The Restaurant at The Lifehouse in Tendring

As always we had a great time at Lifehouse staying overnight and had a fantastic evening meal and breakfast. We had scallops to start which were exceptional. Duck ragu and Skate for main, again cooked to perfection and the most fabulous pear dessert! Cannot wait to visit again!!!

This trip was a birthday treat for me and my daughter. We had looked forward to it for a while. After a very relaxing afternoon in the spa which was faultless, we were to be treated to a three course dinner. That’s when things all fell apart for us. Our dinner reservation was for 7.15, our waitress came to take our drinks order. My daughter ordered a drink… with no ice please. It came with ice, so it was sent back. Then we placed our order for the food. Both courses were ordered at the same time. The starters came within 15 minutes. However the main took 50 minutes to turn up after we eventually asked what had happened to it. It is our opinion that the waitress failed to order it or completely forgot. Tables around us were being served food and had sat down to eat later than us. The dessert we ordered whilst we were eating our main meal but to have to take away as we were not staying at the hotel. We had a long drive home and didn’t want to wait potentially another long while just for dessert. I personally found the menu very limited and it didn’t cater for all tastes. Quite frankly, my day was soured by the lack of care to customers requirements. No apology for poor service just a bill at the end of the meal which was wrong and had to be corrected. I certainly wouldn’t recommend the restaurant on my experience!

Well all I can say is I’m completely disappointed by this place , it’s really gone down hill. I’ve stayed here many times over the years and It is definitely not like was . My gripe is how we have been treated after not liking a meal that we both had at the restaurant. I had the steak my daughter , whose treat this was had the meat ragu . I’ll start with the fact that they label it meat , is because I’m sure they don’t know what meat they put they put in it . You really couldn’t tell if it eas chicken , beef , pork and she said she’d label it as cat food . Then my steak, well where do I start , I couldn’t cut into it and I appreciate that this does sometimes happen but i was unable to eat it nor the rest of the dish . Basically it really was not nice tasting and felt sick most of the night from it . If that was fillet I’m 20 again . This was raised to the waitress, and she offered us was a drink . We didn’t want to have another drink and asked to speak to the manager to discuss this .At no point was a replacement meal offered . The waitress was awful and I don’t like to say this about a young waitress, I have daughters but she did not appear to be trained . The manager didn’t come out . We was promoted to sign the bill to our room while we wait . Waited and didn’t , happened. at this point , we just wanted to leave . The restaurant wasn’t even busy , I remember when the restaurant used to be busy on past visits, each midweek or weekend . On check out next morning, we raised it again as we were really unhappy about the food and service . We then spoke to the supervisor from the restaurant that told us we will get a refund. 3 days later no refund . 5 days later haven’t got a clue what I’m calling for .. 1 email not answered then finally after 2nd email and 3 calls I got good that the chef will not refund me.. even tho I sent the food uneaten back . .please DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING TO YOUR ROOM BEFORE LEAVING .. or feel pressured into paying before check out . The place is shocking now. When I finally got a email back . I was offered 10% off next stay . They give you that anyway . on your next stay .!! I would have liked it rectified there and then so I could have carried on trying to relax but it want and the emails and calls being fobbed off have left me feeling very sad that this once was a nice place to visit but isn’t now . They haven’t upgraded it for years . There are plenty of other nice places to stay that warrant those prices . I won’t be returning and I won’t be recommending it to anyone anymore, I don’t want them to have a bad experience

We had excellent food every time here and the head chef James is absolutely excellent. The pasta is made fresh on site and the suppliers are mainly local and all hand picked for quality. The service was great and we were made to feel so welcome

What a fabulous dinner we had tonight at Lifehouse Restaurant. Every course was delicious and beautifully presented. Wow. We were so impressed. The Service too was excellent. Thank you so much . Our compliments to the Kitchen.

Sunday 3rd March my partner and I had lunch and dinner at The Lifehouse Spa. Wow!! It did not disappoint! The staff were exceptionally attentive and friendly. My favourite dishes were the roasted carrots served with burrata, the aubergine and finally my absolute favourite was the fillet of beef served with truffle purée and ragù tortellini. We could not fault the fantastic experience. I cannot wait to return. Thank you all

The most delightful food, we were there for a spa package deal and had absolutely no faults what so ever when it can to the food. Caring and considerate staff who checked in on us.

