The Old Hall Hotel in High Peak

Stayed on a midweek Wowcher deal for room, dinner and breakfast. Great service from all the staff and food was a very good standard. Very good value for money and an enjoyable stay.

Beautiful and historical room where apparently Mary Stewart the Scots queen had been staying Unfortunately the ceiling was suddenly leaking in one spot but only once which we told the reception.

We have not been here for a few years now they have since upgraded their rooms. This hotel will always be special to me we have had many many good times here. Didn't use our stay to go out exploring so must go back but did have Theater deals

Stayed over on a Wowcher deal, can praise the hotel and particularly the staff enough. The service and food served was first class, already planning our next visit 👍

We stayed here last Friday 15th March 2024. After reading the reviews we thought Blimey Charlie !!!! so we were expecting the worst, but we could not of been more surprised. Granted the Hotel is quite tired looking but our room was really ok, a great size and very clean so ...so far so good !!! We were booked in for a 3 course meal again really surprised, I had the shin beef which was cooked to perfection and my husband had the Veg option they both were yummy. I would really like to mention the staff..the reception ladies Amy and Eloise were really helpful and lovely. Sam in the bar could not do enough and Alistair well what a charming, helpful polite guy. My husband is interested in History and Alistair took the time to show him all about Mary Queen of Scots etc ...Many thanks Alistair !!! All in all we had a great stay in the centre of Buxton with lovely helpful staff.

An Absolutely atrocious stay, with such an iconic previously stunning hotel going into wreck and ruin. Where shall I start. Total lack of customer service, bad attitudes by staff, and re-heated food! Room filthy with biscuits on the floor. Anti-social behaviour and noise in the room next door. Staff serving them drink when they're already drunk! Think they may be using this hotel as temporary accommodation for the homeless, alongside paying guests! Had to move rooms with another one with crisps on the floor! Absolutely freezing with no towels. Play safe and book a Travel Inn!!!

Had a great stay at The Old Hall, Reception staff were very helpful The restaurant staff were very friendly, food was amazing. The room was a it small but was clean & had what we needed

What a find. fabulous room no 5 fabulous food and breakfast

Amazing food! The selection of food and drink was great, and the staff were so lovely! Really couldn't fault it at all. Special mention to the manager on the night of the 10th Feb for making sure everything was perfect for us!

Service, food and staff were great! But the rooms stank and I felt like I was going to fall to the floor below. I know it is a historic and old hotel but they can do a better job restoring it.

Went here for a pre-theatre meal. Good job we turned up early, as the dining experience was so slow that we had to rush our dessert in order to get to the theatre on time. Over 2 hours for 2 courses teally not acceptable. That said, I was happy with my food choice, but thought it was rather overpriced. Paying the bill was like something out of Fawlty Towers, as the staff couldn't find what we had ordered. Beautiful building, food quite good, but I won't be going back till they sort out their customer service.

Second time we have stayed here recently whilst going to concerts at the Opera House, which is only a few steps away. Friendly staff, good food, great breakfast, comfortable bed so what not to like. Parking outside and get a pass from reception for a reduced rate. Very old historic building that would benefit from an upgrade in the decor, to highlight the unique oldness like removing paint from the lovely stone door frames. A nice place to stay

Absolutely disappointing experience. Food was below average, overpriced, v bad service. The starter - stem broccoli & cous cous - poorly presented, made out of packet!!! Main: gammon - overcooked & dry , the vegetarian stuffed leeks - v bland and tasteless.

I slept in my bed Monday to Wednesday. Wednesday night I slunk further down into the hospital corners and to my surprise my feet touched something cold and hard !!! Leapt out of bed and looked inside and there it was a Boohoo label that someone had left behind. I was sleeping in a bed that was slept in before. Horrified! Thurday am went to Reception to tell them and the woman would not come to reception desk window. I wanted to quietly tell her the problem and that under the unit there were tissues and a previous occupant's room card was under the unit. Receptionist would not come to window and refused to believe me and said would have a word with "housekeeping" but nothing was done. The service was awful. They used inexperienced staff who kept referring to "someone who could help". In general awful service. Such a shame as the building itself would appeal to a lot of people.

