The Priest House in North West Leicestershire

The Priest House has so much potential. Its location is lovely, situated by a river and the buildings are lovely. However, this is a very tired hotel, both inside and out. The exterior paint is peeling, the outdoor communal areas around The Cottage where we stayed were so dirty and unkempt and the exterior of this building was grubby too. The room was at least clean and plenty roomy, but the radiator was on full blast and it was a 23° sunny day. It couldn’t be turned down or off. The service in the restaurant was very slow and the food overpriced for the tiny portions. The constant drone all night of the aircraft flying into East Midlands airport was very noisy. It’s all a bit of a shame, as this place has bags of potential. Sadly, we wouldn’t come back again.

An absolute gem of a place . Beautiful building set in lovely grounds . The staff couldn't have been more helpful or welcoming, service was fantastic. Rooms.a good size and well equipped. Beds lovely and pillows nice and supportive. The food was delicious and portions a good size .All in all a great place to stay. Quiet considering only ten minutes from east midlands airport Highly recommended.

Lovely hotel on the banks of the Trent! The staff were very friendly, rooms were clean and the bed comfy. Will definitely stay again!

We went for Afternoon tea. The food was delicious and had a lovely selection of sandwiches, cakes and a scone each. The room we were in was lovely. The staff member serving us was polite, prompt and welcoming. Can't rate rooms as didn't stay overnight. We would definately go there again.

Nice staff & quiet location, great restaurant and main hotel building but.... Avoid the "cottage" rooms in the outbuilding section of the hotel. Seriously outdated and scruffy decor, furniture & fittings, and cold/damp even in July. Not sure if the highlight was the leopard print ironing board cover, the bedside sockets into which you can't put a three-pin plug, the ten year old mattresses or the front door that wouldn't lock? Tough choice.

Argued with the rude manager who didn’t even apologise for our awful inedible food. Even brought out a slab of meat from the kitchen arguing with other guests about brisket infront of EVERYONE. We also had the brisket (see photo) it’s was vile. Not at all an “American themed” beef brisket. Couldn't even cut it. Not sure if my dog would have ate it.

We had a lovely meal for our Mums 75th Birthday. We booked Sunday dinner, the menu was really well priced for either two courses or three. The portions were excellent, Sunday dinner was delicious with plenty of veg, and extra gravy if needed. The waiting staff were very attentive and the Manager too made our mums birthday memorable. The location is also beautiful set next to the river on a lovely sunny day!

Had a successful staff/trustee day there with TRT. Good service and terrific location.

Lovely place.. asked for a special table on booking, didn't get it cos they were too busy. (We were the only ones in!) Took 40 mins for starters to come. Yorkshire puds burnt nearly black. No steak knives. Gammon over salty. Won't be going back for a while. Sorry..😭

Went for Mothers Day Roast. Not the best roast we have had. Small portions and lukewarm warm, Crem Bruele was not set, we like a hot plate of food. £100 for 3 and nothing to write home about.

Great hotel with quaint cottage style rooms. Very scenic

We booked this for valentines and once we had booked it we then read the reviews and thought about cancelling as some reviews was bad but we are really glad we didn’t cancel, we was only there overnight in Room 8 in the cottages with Dinner and Breakfast in the morning, the room was nothing like we had read in other peoples reviews which was bad but we thought it was very warm and cosy for an overnight stay with a nice shower in the bathroom more than adequate for an overnight stay, the staff that looked after us for our evening meal was really nice and couldn’t do enough for us and everyone else around us, they was even going to the bar for people’s drinks but it was only down the corridor so I fetched my own but a nice touch from them, we had a good nights sleep and went for breakfast in the morning and again different staff but really nice and couldn’t do enough for us, we was greeted by a lovely lady who’s name I didn’t get but she gave us a form to tick what items we wanted on our breakfast and this was cooked freshly which was really nice and bought out our tea and coffee, we aren’t far away from here but it’s the first time we have been but we have said we would definitely come back.

We had a pleasant experience overnight here. Cottage room was clean , warm and quite cosy ! Only complaint I have was the bed width was not very wide for 2 people and the mattress could be of better quality. Apart from that we had everything we needed in the Cottage and a gorgeous view of the River. Food was very good in the Restaurant and the service was first class. Lots of choice for Breakfast and a lovely Breakfast Room environment . Thank you.