Great food and very friendly staff. The restaurant decor leave a lot to be desired - it reminded me of the canteen when I was at school. Everything else was perfect.

We were given a gift voucher for afternoon tea at the Lifehouse. While the staff were very pleasant, the experience was a disappointment. The sandwich selection was uninspiring, mini rolls of egg mayonnaise, and another of ham, a cucumber sandwich of more thick-cut cucumber than bread, and a small piece of smoked salmon and cream cheese on rock-hard sourdough bread. The cake selection bore no resemblance whatsoever to the photograph except for the macaroon. The scone per person was hard on the outside as it had had been overcooked. The tea selection was very good and well presented and you were offered as much as you wanted. Having experienced high tea in several other places this was a poor comparison in quality and price.

This is our second visit to the lifehouse spa the first being February 2022. When we visited in Feb 2022 we had dinner included in our package and when we arrived on the first night we decided to book a table for the second night. The food was awful, very bland and not what we was expecting at all all three courses we didnt enjoy and we left very disappointed and we cancelled our table for the second night and booked the bell pub just 10 minute walk away. We visited again this week as a last minute change of plans again booking our meal at the pub as reading reviews we saw nothing had changed. We did however book breakfast and lunch at the spa and both meals we were disappointed again over cooked breakfast and the lunch was so bland and ingredients had a texture and taste like cheap tinned food. I would recommend the spa experience but dining wise avoid this place and go to thorpe where there is a few pubs to choose from.

Because of my health problems and also being vegan there wasn’t much I could eat.so I ordered from the sides but couldn’t eat much of it as it was covered in oil.

Evening meal hd same menu itemw following night, had to request serrated sharp knife as too tough, pork badly cooked. Partner unable to eat his. Very disappointed to see same choices back on following dinner. Were they fresh?

Food was really fantastic and the staff were kind and helpful, ensuring that we had a nice table by the window (all tables have a nice view). My only criticism would be that, whilst delicious, the vegan options were not especially nourising (e.g. a main of pepper stuffed with vegetables). One slightly odd feature is the big grey curtains at the back of the room to screen off the service areas, which make it feel like an airliner.

I visited with some girlfriends for a spa day and lunch. Food was lovely although the menu is quite limited. Service second to none, Monica was very friendly and attentive and kept our drinks topped up. We had a lovely, enjoyable afternoon in the sun on the terrace. Beautiful surroundings and relaxing atmosphere.

I am a regular at Lifehouse, staying over every 2 to 3 months. Tonight I made the mistake of ordering "the Special" - Gnocchi with Red Mullet and Seabass. The Gnocchi came with a watery Tomato Sauce and 4 bits of fish skin. Clearly Red Mullet and Seabass had little involvement in the dish. The front of house staff were superb in trying to appease a pretty fed up customer - the chef didn't even have the neck to front up for his insult of a dish.

lovely friend staff great steak chateaubrian lovely soup slightly overpriced located in a beautiful spa hotel nice to stay overnight and enjoy the walk around the spa

Lovely three course meal. Very disappointed that they mixed up my dessert I didn't realise until half way through. The waitress did offer to change it to my original choice but I was full up.

was absolutely amazing food cooked to perfection. the staff were very friendly, nothing I could fault with the food and drink

I stayed at the life house spa yesterday and I was really disappointed with the restaurant. The menu is now a la carte and there was no normal food to choose from. I stayed in 2017 and the food was fantastic and I couldn’t rate it more. Please change the menu as the place is absolutely fantastic and the staff are so lovely. The facial was amazing but the restaurant lets this place down. Such a shame.