Gorgeous setting, well worth a visit but clear flaws with the dining experience. The building is worth a visit because of its history, like much of Buxton - everyone should visit for that reason alone. The staff were friendly and attentive, but seemed a little put out when I returned a beer that I thought was sour. Its replacement was just as sour despite being from a different pump. Additionally, the dining experience is not good value for money. Let me explain. Firstly, the draught lager is sour, meaning someone isn't cleaning the lines regularly, if at all. It was the same with Amstel and Moretti. It appears that Ensana management have the staff switching shifts between The Crescent and Old Hall Hotel, so that gives the impression that no-one fully understands where the bar and its beer are up to. Avoid the draught products. Secondly, we asked for a wine menu, and were given a copy each, both with different prices. The staff checked prices on the till and they were also different. Again, the impression of no overview. Thirdly, while the starters were good, I ordered the lamb (£26), which was both small and fatty. The potatoes had clearly been cooked the day before and reheated in the microwave before being soaked in a load of chippy gravy. The veg was fresh but this is scant recompense. Ensana are trying to work within their budget but standards are not as high as the prices. It was food that a Wetherspoons would serve for 50% of the price. Serving staff are eager to please but they are working with substandard food training and poor food prep technique. And someone needs to manage the draught beer offer properly. Disappointing.

Did not stay, just had dinner. Small staff very stretched but polite and friendly.

Food good, very slow service. Don't think of popping in for quick lunch, it took us 2 hrs !!

I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to anyone. Shower only works when held at a certain angle, rooms get too hot during the night (radiators couldn’t be turned off), there are uneven floors everywhere meaning bed is going slightly down the hill and in the morning we got woken up by a child running in the upstairs room (it’s a very old hotel so you can hear everything). It’s a shame as the location is great, the hotel could be good if it’s was looked after better. -

A lovely classical feel hotel. Eleanor on reception was particularly helpful, courteous & professional, all staff are so friendly. Really recommend the Mary Bower room, a delightful stay. An A1 location, it's genuinely a historic building, if its revamped I do hope they'll not mess, destroy the historical vibe & authenticity! that'd ruin everything that makes it so special & unique... Already looking forward to our future return. Tony & Debbie.

The menu is limited and sadly expensive What we had was reasonable but over priced for bar food The fruit platter @£8.50 was poor A few slices of fruit does not surface as a platter

We ate in the bar, we were having a special family meal and they didn’t give us the right amount space for the party. The food took forever, there was one other couple in the restaurant and our meals took over an hour to arrive. The food was very expensive for what it was, the sandwiches were tiny, and the chips were undercooked. The club sandwich had egg mayo in for some reason. The lettuce in my sandwich was a horrible shade of greeny brown. Very disappointing and weirdly expensive.

The room was good, but breakfast was cold and my husband had booked a table in the non existent restaurant where we were almost totally ignored, left and went to a very nice Greek restaurant round the corner

Been with friends for new year, very overpriced, no entertainment, rooms not clean, had to ask for toilet roll, maid's allegedly been in, bin's not emptied biscuit wrapper still on bedside table, dust what you could write your name in no water replaced booked a meal for 4.30 finally got it at 6 for £340.20 for 2 nights new year I know but disgusting, do no stay at this hotel

I had a fall on the evening of Sunday 13th November, and after going into the nearby Old Hall Hotel I would like to thank the receptionist who was on duty at around 20:30 for the assistance she gave with her first aid kit. Many Thanks

We visited here as part of my 70th birthday celebrations. So disappointed, our experience in this venue put a real dampener on my special day. The bar area was deserted when we entered, we had to ring a bell to get served. I checked they were serving food and we chose from a very small, restricted menu. We had to have Peroni bottled beer, I like cider but the draught pump wasn’t working. My sausage and mash was awful with sloppy mash and some unidentified sweet, green vegetable on top. My husband had haddock and chips, the haddock was ok but he left most of the chips. Whilst we were eating another couple came in and had to ring the bell several times before they gained the attention of the staff. One member of staff walked through the bar area completely ignoring the waiting couple. This bar needs to up its game if it is to survive. Maybe bring in a pub quiz once a week? Otherwise customers just won’t visit, the food is poor, disinterested staff, scruffy tables and tired decoration. Such a shame as it looks interesting from the outside and I know the building has a long history.

