Reasonably priced, beautifully presented and nutritionally excellent food served in a 'proper' English pub atmosphere. Plus the village was the home of the REAL Out of Africa leading character, Denis Finch Hatton!

Stayed for one night recently, good food and hospitality, had an evening meal surrounded by friendly locals, only gripe is wi fi signal in rooms at front of hotel is very poor albeit the other rooms stayed in are very good signal

4 of us booked for dinner on a Saturday evening , we got drinks at the bar and were given menus the waitress took our orders at the table in due course and when the starters were ready we were shown to our table. Starters were tasty and enjoyable. the mains were not long coming 3 of us ordered steaks and one had guinea fowl .Unusually the steaks were served in large bowls this did not bother me but one of my party asked for his on a plate a bowl of chips and salad were served with these I think the chips were on ration ! Over all the meals were good, the steaks were not large and I have had better cheaper. This place is a little overpriced ! and I don't think we got value for money I would call again but not in a hurry.

I hadn't realised till I bought a Groupon voucher to use here that the Finch did afternoon tea. I also wondered what it would be like as reviews of other places accepting Groupons have not been favourable. This was certainly not the case here. We had a wonderful tea which comprised of beef, ham and smoked salmon sandwiches. There were also four mini cakes each, plus a scone with jam and cream. I had a pot of coffee which provided me with 4 full cups, while my hubby had a generous pot of tea. Add to this the typical old-fashioned pub surroundings and pleasant service, it made for a lovely afternoon treat.

Today was D Day for Pat , she was looking forward to this day having had a stroke 7 months ago. We went in the car down to our once favourite hotel the Finch Hatton Arms. The ride 18 miles each way was a joy. The food however was a joke. Nells had Lamb shoulder in a herb crust. The crust you could have soled your shoes with and the Lamb dried out. It came in a gravy of sorts on a bed of mashed potato. The mash was lumpy. My lunch consisted of sausage and mash on a red onions, and sauce. Lumpy mash and no onions to be seen. Along came the girl with the vegetables to go with these offerings. They consisted of one roasted parsnip split into four one roasted carrot split into six. With this we had one glass of wine for Nells and a lemonade for me. £34.40p .never again. This report will be on trip adviser ASAP.

Great breakfast with superb attentive service, rooms made up to an excellent standard.Great wi fi signal for business and a real home from home experience

We have stayed at the Finch Hatton on several occasions and never been disappointed. We stay in a beautiful room overlooking the front and eat in the restaurant every time. The bar is a pleasant area, the food is excellent and the staff are lovely. We always receive a warm welcome. Breakfast is also very good. On one of our visits there had been a burst pipe and they had no room for us, but they found us another hotel and paid for our accommodation and evening meal there - what more could we expect! They also gave us a free room upgrade on our following visit!! We will continue to visit as often as we can.

Travelling down from Manchester to be in Newark for the weekend (family get together), we were planning to camp at Kelham Hall. We knew the forecast was not great but we're seasoned, hardened campers so continued with our plans. We had to be at the site before 7pm.At 6:30pm we were stuck on the A1 near Doncaster in what I can only describe as a monsoon .... with the obigatory thinder & lightning to boot.Chances of getting to the camp site on time? NILChances of being able to successfully pitch? NILBackup plan A went into actionServicesFree WiFiiPadLateroomsAll establishments within 20 miles of NewarkNewark hotels full or on the dear sideSame for LincolnDidnt wanna go all the way to Nottingham itselfLincolnshire had a few maybe'sWhat did we want?ComfortBarFoodSensible PriceWhat didnt matter too much was location, just near enough to NewarkWhat did we get?Comfort - as comfortable as a Premier Inn bed (my benchmark)Bar - Full of character and some good real alesFood - Not a huge menu to blow you away - but the food did (Fillet Steak to die for) and the hospitality is welcoming and friendly.Sensible Price - Very much so - well worth it.As for the location, in a small village/large hamlet in the middle of farmland, the hotel itself is gorgeous, thatched cottages neighboring, church across the road - very pleasant indeed.And we didnt get wet - BONUSIf you get the chance to stay .... jump in with both feet.

Lovely meal, very hot & served beautifully. Very modern & welcoming dining room. Used to visit regularly many years ago, much improved surroundings, without ruining the character.Only fault we found was the drinks far too expensive for a pub.

I have lunched twice recently at the Finch Hatton Arms. I have known the pub for many years and the current owner, John has really improved things without spoiling the character. Our first Sunday lunch was fine with good fresh tasty food. The only problem was the staff were unable to engage with us; it was virtually impossible to 'catch' the waitress's eye (I really hate this - and one waitress was cleaning and clearing a table nearby - all she had to do was look around her once or twice, but no, it was eyes down and ignore everyone) such that we gave up asking for the pudding menu and went without coffee. I eventually went to the bar to get the bill. Also, our drinks with the meal didn't arrive so I again had to go to the bar! There was a large birthday party in a back room which might explain but not excuse this poor service.The atmosphere and well spaced tables in the restaurant make dinning a pleasant experience but the staff need some basic training. Perhaps a restaurant manager keeping an eye on the tables would help too.On my second visit, the friendly waitress (John's wife?) was far more attentive and everything worked like clockwork, BUT, and it's a big 'BUT', the food was simply not up to standard. I chose a lamb fillet which whilst beautifully presented was virtually tasteless and it proved far too hard to eat it as it was such a boring chore. No amount of added salt could redeem it - such a shame as with the right flavouring and seasoning, it could have been superb - that lamb died in vain.Worst still, the vegetables were also completely lacking in seasoning. Other diners on the next table had the same problem and had to ask for a salt refill. One of our party never adds salt, but asked me to pass it. Her comment was, "I think the chef forgot the salt." This is inexcusable. The puddings however were lovely, substantial and made up for the poor main courses.When deciding where to go for Sunday lunch some weeks later, my mother-in-law rejected out of hand The Finch Hatton Arms. This is a real shame because if they combined the food from our first visit with the service from our second, we would be regular diners.You really only get 2 chances to redeem a situation. I might venture back myself to see if these two meals were a one off. I'll let you know. I'll also let the owner know too but my guests do not like to cause fuss in restaurants - a terrible English trait but it is only fair to let the owner know. They don't agree. Sorry, John.

So I went here maybe a year and half ago ... Informed them in advance I was vegan & the only thing they offered me was a horrible risotto .. Which I would NEVER of chosen !!! Then I felt they were looking down their nose a little .. All seemed abit pretentious & snobby!!!! Very expensive & not that great atall !

Dined at the Finch Hatton Arms to celebrate a Tuesday birthday which is always a little difficult, less booze. The country house style is delightful but on a quiet evening the atmosphere was a little muted. The starters were enormous but well presented and tasty. The main courses were again well cooked using fresh produce and were mainly well received. My fillet of beef was rather tasteless and little texture but the pasta, chicken and steak dishes were complemented upon. The sweets were all homemade and the sweet menu was quite varied, but at around £6 a go I always think that is expensive for a pudding. I would like to go back soon, which is a compliment,but on a busier service to see if the ambience improves. Well worth a visit and a restaurant I would recommend trying soon.

We called here on a Friday night and left disappointed and hungry! Although the meat was tasty, the vegetables were raw and the portions small. Basically pub food at restaurant prices! We won't be going back!