Olivia catered to our every need - went well out of her way to ensure we choose the right foods for our dietary requirements. Such a fantastic, bright soul. Thank you Olivia

Myself and my boyfriend came to Lifehouse for a spa weekend away, and in our package we had a 3 course dinner included. The food in the restaurant was amazing. We both had the special for starter which was salmon linguine in a lobster sauce I believe, which tasted so yummy. For the main we had the sharing Châteaubriand steak which had dauphinoise potatoes and tender stem broccoli which was so good! My boyfriend and I have both said it was one of the best steaks we'd ever tasted, it just melted in our mouths, the potatoes also tasted delish! Desserts were also lovely, we had the sticky toffee pudding and the cheesecake which was special. Our waitress was Alex who was just so lovely and attenuative to us, you guys really have a great member of staff there!! An overall great experience. Thank you!

I have stayed at the Lifehouse Spa many times over the last 10 years & it is always a delightful experience. The Spa itself is lovely, as are the rooms, bar area & restaurant. I have just returned from a recent stay & have to say that the changes to the restaurant menu really don’t work & spoilt our stay this time. In the past the menu has always been fine dining mixed with classic dishes so there are choices for everyone. However this has now changed to full on a la carte with all dishes really “poncey” with no traditional dishes to choose from - with the exception of sirloin steak which I am not a fan of, but thank god they had that as I really struggled to choose anything. We contemplated going back to the room & having room service but that menu was just as bad with just club sandwich as the only traditional option. The next day we went to have lunch & again it was the same sort of menu - all a la carte. Gone are the options for sandwiches etc. Again we were lucky they could accommodate us for afternoon tea instead. All in all I think Ugo’s new menu needs to go !I am going back for another stay in December & will definitely check the menu before I go - if it is still the same I will drive out & go somewhere local for dinner instead. In summary I would say my stay was 5 stars as always but the restaurant has dropped to 2 stars I’m afraid.

My husband and I stayed at the lifehouse spa and hotel and had dinner in the restaurant!The menu is rather limited for a large “supposedly”4 star hotel so we both struggled to find something we liked for our 3 course dinner!However our 3 courses were good and the young waitresses very friendly!The 4 slices of bread I got upon asking were £4.50 and the two slices of sourdough bread were dry and tasteless too!As said for a large hotel it would have been nice to be offered a more extensive menu and not just a few Italian dishes to choose from!I would have given a rating of good ,for the limited choice on offer,but you can only rate average or very good!

It’s says it in the title, shocking service, bang average food. Had to wait over 1 hour and 20mins for a cod main and 30mins for a drink? Continuously asking for water, bread where’s our main etc? Not on really and ruined our weekend away.

I’ve eaten at this restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner all on different occasions and cannot fault it. Always very tasty and high quality. Especially love the steak and salads on offer. Service is good. Would definitely return again and would recommend to anyone.

Just finished dinner in the lifehouse restaurant. I have been coming to stay and eating here numerous times a year for many years. This is the first time I have felt the need to write a review. We arrived at 7.15 it is my friends 40th birthday, so I asked the waitress to write happy birthday on her desert plate to which she agreed. We ordered at 7.20 at 7.50 we had to ask for our bread at 8.10 we asked for our main meal and was told it will be 5 mins. At 8.28 I asked again and was told it was on its way. 5 minutes later it arrived. The main was good, no complaints about the quality. Around 9.00 we ordered desert and wanted the cheesecake that was on the menu, but we were told by the waitress that this had been changed today to Tiramisu. She then offered a chocolate mouse so I ordered, not because I really wanted it, but I wanted my friend to have a special birthday. It arrived with no happy birthday, I asked the waitress why this was and she said ‘oh that was my fault I forgot’. The chocolate mouse was a small sliver of what looked like chocolate cake. It was bitter and left a horrible after taste , she offered another desert by this time it was 9.20 and we were over it, so we left it. If you have a special occasion this is not the best place to celebrate. Never ever experienced such a long wait and poor service. Very disappointing.

For breakfast I received a very standard egg and warm salmon. The egg was runny with egg white, and it tasted bland. Lovely Spa average restaurant.

The chefs - headed by Ugo - craft seriously good dishes. The lunch and evening menus are a delight. Ugo prepared a Chateaubriand which was seriously the best our entire table of four had ever had.....seriously WOW. The Lifehouse and it’s restraunt is a true jem in our area - definitely worth a visit ...Ugo and Company will not disappoint!

Lunch was lovely, so much choice! I was stuffed for the rest of the day!! We had the 3 course lunch, the soup was lovely with nice warm bread!