Eight of us ate here today in the wine bar. I had a bad experience years ago but was willing to give it another try. The food was expensive and very poor. When more bread was requested ( as a starter was served instead of a main course by mistake!) sliced bread was served with a pot of margarine! The vegetable portions were very small. And the chips were tasteless, fish was over cooked. The posh salt grinders didn’t work. No real ale was on tap and instead a good lager was requested .only to be served an indifferent one without being asked as the lager was off too! The place lacked atmosphere and the service could have been better. For an old historic hotel ,they need to improve.

Enjoyed lunch on arrival to Buxton. Staff friendly & helpful.

Visited for a meal on 08/08/22 prior to attending nearby (easy walking distance) opera house event. Took the advice of recent tripadvisor reviews to book a table and plenty of time for the meal. Just as well as the restaurant is understaffed and staff inexperienced so service therefore suffers badly. We saw many prospective restaurant customers were being turned away because they had not booked a table. Yet the restaurant was not busy! Restaurant was really nicely decorated and clean. A good ambience. A la Carte menu was good, including GF options ( though had to ask for GF guidance (ie no GF menu). Food fairly expensive but served piping hot on hot, niceplates and of good quality. This place has real potential but clearly needs management backing.

Over priced , poor quality ,almost empty on a Saturday night., I feel sorry for the staff who have to defend this place.

Pleasant Coaching Inn type hotel, one in which Mary Queen of Scots spent some time taking the spa water. We stayed in the room she did. It was spacious with a nice comfortable 4-poster bed. The hotel does need updating, and the bar lacks atmosphere. It had dated furniture and was empty when we went at 21:00 on a Friday. Breakfast food was good but the service needs attention.

Used to be a really good pre show meal venue. Now absolutely hopeless. Staff completely inexperienced and not supervised adequately. Not their fault, but service was hopeless. We had to get our own menus, after 20 mins no one had been to take orders for drinks or food and it got worse from there on. Avoid until they get their act together or get new management.

Booked for a Saturday evening meal and expected it to be quite busy but not at all. The bar was also very quiet. We then went through to the restaurant and we were the only two diners, despite the hotel being fully booked. Waited on by a very pleasant young lady who made sure we were well looked after through the evening. Both meals were excellent and the quality of the ingredients were, also, excellent. On arrival to Buxton we had noticed that traffic, etc. were much the same as previous visits and wondered why the bar and restaurant were so quiet because prior to ''lockdown'' we had, several times, been to the Opera and to this hotel for pre theatre meals and it had been so busy. It appears that they no longer provide this, although it is provided by other restaurants, etc. We have planned a performance at the Opera later in the year but have now had to revise our dining options, so I'm afraid Old Hall's loss. However, as mentioned above, the food is excellent and the place very nice so we will be here again sometime but it seems to me that management are missing out on an obvious market.

I would strongly recommend that you view the room before paying, as you will be asked to pay on arrival.

Went for dinner, but found it looked a little tired, and I and did not see anything to my taste on the menu, admittedly we did not stop and try the food, so cant comment on the standard of meals.

Meal was awful,salmon was meagre and over cooked,salad was sparse and very tired looking,I chose the most expensive option which was sirloin steak,this was cooked to order but was a cheap cut,peppercorn sauce tasted and looked like packet gravy with just a few peppercorns thrown in. The staff were very polite.

Our daughter was married here,and we have had several lovely Sunday lunches here, however last Sunday was awful,no choice Pork or Pork, which was awful,had to ask for starters,which came with side of limp yellow rocket, two very small pieces of bread,very over priced for what we had, extremely disappointed,such a lovely place, really gone down. Can't recommend it at all,which is a shame we have had some really good times there,we won't be going back again 😔😔

Haven't been since Covid, this used to be one of our go to places to eat when in Buxton, but probably won't bother again. Ate in the wine bar, the menu was quite uninspiring and quite limited in its variety. No specials advertised, and no substitute on offer due to the lack of lamb of featured on the menu. One couple left because of it and we nearly did too. The starters lacked seasoning but I must admit the gnocchi was very tasty. It's a shame as I think this wine bar is trying to be something it's not and sadly the prices are quite expensive too.