Room smelt of damp, presumably because it was right next to the river, but worst of all, £150 a night and not even a kettle or tea/coffee making facilities!!! Staff were nice and helpful, but bar food was very over-priced and barely warm. Nice location but not worth the money …

We use this hotel for stay and fly when flying out of East midlands airport. We book a nice room overnight, evening meal and breakfast if we have time. Then we get taken to the airport by taxi. On return we are collected by taxi and driven back to the hotel to pick up the car. This is an excellent service arranged by the hotel. The last time we arrived back our taxi driver was waiting at the Arrow desk ready to take us back. Now that's service. No making phone calls no hanging around in the cold or rain. The hotel staff are always friendly and obliging. And the food is wholesome and plenty full. Rooms are clean and beds comfy.

Very disappointed. Poor menu, slow service , too expensive for such a low quality food. We had lunch in Otter same day paid 76 for 3 meal and drinks (including cocktail) , and hot drinks with desert. Nice place with fire plqce amqzibg service. Same we paid in Priest for kid menu , steik and 1 smal tapas , with simple drinks (no desert or hot drinks). Cold too because boiler was broken... :( cant believe it cost us same. Ao disappointed that registered to TA just to leace a review.

Having visited previously for a lovely afternoon tea, we held a baby shower here on Sunday. The communication and organisation from our first enquiry to the event itself was excellent. The room allocated to the 24 of us was perfect and the team on the day did a great job keeping us well supplied with tea! All of the guests commented on how delicious the food was, particularly the home made cheesecake! Thanks again to the whole team - looking forward to a return visit.

Worst service I’ve ever had and overpriced food. Understaffed and poor management for a Saturday night and sadly hospitality either not attentive or overworked. A real shame because the location has a lot of potential. Would not recommend.

We chose here to redeem an afternoon tea voucher. Gorgeous setting right by the river in a secluded peaceful area of Derby. Once we were shown to our seat the service was so quick. They bring out your drinks first and then a 3 tier tray for the afternoon tea. As there were 3 of us we got 4 sandwiches each with 4 different fillings. Egg mayonnaise. Tuna and cucumber, coronation chicken and cheese and onion (they do offer other options for allergies) we also had 2 cheese straws which were lovely, a scone each with clotted cream and 2 choices of jams (strawberry and blackcurrant) a macaroon each and for dessert Oreo cheesecake, vanilla slice and carrot cake (1 each) fantastic all round and would definitely go back. We were also able to take anything we didn’t finish home with us.

We had a lovely afternoon tea. Due to traffic issues, we were very late but the staff were so helpful and accommodating. The tea consisted of sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and four kinds of cake. It was all delicious and very filling.

Turned up on fathers day just for a drink with the family. Despite there being 6 or 7 unbooked empty tables outside they refused us to have a drink unless it was prebooked or if you were a hotel resident. Very silly policy, a wasted visit for no good reason. Won't be back.

Lovely choice of hot/cold breakfast items, eggs cooked to your liking, on offer in a very relaxing dining room which is well laid out with very good service from the staff.

We booked an afternoon tea for 3pm. We arrived a little early but it wasn’t a problem, we were welcomed by nice and friendly staff. The afternoon tea was very nicely presented and the sandwiches and cakes were explained again with nice staff. Although the food was very nice and I couldn’t complain about anything I have had much better elsewhere. It’s such a shame but will not be going back although it was a wonderful place close to the river.

What a shame this place has gone to ruin. Called ahead to check we could get a table outside for lunch for my Birthday and was told no problem. Upon arrival we were met with blank stares and the waitress had to “get the manager to check we could be seated” (in a completely empty pub garden). The manager was even more unimpressed by our arrival and did everything he could to make us feel like an annoyance and unwelcome. Wedding guests started to arrive and it became clear why we were so unwanted. Had to chase up childs dessert that was meant to come with kids meal only to be met by more rude waiting staff who looked like they’d never heard the word dessert before. They too had to ask the manager to come and help, this time with serving a childs icecream. Shocking service, uncomfortable atmosphere and completely ruined the experience despite the food being quite nice.

The Millstream Bar and Grill is based in a lovely location, The Selection is limited for a restaurant with Grill in the name i would have expected a larger choice, The options do cover most bases, I visited with my Wife and we went with The Priest House Burger and Beer Battered Seabass, Both dishes where fantastic, the flavour, presentation and service where all perfect! If I was in the area I would certainly eat here again…

Really nice food with friendly and attentive service for a family pre-Christmas lunch. The festive menu is a bit limited for vegetarians, but the fish, meant and veggie pasta were cooked and presented beautifully. The wine list has some really enjoyable choices. Not cheap but not overpriced either for the quality of food and service. A family favourite.

Have eaten here before when stayed at the Priest's House before. Food was delicious, albeit a limited menu.

One of the best Sunday lunches we have had. The meat was lovely and tender, plenty of fresh veg and great Yorkshire puds. Bought out extra gravy, per person and crackling, without asking. Starters and desserts were great too. It was a 90th birthday celebration and the staff/service was excellent. Will definitely be going back soon.