Fantastic food at a fair price in a beautiful setting. Suprised to see negative comments about service and food. The menu is limited but imaginative and with high quality produce. The presentation and flavours are fantastic and well balanced. Even the house red was fantastic, sadly forgot what it was as would like to try and get a few bottles to enjoy at home. Given previous comments on service I can only assume that significant effort has been but in to improve this as we had no problems at all. We where stuck behind a large group of girls haggling over there bill. While the poor lad on the desk was trying to sort them out what I'm assuming was the manager made a point of coming to seat us to avoid delay. From then on the staff where very attentive and helpful.

We were staying at the spa which was the worst stay we have ever had the standards have dropped in the rooms due to being in poor condition needing a dam good update and refurb.The Restaraunt we arrived on time but there were 2 large groups came in after we had been seated and placed our order they then both got preference fro the staff and served before we did even though we were in before them which shows poor customer service as far as i am concerned when we booked we did so on a final attempt to see if they had improved since our last visi as we had a very poor service across the board last time but this looks like the last attempt we will take at the spa and Restaraunt we complained before and got no response so we are not expecting any form of feedback this time either we had been told things were being looked at to improve loyalty but they have lost ours after this visit i am very sad to say.

The food here is completely amazing!! My husband and i shared the antipasti meat platter which we couldnt get enough of, it was so good! Followed by steak and frites for hubby and trio of pork for myself, we were sooooo full that we couldnt manage our desserts so they covered them with a dome and allowed us to take them back to our room! The staff were brilliant and friendly!

A strange ‘cafe’ type setting, however very dark and dingy. Glad we had requested a window seat! An expensive menu with little choice. I am definitely a starter and main person, but couldn’t find a starter which was strange for me. I went for the vegetable risotto. It was described as a tomato risotto with summer vegetables. That’s a very loose description but I took a leap and offered it. When it came, it was a pale white creamy risotto, don’t get me wrong, it looked nice! But not what I was expecting. Thought I’d misinterpreted the menu so decided to try and enjoy what I had. Until I looked down and saw a hair!!!! Luckily I hadn’t even had a mouthful yet. It was dealt with very nicely, a nice apology, taken off the bill and I was offered a drink. I ate half of it because it was very heavy and creamy. Was disappointed as really not what I was expecting.My friends both had the seafood spaghetti which they both ate but it was very plain and oily. Overall, very expensive for what it is. None of us had eaten there before but my friend heard it was nice. To be honest I was apprehensive as not heard good things, to the point I’d be warned not to go, but we thought we would try for ourselves.I will try everywhere once- but we will go elsewhere next time.

Arrived for a private function. Having previously pre booked meals for a party of 16.. should have been straight forward.. when the starters arrived 1 persons Oder did not arrive until we were all nearly finished... the starters were ok..when mains arrived instead of being placed on table was given into the hand of the diner.. when asked who was having the other main, we did not know was told I suppose I have to walk around to find who’s having it... nice service... NOT.... dessert order taken that actually went without a hitch.. but at £42.00 per head not exactly high class service.A bar was set up in room but no price list on show... but at £28.00 a bottle of Prosecco.. very pricey...also had to open ourselves...

In simple terms save your money and dine outside the the spa. I spoke to a few guests and they felt the food was over priced for the amount you got and it was cheaper to eat else where. We waited 30 mins for our 2 mains and I was told that this wasn't uncommon because the food is cooked fresh. Given the types of restaurants I have eaten in I seriously beg to differ. Glad I ate out on my second night - I saved a fortune!

Stayed for one night with dinner included.Dinner was excellent. Service from Terry and Rebeccawas perfect. The food taste,quality and presentation were excellent. We both enjoyed our meals and would give 5 stars for the restaurant alone. Well done Head Chef and team. Nice cocktails also.