I came here a few years ago ,the difference between then and now is quite noticeable, it looks tired,and run down,still clean and warm.but frayed at the edges. The double bed was 2 singles pushed together,with an ill fitting duvet,which I had to remake .the Wine bar area also doubles as breakfast room,looks like a cafe area,wooden tables and chairs,at breakfast no tablecloths ,and only partly set for breakfast .no condiments on the table ,or breakfast menu,...I did find a menu on the way out on a shelf.....self service menu ,only warm food ..served on cold plates.....Please..!.....plates should be WARMED.....overall I think its overpriced.and I think lost its way....I think its trying to be something it no longer is.....sorry won't be coming back.....

Short staffed and far too expensive

We stayed at the hotel which needs a bit of tlc but could not fault the food. Breakfast was very nice, good selection. We had an evening meal too which was excellent, honestly the nicest steak I have ever had and my partner said his...

It was OK the scones and cake was dry .not worth 29pds The staff wre lovely

Stayed here for 2 nights in February it really shows its age - which is not always a bad thing, but in this case, could do with money being spent to bring it up to current standards. I thought it a little expensive for a...

Called in for a coffee , fantastic place, nice staff and the coffee was fantastic.will definitely go back .

Lovely old fashioned hotel great character quaint rooms . Lovely friendly staff very clean. Will be back soon. Great food

Excellent position. Birthday meal for 4. Fish and chips excellent, particularly the batter. Vegan option not impressive. Gnocchi well liked. Limited range of beers. Unintrusive service.

We were rather surprised when we booked that we were given a very specific time to arrive .When we got there there were very few people in the dining room . However we were quite happy with that . My husband had the traditional Sunday...

Beautiful hotel with great service. Prices are decent and considering the area and building seemed very fair. Buxton is a town worth visiting with a lot of things to do and see and this hotel is a worthy option for your stay. Recommended.

Had a meal in the wine bar. Overall a pleasant experience. Distinct lack of vegan/vegetarian options. Portion size of starter was disappointing for the price and selection of beers was lacking. Food was tasty with a quiet atmosphere in the wine bar.

Lovely old hotel serving very good food. Two of us had a meal before going to the Opera House theatre

So when the festival is on, this place is very convenient so we returned. The food is not bad, arancini with (chewy) parmesan crisps then a bacon chop with pineapple relish chips and onion rings were my choices. The place was quiet and the two...

The food was generally average, over salted and without anything to really recommend it. Service was also average. Should be doing much better

Excellent attentive service , food delicious,fresh and good choice on menu, wine good but a little expensive

Built! 1573,Mary Queen of Scots was under house arrest for 2 years later that decade. She scratched a message on one of the windows during her incarceration. Good parking at the front of the Hotel, opposite the Park. Walking distance to the Theatre Royal, The Crescent or the Market Street. Great food served at Lunch time in the dining room, also a bar serving snacks.

Hotel staff and hotel was both lovely. They was very welcoming and great with my dog! I did speak to Jessica before I booked my trip to ask a few questions and she was very lovely, friendly and couldn't help me enough! The lady that came in to clean my room was lovely and didn't mind that my dog wanted to say hello. I would recommend anyone to stay here and I would definitely stay here again!

Great dinner and breakfast. Food was good and service was excellent. A little lacking in atmosphere due to tables being socially distanced but that’s not the hotel’s fault.

This location has such potential but currently is poorly used. The menu is uninspired and could do a lot more by leaning on the area’s local produce (fish and chips in the Peak District?!). The sixth former waitress was very friendly but of course inexperienced,...

Only visited for a Toilet break but staff were still very courteous and the walk through the corridors would normally be highly recommended for the history on the walls

The service here was excellent and the food very good indeed. The actual hotel is old - the oldest in England! - reflected in the tired decor. The “wine bar” is just a bar like so many others in hotels.

A nice quite place for a nice lunch.