Limited dinner menu due to the present situation and the grab/go breakfast taken in the Millstream, it served its purpose. Drinks in the lounge then into the restaurant which is well laid out with socially distanced tables and the waiting staff Zara/Kieran were attentive and provided excellent service.

We visited this evening expecting an above average meal. We were disappointed. The food was obviously frozen portions reheated on the night and served in a short time. The staff were very apologetic and it was obvious to us that they had been put in there with no resources available to them Half the items on the menu were not available which was disappointing as we would have chosen them in preference to the typical low standard pub grub food on offer. We really felt sorry for he staff. It could be a very nice venue but would not recommend it until it improves.

Was asked by family and friends to check out mill stream bar terrace for future meals out as had a day off work. Checked out website which clearly stated food served from 12.00 and booking not essential , as weekday lunchtime did not expect to be busy. Arrived 12.40 no customers and two bar staff, one on mobile and one behind bar. When asked if could get food was told abruptly they did not serve until 1.30 and we would need to book, pointed out website said serving from 12.00 ,was offered no explanation and no offer to book us a table even though only 3 tables were reserved and when asked if we could have a drink was told no! Needless to say will not be returning and will not be recommending. Eat out several times a week but don't think ever visited anywhere so unwelcoming!

Came here a couple of years ago for afternoon tea...it was delicious..really excellent, We decided to come come which was 31st July 2020.,.,,...it had gone right downhill! Dreadful sandwiches and cakes..very poor..only thing decent was the fresh bread,,, the fillings weren’t afternoon tea standard at ..nor were the cakes! We could have bought them from a patrol station, etc...Would never go back ..which is a great shame, as it has lovely surroundings....I’m not writing this for a refund,,don’t want one....just that you need to review your afternoon teas ..

We stayed at the Lodge as part of my brother in law’s 60th birthday celebrations and we ate here a few times over the weekend. The dinner on Saturday night was superb, particularly the baked Camembert with rosemary and garlic.

The room was crammed and one guy who couldn’t find a seat tried to sit on our table. A local company had taken over almost the entire room, the managing director was surprised we were there, as he thought the firm had exclusive use of the room. We had to sit through his speech to his staff. The evening was certainly not special, we felt overdressed as some of the firms staff were in jeans and t-shirts. For the staff of the local company there were free drinks at the bar so we faced a long queue all night to buy drinks. The overstretched bar staff ran out of glasses in which to serve drinks and had to resort to serving spirits and cocktails in beer glasses. We spent a great deal of money on drinks (luckily we had cash because the card reader wasn't working) and expected them to be properly presented. The staff looked stressed and grim faced, we struggled to get water for the table, to get water glasses and after no glasses were offered we used glasses emptied of other drinks which we had bought from the bar. This function was advertised as a public function, not an add-on to a private corporate function. The room was more like a canteen than a restaurant. I feel that we were mis-sold the evening and considering our family travelled a long way to enjoy the evening I felt very disappointed. We left early

Five of us ate in the evening last Saturday and overall the food and service was very disappointing. There was a wedding reception taking place a the same time and the staff seemed to be poorly trained and lacking in knowledge of the menu so when taking the order had to keep returning to the kitchen when questioned about certain items. Service was very slow and the starters took a very long time to arrive. The main course was quicker being served but one meal had to be replaced as it was very overcooked, two others were very dried out and the final two were acceptable but not exceptional. The order that was re-cooked was slightly improved but not perfect. We did not risk ordering desserts but two of the coffees had to be returned and replaced as the staff member had not been able to operate the machine. Overall very disappointing and we will not be returning.

We went to check out the food as a potential venue for a special birthday party early next year and decided to opt for the proclaimed "Best Sunday lunch around" and arrived at 12.30pm. Appeared very disorganised on arrival with just 2 members of staff looking quite flustered. We were presented with an A4 paper menu which was crumpled and soiled, promptly following by poor quality food that appeared to have been cooked hours earlier and left standing far too long. The 'pork loin with crackling' came with no crackling (we were later informed the chef had burned it) and the food was barely warm. Needless to say we didn't stay for the 2nd course and weren't charged for the food. And yes, there was a wedding at 2pm. Very disappointing to find standards have dropped so much since our last visit several years ago. The Priest House is generally looking very tired and shabby and it's a great shame they seem to have lost their way somewhat.

Chose from web visiting area. Just as it appears. Food very good, steaks really nice chips not the best but all in all could recommend highly. Will definitely go back if in the area. Lounge is lovely had a bit of a wait for a taxi but it was so nice just to sit in. Formal Restaurant looks quite beautiful.