Visited yesterday and there was four of us, one of whom had never had afternoon tea before so it was quite a treat. Pleasantly suprised as the food was excellent. The sandwiches where lovely using really nice granary bread and there was Salmon, Ham, Egg and Cucumber with a dill butter/cream cheese. Very nice. We all received our own cup of tea or coffee. The scones where served warm and there was also a nice selection of mini cakes on the top row (mini eclair, millionaires slice, buttercream fairy cake etc. I was so full I couldn't eat the top row. The service was efficient but you do need to make yourself know to a staff member if you need further assistance as once served, they did not come back to the table. The setting itself is lovely as looks over the patio and gardens and best of all the price was good too as around £30.00 for two exclu sparkling wine. I would go back x

Food was good. A good balance of healthy options for a spa. The only downside was they were slow at bringing out all meals at once. We were a table of four and we did have to wait a few minutes till we all had our food. Also at lunch our sides were delivered half way through. In the evening we got our sides when we had finished our mains and we had chased this up.

We had an impromptu lunch here recently and the setting is fantastic with views of the lake from the floor to ceiling glass windows. Decor is stylish and seating is comfortable. The waiting staff are all very friendly and helpful with any dietary requirements.

We had the most delicious meal here. I'm a fussy eater but the menu was great, very clear. The waitress was lovely nothing too much trouble.We asked for some garlic warm butter for our bread and the chief welcomly produced it instantly.

We had a great evening meal here ...can thoroughly recommend it .Its quality rather than economy with unusual dishes

The food was absolutely second to none. Literally can’t say a bad word. Staff amazing and so friendly.

You are slightly trapped here. Being at the spa you are not going to want to disappear off-site to a local gig so there is a feeling that they have you at their "mercy". My starter was the special of salt cod croquettes. Really lacking in the salt cod department and heavily over-dosed in the potato section. Only 2 on the plate and small at that so disappointing. Mains was the duck breast with a "caponata" of vegetables.the portion was quite miserly (I suspect they achieved 3 portions out of one breast) and the vegetables bland and lacking any identity apart from their colour - i.e. the carrot being orange. The ndujar Calabar dressing was split - which perhaps it was supposed to be but the unforgiving element is that it had absolutely no taste at all. It gave zero to the dish. I informed the waitress that whilst the duck was succulent and well cooked, I could not praise the dish - this was in response to the rehearsed "is everything okay?" I was given a sympathetic response and a glib "I will pass that on to the chef" but i absolutely felt that was not going to happen. I would quite like to have ordered the chocolate fondant dessert but as the dessert menu came after we had eaten mains and it carried a 20 minute wait warning we passed - why not highlight that up front as many good restaurants do so you can make that decision ahead? In summary, I would not bother eating in the restaurant if I went there again. I would make the trip out to a local pub which would be at a fraction of the cost I suspect. Also, it was cold in the restaurant area and it is a noisy space.

All meals beautifully presented and very tasty. Dinner menu a bit limited but food was excellent. Breakfasts & dinners were part of our package - a very good deal.

We ate lunch, dinner and breakfast here and each was very good. Very tasty lunch on the terrace. Evening meal was gorgeous and well presented with great service. Breakfast was buffet style with everything you could want.

Stayed at the life house spa for the second time in two years. The restaurant is very nice , friendly and helpful staff . Food is cooked to a very good standard . Not the cheapest, but not expensive for what you get .

Had dinner here on Thursday the 5th July 2018. Not very impressed with the choice of food as its very limited. Staff in the whole were ok apart from one who struggled with the grasp of a question, she could only answer "yes" so ended up speaking to someone else.

We had been given a voucher for afternoon tea and used it on our wedding anniversary. The tea itself was delicious, 4 types of sandwiches, freshly baked scones with jam and cream and a selection of small cakes, together with a pot of tea. It would have been nice to be offered a fresh pot of tea at some point, and the restaurant was somewhat lacking in atmosphere but apart from that everything was perfect. We particularly enjoyed a stroll in the beautiful gardens after we had eaten.

Great choice of fresh food, spoiled for choice & really enjoyed our meal. Good service & wine selection. Breakfast was buffet style with servers. Included lots of fresh healthy choices, fruits, pastries & yoghurts etc. Plus good quality full English which kept him happy!