We had breakfast in The Old Hall Hotel Restaurant as part of our B&B tariff. The main restaurant is a nice sized room with classic period decor and views out onto the Pavilion Gardens just opposite. Social distancing is in place so there is plenty...

We have enjoyed staying here in the past, and visited several times during our recent (self-catering) holiday in Buxton. We had a very nice dinner here, with excellent friendly and efficient service. The food was good and served in generous portions. We also visited several...

Food as ever was fantastic and the service impeccable. I had a ceasar salad to start followed by pork sausages, creamed potatoes, crushed peas, sweet onion chutney and plenty of gravy. My husband had crab mayonnaise with fennel and pear, followed by steak and black pudding pie with creamed potato, broccoli and gravy. Washed down with a nice bottle of malbec.

Went for a meal 20/8/20 the meal there is very expensive for what you pay for £22 for steak small portion asked for medium got rare was tough and grisly STAY away is my advise Rubbish

Stayed over a long weekend and ate in the Restaurant every day so we worked our way through the menu and were never disappointed. Plenty of good flavour and cooking, good size portions and great atmosphere (despite Covid limitations). Overall, loved it.

Very disappointed with standard of PPE. Used to going here but considering the hotel has had to be shut down until recently no staff wearing any sort of protection. The only difference noticeable was hand gel and contact form at door.

We was staying in the hotel on a deal including dinner. Due to current situation we ate in the wine bar. Food was very good, I have a very tasty burger and my wife had aged rump steak with a peppercorn sauce. Both served with the most delicious hand cut chips. Service was very good.

We stayed at the Old Hall in march and arrived just before lunch and before the room was ready, so decided to go into the bar (not main restaurant) and have lunch. We had a salad each, my wife had - chicken, bacon and avocado £11. I had smoked salmon and caper £12. Both were well worth the money, salad was lovely and fresh and crisp and the portions of meat and fish that accompany the salad were brilliant. Highly recommend the food. Service was great, staff friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Good job

We only had breakfast wich was great. The staff were also very friendly and helpful. We will be back.

Excellent shabby chic with good service and reasonable food

The first night was rather quiet, but the service was faultless. Waiting staff who know and understand the considerable menu and polite to a fault. Crisp white table cloths, cutlery spotless ! A rare treat.

Love love love the Old Hall. Warm, cosy, great staff and fabulous food. Fish and chips were great. Sunday roast always excellent.

Mooi authentiek hotel, wij hebben hier geluncht. De lunch was erg lekker, over de rest van het hotel/restaurant kan ik niks zeggen

Really enjoyed the food here, service was great and the staff were very attentive. Had a yummy Strawberry cheesecake for dessert, unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of it and then it was gone!........

A very nice hotel in a beautiful city I would recommend anybody stay you will not be disappointed. And would also recommend exploring the surrounding towns as well.

A hotel with real character and as a result was a great place to be based for Buxton and the wider area.Staying in early January the hotel was quiet but staff were very friendly and helpful. Sadly, only able to give a rating of 4 rather than 5 because of breakfast experience. Food was excellent and cooked food was freshly prepared but due to low occupancy the continent offer was limited, which wasn't a problem but getting items restocked was difficult as staff were not always available.Ironically, I think if hotel was busier the service would have felt better

Lovely comfy hotel with lots of history

I really want this hotel to be a really enhoyable experience, but it feels like it has lost the sense of what it is and is just riding on former grandeur and location. The dining/ drinking rooms are confused as to purpose and we couldn't sit anywhere in the front rooms as chair upholstery was all dirty covered in food. Really hoping it has a make over and is reconsidered in 2020.

I started with the crab which was lovely,then onto the beef Tatar it was the very first time I had eaten raw steak it was really nice,my main course was the Turbot lovely cooked to perfection,we where never rushed at all ,then the piece de resistance a chocolate fondant with raspberry sorbet wow what fantastic tastes,then we had cheese and biscuits tea and coffee,just sublime

Fantastic staff were lovely

Our annual visit to Buxton for our wedding anniversary. Our 32nd visit. One of the best lunches we have had in all those years. Always enjoy a glass of mulled wine too. See you next year.