Right at the end of a dead end road next to the river Trent, just over a mile from Castle Donnington in tastefully renovated period buildings, plenty of car parking. Seating is available on the outdoor terrace as well as the comfortable and stylish interior. The menu is typical bar and grill dishes, but given a fine dining twist. Unfortunately the range of beers is rather poor, but wines and spirits are better catered for.We found our food nicely presented, with good flavours and reasonable portion sizes.Prices are average, service was very polite and helpful.

Food is fine, tasty nice portions unfortunately the restaurant and hotel is not. There is not enough staff and the bar is disappointing. Don't go if there is a wedding on, also reserving a table does not mean you will get one even as a resident.Friday was eaten alive, take anti bug bite with you if you sitting outside under the weeping willow next to the stream on the patio.

Lovely setting, choice of eating in or outside. Great service. The menu has something for everyone & the food was very good & you will need to leave room for the deserts as they are fabulous.

Booked for afternoon tea, was really impressed. Great selection and choice of teas. Scones were home made and the service was impeccable.

Best meal we have had in a long time!!5 star for food, service, surrounds and cleanlinessWe thoroughly enjoyed our meal in the Millstream and the service was outstanding from start to finishThe location is beautiful as the lovely interior of the bar area and a relaxing lounge for coffee afterWe could have sat outside on the wonderful terrace area but just a little bit nippy, would like to visit again soon and sit outsideWe will be back very very soon as now one of our favourites!!

Had a lovely afternoon tea here today. Great choice of teas and excellent sandwiches. Really sufficient to fill one up! Scones were scrumptious and mousse with quince (previously referred to as 'strange fruit') and granola on top was delicious. Clotted cream was a bit difficult to spread. Overall great experience

I think this place is best avoided when an event, like a wedding, is on as there isn’t enough staff to cope. We were seated but it took 2 requests to get service. The staff are young & trying their best but seemed to be lacking any supervision. The food was pretty ordinary. The best choice seemed to be the steak. The worst choice was the fish ‘n chips.

Afternoon tea was a huge disappointment.total amount of bread used must have amounted to 2 slices.fillings good but then 2 tiny scones followed by 2 ginger biscuits sandwiched together with a cream filling a tiny coconut macaroon a pot of a unusual cream with a strange fruit layer with oats on top and a tasteless piece of cake.oh forgot the sausage roll .very nice but it was also very small.it was supposed to be a tea for two but it was a tea for 1.for £16 you could have had a three course Sunday lunch.so if ever you go there even after reading this review go for that instead of getting ripped of with the cream tea

We set off early and lucky we did, the sat nav took us to the wrong side of the river! I don't swim so we went all the way back, through Castle Donington to find Park Lane and thankfully it was sign-posted from there.

We ate on a Sunday evening; the service changed shifts after we'd placed our order and our drinks were missed out, so we had to ask twice for water and for a glass of wine. They had a little menu for food intolerances but the choices were really quite limited. The food was delicious and beautifully presented, but don't try eating here if you are in any sort of hurry. A little resentful at having 12.5% added to the bill when the service was incredibly slow; afterwards we were sorry we hadn't taken it off and given our own (appropriate) tip separately.

Service was incredibly slow. It took an hour to produce pudding - 2 bowls of ice cream and a sharing plate. Food was fine but overpriced. Expensive for what we had. They also added someone else's 2 pints of beer and 2 glasses of wine to our bill, which they did remove when asked. When we booked they said they could accommodate gluten free, which they did but with a very limited offering. Not a good experience.

Had a fabulous dinner here! The choice of menu is great! We had 3 courses and it was all 10/10 for taste and presentation. The selection of wine was equally as good! Loved it! Great service and atmosphere, in my top 5 of favourite places after one visit!

The food was delightful and well balanced, the waiting staff were very professional and Andy was looking after us for the evening, he made sure our evening meal was to perfection in every way.

Another fantastic visit to The Priest House. We came for Sunday dinner and had a fantastic meal. It was a pleasure to be served by Jack who we always love seeing when we visit, he is a credit to the hotel.

We dined at the Millstream Bar & Terrace Restaurant on the 26th of January 2019.

When I first looked at the price of £39 for the three course meal I thought it was slightly steep but pleased be reassure be reassured that it was great value for the presentation and the magnificent blends of flavours in all of the courses. The service was very professional and what was surprising was that there were several good bottles of wine under 20 pounds.It was called the fine food restaurant and it was indeed. They also had a great selection of unusual gins in the bar beforehand

When hotels and hotel pub lounges do really good pub menu food it should be exactly like this. Friendly staff and nothing special about the menu but plenty of choice but well presented and great food. The game pie was excellent. Think I may be back!