Food was ok, nothing exceptional. Decor has changed a lot since we were here. It is now much nicer, someone has put some thought into it finally. Highlight of our dinner was Terry the assistant manager, an absolute star. We don't understand why there is another manager when he is clearly more than capable especially that the other chap swanning around didn't seem to be much involved with service. But hey, maybe there is a reason. We will be back to say hi to our new favourite person at the Lifehouse

Book in advance to get your preferred time for dinner as the restaurant is busy. Friendly staff with a fair selection of dishes. Butternut squash soup was tasty but served scaldingly hot, would have like a roll with it. Mains were good portion sizes, burger was served quite rare but nicely cooked on the outside (not asked how I’d like it cooked) but the ground beef seemed to be good quality so this wasn’t a problem for me. Sweet potato fries were delicious. Breakfast had everything you’d want and was well presented in a buffet style.

Food cooked to a good standard, nicely presented and served by attentive and friendly staff.

We visited Harry’s a few minutes drive away from Lifehouse and why it is above Lifehouse in tripadvisor ratings is beyond us.

Food has usually been nice when we stay here. But the service always seems to be very slow. Afternoon tea I thought was over priced for what it was.

Ate supper there for a business function. Service was good and friendly. The food was ok in that it was under seasoned. The varied selection was good. I had the chickpea soup and ostrich burger. Again, more seasoning like garlic, onion powder, or cumin would had made the soup tastier.

Nice selection of food on the self service buffet. Nice and healthy too.

I was expecting regular hotel standard food but the food here was excellent.

10/10 for service that was attentive...food that was faultless, dessert was something else and great lighting and atmosphere. Cant wait to return.

Used restaurant as staying at hotel, dinner was lovely plenty of choice quality of food was superb presentation good and taste was amazing, I had the chicken and enjoyed every bit of it, husband had the burger and said it is the best one he has ever had, we had breakfast in with our room package and it was really good, plenty of choice if you don't want cooked. The staff in the restaurant were really good, they were knowledgable about the dishes and nothing seemed too much trouble for them they seemed happy making our time in the restaurant just perfect. Well done to the team.

We had dinner one night when we stayed at Lifehouse and we were delighted to see Terry on duty. The restaurant doesn't know what an asset it has in Terry. He has been there a few years and when he is on duty, you are guaranteed a good meal and great service. Nothing is too much trouble for him and he always goes the extra mile. Thanks Terry for being the Jewel in the whole visit and making our night.

Extensive menu with quality local ingredients served in a vibrant, tastefully decorated setting. Good wine and cocktail selections to compliment the dishes served.

Not worth the money's. Considering this is a high class venture

We decided to have the Lobster as this has got to be our favourite treat and like to have it half a dozen times a year on special occasions and being our 11 year anniversary thought it's the perfect reason!

Went there for dinner on the first night of our stay, When we sat down to eat the first thing we both said was the lighting was poor and wouldn't give the food justice, for what they are charging the

We had a lovely 3 course meal. We thought the menu was varied & it all looked lovely - it took us ages to choose!

At £58, the Chateaubriand was nice but could have been better. The service was good...especially from the manager, Terry.

We booked afternoon tea whilst visiting the Spa. We were asked if we would like to sit by the window and were shown to a table one in from the window. the window table still had remains of a couples lunch including plates gasses and used napkins. The waitress made no attempt to clear them, asked if we wanted tea or coffee and departed. The afternoon tea was served, still no attempt to clear the table. In the meantime another couple behind us left but no attempt was made to clear their table either. I had to request some sugar and more milk as the jug was enough for two cups. The table next to us was still not cleared, so far three different members of staff had chosen to ignore it, but a couple of flies showed some interest in the plates. At this point I asked a passing member of staff, a young man, if he could please remove the plates. he apologised and removed them along with plates left on the other table. The sandwiches and cakes were average but the scones were nice, especially the savoury ones. We wished there was some cream with them though. There are many places in North Essex which serve lovely cream teas but unfortunately we didn't rate this as one of them.

Great food, we chose chateaubriand, it was perfect. our waitress was super efficient, she gave us wine tasting to help us make our selection, we really enjoyed it.

Absolutely amazing food and service. Plenty of options and variety and top notch quality food. Tasted so fresh and full of flavour, will definitely go again.