In Buxton for a concert, thought we would try the Old Hall for an early dinner. Glad we did, excellent starter of pulled ham hock on a pea and egg salad. Mains were wild mushroom with orzo pasta. Well cooked and well presented - a very enjoyable experience.

We arrived and was lucky to get the car parked outside.its really nice inside with lots of histroy to see and read.the staff were brillant and very helpfullwe had a nice large room, with everything you would expectthe beakfast was very goodwill stay here again

We found this restaurant by chance but what a great find it was. We were served by a very friendly and helpful Ellie. The menu was varied and the food was excellent and well presented. Will be back on Look forward to being served by Ellie again.

Waiter was surly and not very interested in serving us. Food was mediocre and expensive for what it was. There is a lot of choice in Buxton so I suggest you look elsewhere.

we had a lovely meal here before the theatre in the bar (always book, there isn’t much space in the bar for dining!!) The menu was extensive and so I was for once able to choose something to eat despite my allergies. Our meals were nice. They were reasonably priced and served quickly. Food was hot and plentiful! The interior of this beautiful old hotel needs some tlc. There was plaster and building work everywhere. Hopefully when it’s all done and dusted it will be back to it’s former glory!

Beautiful building which could do with a little TLC. Our room was enormous with a view of the park and was quiet and comfortable. Dinner in the restaurant was of a good standard as was breakfast. Special shout out to Sam in the restaurant who provided excellent service and was constantly on the go!

Lots of character, helpful friendly staff and magnificent dinner.

Needing a good meal in a civilised surrounding, my husband along with sister and brother in law needed to look no further as we truly found the perfect place. We arrived for our first visit in Buxton on Saturday night.

We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere in the old hall, it is a quiet hotel that allows non residents (most do now). The food was first class and I could not fault it at all. Staff very friendly.

Lovely surroundings , excellent food and friendly and helpful staff .

Beautiful Hotel steeped in history. We visited for lunch on a Sunday and enjoyed the food very much. Reasonably priced in lovely surroundings. Lots of history attached to the building, with original parts being centuries old. Mary Queen of Scots sown time at the hall under house arrest; where she enjoyed taking the waters to help with her arthritis. You can see copies of etchings she made onto the window of her room. Really interesting!

The hotel is old and rooms are as one would expect in an old building but spotlessly clean and comfortable.

This restaurant is a dleightful place to eat and has very pleasant staff and an excellent choice of food, at reasonable prices. Nothing is too difficult for them.

Very elegant. Food and service were excellent.

Lively atmosphere, busy and friendly staff, and good food in the Cocktail Bar. One of our favourites when we're in Buxton.

We had just got back from visiting the Chatsworth Flower Show and had managed to dry off after getting rather wet and were looking around for somewhere nice to have our evening meal. We came across The Old Hall Hotel and were pleased to find a set price meal of three courses very reasonably priced. We hadn’t booked but the young lady was most accommodating and set up a table for us in a lovely cosy dining room.

I stayed at the hotel two years ago and loved the experience, including the wonderful food. This time around, we also had our daughter so we stayed at a local B&B; so we could all be in the same room. I wanted to eat here again because I remembered the excellent food. The second time around didn't disappoint! Between us, we had salmon, chicken, and Mille-feuille. The latter was especially delicious. I'd recommend all three!

Only 1 bar as the others are within the Buxton Spa revamp. A bizarre place, having to walk past everyone else to get to the bar at the far end of the room. The evening we were here was full of people having their meal, but can't say there was a sparkling atmosphere. The building is very old and full of history, but if you want a lively evening this isn't the place to go.

Enjoyed our stay at Buxtons oldest inn. Enjoyed our breakfast and lunch in the restaurant and the staff were excellent.

If you're visiting the opera house there is nowhere more convenient and for this reason my father likes it here. It is in a charming hotel and is traditional in style. The menu, offering 3 courses for £30 at dinner is ok value and the food is well cooked. Soup was dull, mackerel pate served with toast and undressed salad was also dull. Lamb and sweet potato hash was better and the vegetables were fresh and well cooked. The old-school dessert trolley is something to behold and Eton mess and pastries were fine.