Just been with the family and had a lovely Sunday lunch, excellent value and in cosy surroundings. Sticky toffee sponge was amazing:)

Used a gift voucher to try their afternoon teas Freshly prepared sandwiches good choice of desserts and tea/coffee Great surroundings by the side of the River Trent

Two courses for a tenner and quality food. A great Sunday lunch. I've been a few times now and enjoyed every part of it.

After having been here a few times I thought it time for a review.

This is an hotel with lots of character in a wonderful riverside setting. We attended a function and the Sunday lunch was very good. The evening buffet was even better.

We only managed to find this hotel restaurant by accident, as myself and my husband were attending a wedding near by and got lost.

Fantastic outstanding value for money.

We stayed in the hotel overnight and ate in the bar/restaurant on the evening. The bar/restaurant is open to the general public as well as hotel guests and served a reasonable choice of meals. Both of our meals tasted good and the portions were also good. We would eat here again.

I feel the effort was lacklustre for the father’s day hog roast, there wasn’t enough seating and I had to clear a table to get us somewhere to sit and the staff felt torn between inside service and outside, we felt as though we were being checked up on with the chef almost shouting to the staff “have they got tickets”? Booking in was convoluted as was arrival having to get back to reception the register and be interrogated somewhat about the size of the party. Really sorry but I wouldn’t recommend the event again :(

Booked for Sunday lunch with my partner, amazing location but let down by the meal .my partner had beef and I had the pork both looked lovely except the roast potatoes im sure were frozen and we had a bowl of mixed garden veg between us which mainly consisted of peas and carrots we had one tiny piece of cauliflour and one tiny piece of broccoli between us,I mean come on there were 2 of us.

I have visited this bar on 3 separate occasions with my partner, mother and friends. On each occasion the service has been horrendously poor. No staff at the bar for 10-15 mins and on one occasions we left as my partner tried to look for someone to serve us at the bar for 10mins. When staff have returned they have been rude. The food ordered was average but took so long to come out (45mins for burger and with no apology) that we would not return back to this pub/restaurant which is disappointing as it is in an idyllic location.

We visited for Sunday lunch, and was really looking forward to it as we had been for a drink a couple of weeks ago and it looked lovely. We sat at our table for almost half an hour before anyone acknowledging us or asked if we needed drinks or were ready to order. Unfortunately this service continued throughout - very slow service, and a lot of people walking around so it wasn’t due to staff shortage. Our meal was end of service so it wasn’t even busy. The food was fabulous, can’t fault it at all, especially for the money it was amazing. But service really slow. Between finishing our main and plates being cleared to order dessert there was another 30-40 minutes wait.

Came here on a two night break (via Travelzoo) - includes breakfast. V nice hotel, great location - by River Trent. Spacious room with large double bed. Staff v friendly and helpful. Food v good. Great value. Would recommend

We have often seen the signs for this restaurant and decided to have lunch recently. We were not disappointed! A wonderful out-of-the way location by the meandering River Trent, attentive staff and a good choice of menu. Next try will be afternoon tea in the summer, by the river. Meantime, be sure to ask for a table with a river view. We missed lout!

Overnight stay on business. Stayed in a cottage room. Very comfortable and private. Only negative was there was no heating in the bathroom at a particularly cold and snowy time so it really was freezing. But the bed was comfortable and the room quiet despite overlooking the road. And lovely Molton Brown products. The food was good too. We had supper and breakfast both at a really good standard. Lovely. Thanks so much for the stay.

Afternoon tea did not live up to the expected high quality of The Priest House. For £18.95 per person we expected a much higher standard of presentation and quality of food. Tea choice menu handed out on a single b&w; printed A4 sheet of paper, Sandwich fingers were very basic with cheese, ham, tuna and egg filllings. Nothing special or even interesting with choice/ style of bread. Bakewell tart pastry case was over baked and pretty dry. Flapjack a rather simple and cheap form of cake option. It very much seemed like The Priest House had become complacent in what they offer, relying on their existing reputation rather than aiming to impress with quality of food. Would not recommend to friends nor will we return. We have had better afternoon teas in small and simple cafes for half the price. It is a real shame to be leaving such a poor review as we’ve had some great meals there in the past. The Priest House need to buck their ideas up a bit and realise what the competition out there is serving for afternoon tea.

So we arrived and every seemed promising. Location was perfect and all seemed well. We checked in fairly easily, room was huge, if set out with very old decor. We had booked for the meal, the waiter was brilliant and service from him was fantastic. Food was ok, nothing to write home about served on 80’s cutlery. Food was really expensive in comparison to the quality and amount. Drinks are reasonably priced. In the morning the breakfast was ok but not worth the cost in any shape. The hotel weren’t busy at all which probably does all the talking you need to know, with the setting and location of it was any good it would be full.