Very nice but has it's faults and when you think how expensive it is, it makes you wonder wether it's value for money. Personally I don't think it is. We are quite easy going and won't let one little thing ruin a visit but I'm afraid there's a few little niggles. Firstly reception need more staff for check-in. Then we found out our pre-booked meals and massaged times had changed by a couple of hours. When we highlighted this we were basically left to sort this out ourselves by visiting the restaurant to see if they would change the times which they very kindly did. It was the hotel mistake and like I said not a cheap place, I feel they should of sorted it out. Our room card wouldn't work the safe, which I fully understand can happen so have no complaint about that. But I was on my way to reception to let them know I couldn't lock it when I saw two cleaning staff so I asked them if they knew how to work it. Couldn't believe the response. The lady in the suit kept her back turned on me and the young lad looked at me and went uh. When I repeated myself he looked away and just ignored me. It was only when I laughed and said obviously not then, that the lady in the suit turned around and told me it was best to ask at reception. Unfortunately my other complaint involves cleaning staff. The following morning after breakfast, we were going back to our room, saw two cleaners so we both said morning. The dark girl (I'm so sorry I never got her name) said hello and was very friendly but her mate blanked us while clearly to busy texting on her phone. The cleaning staff could learn a lot from the friendly cleaner. Like I said I so wish I got her name as she deserves a big up on how friendly she was. The pluses were the bar and restaurant staff. Everyone of them were friendly and extremely professional and the food, both dinner and breakfast was delicious. I thoroughly recommend the spa. We loved the hydrotherapy pool. We both also loved our massage. We enjoyed it but don't think we'd return as there are other spa's that offer better value for money and certainly more helpful

I very much enjoyed the chateaubriand steak which melted in the mouth and was served with some excellent veggies. But my favorite may have been my truffle risotto starter. The views to the garden are just beautiful and the location is very peaceful and calm for a relaxing dinner.

See my hotel review of this place, which has a full review. The food was lovely, tasty, well presented, made from scratch, generous portions.

I have eaten 4 times now at the Lifehouse. Every meal has been excellent and I'm a fussy eater. The last time I went I ordered fish. We had waited quite a while and the waiter explained that the chef wasn't happy with the way he cooked the fish and was cooking another piece. There is a good choice of menu and the starters and be chosen as a mains.

Having stayed at Lifehouse on many occasions, we use this restaurant for our evening meal.We always book as part of a package. The menu options are good and cater for all and the food is well prepared and delicious.Service is always good in the restaurant and staff friendly and welcoming. It is fairly priced for the calibre of the hotel.Would recommend.

Now as starter ordered soup which doesnt come with bread ,ordered olives and mozzarella with sundried tomatoes it says artisan bread on menu comes with ryvita crackers.... thought to ourselves it was spa reataurant so probably healthy style option wifey ordered salad ,Ive ordered pulled pork burger , noticed that my burger hasnt cooked inside but outside burned and then my wife looked at me and took a piece of hard sharp edged plastic from her mouth and showed me "is this plastic ?" Approx size 2 cm I was shocked and fuming that could cause a serious damage in mouth if swallon in throat can be fatal , asked waitress to bring chef to table waitress said chef busy went straight to Ast manager was explaining to situation to her that they have to stop serving salad to restaurant then suddenly a lad jumped in god knows who he is , saying to me they cant do that , Ive said you have to stop serving salad and tell cuatomers whom ordered to stop eating , he says cant do that and then he said to me I ve shouldnt raise my voice I was shocked and said to his face put yourself in my shoes my wife tooked out from her mouth .... he said a geniune mistake Ive said to him theres no mistake like that in food industry and said him to shut up and went straight to hotel receiption asked for a duty manager , she came Ive told her what happened and asked did they stop serving salad and told customers who had salad , she looked at my face blank Ive looked at her face to go now and checked in restaurant, I was shocked and fumed and frustrated not a single empathy or sympathy for what they did ( which They should do it not me , Im a customer not a manager of the restaurant it shows lack of customer service health and food safety which is massivr issue ) , anyway they try to compensate a lunch for us next day ,refused it and told them that is not good enough for their hotel or what they did now My review is from my experience and to be honest if your reading this Theres a plenty options in thorpe le soken 5 min drive with lots of car parks as we eat in 3 different restaurants and pubs which really good price and delicious food.So I wont recommend hotel restaurant pricey and not worth to risk your health.