The staff were very friendly and helpful and the food in the bar was good. The service however was very poor. When I tried to check out in the morning I could find no one around. I even rang the hotel from reception but got no reply. I eventually found someone helping with serving breakfast (where there was a queue for tables), who came and helped me.

My husband had gammon and I had suck fettucine. The meals were adequate, nothing to rave about and were not really made very special by the lack of garnish etc., I wasn't offered any parmesan for my pasta dish. And my husband said his gammon was overpriced for the amount served. The restaurant seemed to lack staff numbers so waiting we ended up waiting quite a while for my husbands second drink.

We didn't stay at the Priest House but had a very nice Sunday lunch there as part of my mum's 90th birthday weekend. It was exceptionally good value. The choice was very good, including a fish and vegetarian main course as well as the traditional Sunday meat lunch. The staff were lovely and very attentive. Only one fly in the ointment was the jam roll poly. A bit stodgy and not enough jam!

Visited here for a family Sunday lunch recently. The food itself was of a good standard and the restaurant had...

2 night break with secret escapes was excellent value & on the first night we had the best bar food...

Had some rare kid-free time on Sunday, so my wife and I went to the Priest House. I have been...

My husband and I were married here 4 years ago and have always had great service and meals here. We visit a few times a year and it's always been lovely.

Came here for a birthday lunch to celebrate a 21st birthday, great mistake! We had to polish the glasses on the tables they were so dirty, the food was average, the staff totally untrained. In the evening we ordered snacks in the lounge,they were awful. We were not given any cutlery or napkins. Two bottles of champagne were ordered and they were brought in and left on a table with the glasses, no-one poured it,the whole place is a shambles. Our room, in a cottage, was damp.The shower room tiny and toilet difficult to use as it was behind to basin in a corner. Breakfast was okay but the "service" was a joke.The hotel is situated in a beautiful setting, such a pity the hotel is not properly run.

Attended a wedding reception here and had heard that the standard of the place had improved recently so we went expecting great things. It has not improved at all. 1 inexperienced barman serving a whole wedding party and the general public. One of the guests had to tell him how to make a gin and tonic. Wedding food was very disappointing. No-one supervising portions so the people at the end of the queue were left with very little food. Bar ran out of NZ sauvignon Blanc fairly early on in evening. The staff had obviously been brought in for the wedding but they were very inexperienced and/or had been very poorly trained.

Arrived at the bar and requested a table for 2, barman / waiter said he would ask the manager, he asked him (he was stood right beside him) have you a table for 3? Good start. We we seated next to the windows at the front with a beautiful view but surprised that the outside of the windows were so very dirty and on the sill was a wedding photographer portfolio which had completely fallen apart. Sloppy attention to detail. We ordered our drinks there is a low selection of beers on tap 1 of which was unavailable. These came promptly, but no offer of any water, which we had to ask for.We ordered our food, I ordered fillet steak and the waiter asked if this was as a starter?? My husband ordered rabbit stew. We asked what the stew came with he went away to find out he didn't know! He came back and said chips mushrooms and tomato which was obviously what comes with the steak! No breads or entrees were offered. The table next to us had both their mains and desserts before we got our mains, we even had time to order more drinks which again was a very slow service. The food arrived, the stew had a dry crust on the top that had to be mixed in, it was not of a stew consistency it was very thick and dry no juices, gravy etc and had been microwaved within an inch of its rabbit life!! It came with what can only be described as a pathetic looking few soggy carrot batons. The steak was requested as medium this arrived as very well done. I had to request a steak knife. I also had to request napkins, the waitress response was I'll see if I can find any!! She gave us 2. The chips and onion rings were both cooked from frozen neither were handmade which you would expect with a 'decent restaurant' who still uses frozen chips??? A cafe maybe. My food went back, the steak was over done and dry. The manager apologised and without asking if we wanted them bought us another drink each, we were driving so that was pointless although appreciated the gesture. He also offered us complimentary desserts which we declined gracefully and just requested the steak be removed from the bill. This was done, but they did try to charge for the complimentary drinks that we didn't ask for or drink, those too were removed. All in all very disappointed in both the service and food, such a shame as this is on the doorstep. You can see why the Apiary (cafe bar in the village) is number 1 on here, the difference is non comparable just a pity they were closed.

The lovely terrace at the Priest House is the ideal location for a drink on a warm afternoon. And the quality of the meals is very good as well ...So why not a higher rating: the service was extremely slow and very inattentive. It took ages before they got us some water, before they served the wine, before they brought the cutlery (although our plates were already sitting in front of us) ... And the restaurant wasn't even crowded!Conclusion: a very pleasant location but we will only be back once they do something about the service.

Visited for afternoon tea which had been booked using a buyagift voucher. Weather was lovely so we asked to sit outside which was fab with view of the river. The table was still dirty from previous guests and no offer to clean even when tea and food was brought out. This was similar on other vacant tables and there were cigarette buts all around the floor. Just a shame with such a lovely setting.We were brought 2 large pots of tea which was really nice followed by the afternoon tea food. Mixture of bagels, wraps and toasted sandwiches all nice however far too much mustard on ham totally overpowered everything. 4 lovely scones with cream and a rather odd cherry compote instead of jam. I don't mind cherry but it can be quite strong taste on a scone. Also had lovely smaller cakes of Black Forest, caramel cake and apple crumble all,of which were delicious.All in all really enjoyed it but the few issues mentioned stopped getting 5 along with the fact that we had one set of cutlery for cutting salmon sandwich and for cutting and spreading scones (we had to clean with a tissue and use again). Yes, we could have asked for another but did not get spoken to by any staff other than being seated and didn't get offered any more tea.

well went with family got there a family was in front of us they seated them fair enough but the thing was they was booked in for 12.30 and we was booked for 12.00 then we stood there and waited then they kept us waiting while they started taking there drinks order leaving us stood there like lemons he then came back started doing their drinks still leaving us and by this point i was beyond mad he took them over came back to the bar and then to take the biscuit started serving another customer his drink after what felt like a lifetime waiting someone else came up to us and seated us it was our first time here and it didn't start well they should be sorting customers out straight away it wasn't even busy then we got our drinks and they left us again for what felt like forever till he over heard me saying is anyone going to serve us today then he came over straight away and took our order starters was nice pate then we had traditional Sunday dinner overall nice but when it came to the veg oh my god if your teeth are crap or your an old dear who struggles to chew then do not go without a chainsaw as the veg was rock and i mean rock hard they must have just shown it the pan i couldn't chew it at all it kept me quite for ages and that's saying something the roasted veg on plate was fine it was the bowl of veg i wanted to go back but to say they are in hospitality and as first time diners i was very disappointed

What a find ive lived within 8 miles of Castle Donnington for 30 years and never knew this place existed , a lovely quiet location next to the river with history and quiet countryside if like me you want quiet in hotel locations this is it , our trip was a gift of afternoon tea and cakes etc and we spent a couple of hours enjoying the surroundings the weather prevented us sitting outside which would have enhanced the enjoyment but we cant control that . The staff were helpful and attentive and the selction of tea and cakes more than enough , a lok at the main menu while we were there proved it was not a silly price place and we would certainly use it for a meal out, my only slight critic was the trendy music slightly too loud and in my opinion not my choice for a quiet afternoon

First visit but four of us had an excellent Sunday Lunch served by friendly staff - fantastic value for money set in a beautiful location by the river.

We arrived early afternoon on a Wednesday in May the hotel is nicely tucked away down a little country lane overlooking a river and grassland, a very picturesque setting, yet it's just a few minutes drive from major A roads and motorways, a very friendly welcome at reception, check in was very easy, our room was a good size on the ground floor, nice and clean, nice selection of teas,coffee and biscuits, good size bed, now the room and the hotel in general could do with a little update nothing wrong at all but just a little tired in certain areas, we went to the bar area, nice couple of pints of ales/lager the sun was shining so we sat outside and admired the stunning views, lovely, all the staff at the priest house are very friendly and they all seem quite happy to assist in any way "how far is this place" ? more milk please, another plate for the room please, all questions answered with a smile, we stayed for two nights and although we didn't eat in the restaurant the food coming out looked very nice and well presented, if you are looking for a peaceful retreat but yet not to far from anywhere The Priest House is well worth a visit, thank you.

I hired a private room for my wife's 70th Birthday meal. There were 21 of us and I cannot give enough praise to one person. That was Jo ( Australian) lady. She took hold of the organisation and made it a memorable night for everyone.The tables and room were beautifully presented and the meal was absolutely fantastic.Everyone really enjoyed themselves and I cannot recommend the Priest House enough.Brilliant Brilliant night.

We ate in the Mill Stream Restaurant both nights for dinner and breakfast was also served here.Decent food and wine in pleasant surroundings with great young staff.

the best Sunday lunch we've had in ages. Food was brilliant, dessert divine and the service was faultless. They couldn't do enough to help us. All this at an extremely reasonable price, £14.95 for three courses. Incredible value

The bar food and service was very good. Surprisingly it was better than the fine dining restaurant that is also in the hotel.

We used both the restaurant and the millstream bar during our stay at the hotel and found both excellent. We ate off the table d'hote menu, fixed price of £39 per person was excellent value and dinning in the bar was comfortable and relaxed. The wine menu was very reasonable in both quality and price. Worth a visit even even if your not a guest.

Had afternoon tea at the priest house castle donington, loved it, the sun was shining it was a nice quiet away from it all by the river experience. The inside bar is nice and the outside terrace is nice too.The afternoon tea was lovely although we were asked if there were any dietary requirements and I told them I don't have mustard on anything but they still gave me mustard on my ham which I left .

We recently met some friends at the hotel for a one-night stay. The bedrooms were fine but the place looked a bit unloved and soulless for a Friday evening. The bar/lounge was disappointing but the main a la carte restaurant was excellent. The venison was magnificently cooked; presented beautifully and the service excellent. Breakfast the following morning was also a pleasant experience. Would I visit again? The restaurant yes; the hotel no!

My daughters decided that we would go to the Priest House for Mother's Day, we live just down the road so thought it would be nice because it's local. We arrived ordered drinks from the bar then my son in law went to tell them that we were here for our meal. He stood outside the restaurant part of the hotel for a good 5 plus minutes before anyone even acknowledged him. He came back and got us all 9 in total nobody showed us to our table which normally happens in a restaurant. We all sat down and eventually someone came and gave us a menu, maybe another 10 minutes and someone took our order. We then waited another 20+ minutes for the starter's to arrive which were ok nothing to shout about but we ate them. We then waited another 20/25 minutes for the mains to arrive. We all had roast beef and the trimmings, would have been really nice food if it wasn't cold. My two grandchildren and my son were starving at this point so they ate there's but the the rest of us sent the food back. It eventually ( and by eventually I mean at least half an hour) what came back was the exact same food we had sent away, it had been put into the microwave!!!!! I looked down on my plate and I had an half eaten Yorkshire pudding on mine which I knew I hadn't even tried but my daughter who was sitting next to me had tried hers so I was given her meal. When I told the waitress that that wasn't my plate she told me it was!!! We asked why on earth if it had been put into the microwave did it take so long for the food to return!! Also why hadn't we had fresh food put on our plates!? My daughter booked us in here a few weeks ago and paid a deposit of £70 !! The meal for 3 courses was £24.95??! I think. We sent the food back when it came back the second time it really wasn't edible and when you have waited so long you go passed the hunger stage and into the real peed off stage. They had two people serving on the tables which just wasn't enough, we had booked in for 2pm and to be honest the people that were left eating in the restaurant were on sweets so the service should have been reasonable. We left having no sweets and coffees we had been there so long and was we wanted to get home and eat something.The waitress didn't charge us for the meals on the table quite rightly so but didn't offer us our £70 deposit back either!!!! Just like to say if the manager from the Priest House looks at his reviews: You need to get your act together it was Mother's Day put enough staff on to cater for everyone's needs and sort out your "Chef" any decent chef would not have sent out the food like it was sent out!!

Just back from a wedding, beautiful setting for it. Great for photos. Two small rooms made a quiet wedding appear busy. Lovely feel to the atmosphere. Will look to return to try the restaurant. Typified some hotels with relatively high bar prices but overall good.

Quiet, peaceful thoroughly enjoyable. Food excellent. Beautiful surroundings. Also have little cottages to rent next to hotel. really quaint from the outside, lovely views.

A really lovely place to have afternoon tea. I have been twice and on both occasions The priest house have been welcoming and friendly and happy to help however they can. They don't put pressure on making you feel rushed. We had a relaxing time with friends. The gluten free option isn't great and needs a bit of attention but the regular afternoon tea is great. Possibly more tea offered would be nice. I would recommend.

The Priest House is in a beautiful setting, and in the summer it's a 'must' to sit outside, watch the world go by and sip on lovely wine, and a bite to eat. I've not eaten in the restaurant for quite a while, but the bar food is lovely

Second time we've stayed here. Booked the Valentine package and really enjoyed our stay. Room was lovely with petis four and dressing gowns waiting for us. We enjoyed an early drink in the bar (could do with a few more comfy chairs!) the went back to the room to dress for dinner. Dinner was beautiful. Scallops and quail for starters. Slow cooked beef and a cheese soufflé for the main course follows by passion fruit parfait and a cheeseboard all washed down with some rose champagne. Only criticism was the lack of atmosphere. Candles and flowers on the table would've been nice. Staff were excellent and service prompt. Cooked Breakfast was excellent but not many pastries out. All in all a lovely stay.