Hotel restaurant very busy. Decor not fantastic (does not feel luxurious or romantic). Feels more like a canteen. Food quite nice although overall nothing special.

We had an unplanned visit for a sandwich lunch and have to say it was very good, pleasant and friendly staff and prompt service. Yes we would visit again

Ate here as part of out deal which included 3 courses. Good selection and service. Food was warm and of good quality. We had 2 different pastas to start, both delicious. My husband had the beef and I had sea bass, both were very well presented and sides were sufficient. Chocolate and cheesecake deserts were amazing. Good selections of wines available by the bottle and glass. A very pleasurable experience. We had no problems with the service or timings even though place was full to capacity although some guests did seem to be waiting a bit longer than others. Would recommend eating dinner here.

Food was terrible, was sent back twice so in the end I gave up trying and just wanted to leave! Not what you need on a special occasion

One of the best dinners I have had in a restaurant. It was so good. Would highly recommend it as non spa attendees can use it too. Wish I lived nearer!

We have stayed here several times and the food has always been good. The service is excellent and we have often been served by Terry and this visit was no different. He is an asset to this restaurant with his customer service skills and memory.On the first night we had main courses of Venison Burger and Salmon steak and both were delicious. We also opted for Sweet Potato Fries, which were really tasty. We were served by a new manager, Molly who was very friendly and people focused and my husband asked her to recommend dessert and he opted for Fig and Almond Tart and she even bought him some cream to go with it. I opted for the Pannacotta, which was Rum and Raisin and had a bit of a kick to it.On the second night Terry was on duty and we were also served by Olivia, who was very good. Once again the food was delicious. We both had Steak and Sweet Potato Fries and I had the cheesecake dessert. This restaurant might not seem to have an exciting menu but the food is delicious and the service is great.

Lovely lunch and evening meal. The vegi options was really delicious. I would definitely come back for a meal here again.

We had a 3 course meal as part of db&b offer. At first glance the menu didn't excite me but the food I chose was fantastic. Possibly the best calamari I've ever had. The salmon was cooked to perfection, it was just all extremely tasty.The pudding came out, I was disappointed at the look of it but once again, absolutely gorgeous. Thoroughly enjoyed this meal.The atmosphere was lovely however the style of the restaurant doesn't match the food. The tables would be more suited to a sport centre cafe. The bar is nice, I just think the restaurant could be made to feel more luxurious. It is after all not cheap to eat there.

I found the menu slightly odd. Very few starters unless you wanted a small pasta. I ordered pasta for main and it came as a starter size. We ordered a second bottle of wine that never arrived. Calamari was under and had to go back. Food is fine as long as you stick to the simpler choices. We were not blown away so did not eat here the second night of our stay. Staff were friendly.

We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. I started with 6 Mersea Oysters and my wife had Calamari, we both then had venison burger with sweet potato chips and I finished off with deconstructed apple crumble (see photo) and my wife had a triple sorbet, all washed down with some Pinot Grigio. The service was very good, attentive without being intrusive. Breakfast the following morning was also good, we both had full English. There was plenty to choose from.

We stayed at this hotel for 3 days taking dinner there each evening and lunch on the final day. I really cannot fault our experience - I'm only sorry that we don't live nearer!A dining experience is not just about the food - although diners need have no concerns on this point - it is about the environment, the atmosphere and the way the staff treat you. This restaurant scores highly in all aspects. Food is eaten in a spacious, modern room with plenty of space between tables giving diners a feeling of privacy whilst they dine. The seating is comfortable and the table area generous enough to cater for all the various glasses and plates that appear during the course of the evening. Virtually one wall of the room is a floor to ceiling glass wall that overlooks a patio area and the lakes and gardens beyond - a very peaceful outlook. The staff are excellent and well-trained - so additional cutlery, such as a steak knife, is delivered on a folded napkin. But although everything is done well by the staff ( almost 'Carson' style), there is no hint of stuffiness - this is a relaxing environment where staff are happy to engage in conversation should you wish. The restaurant is skilfully managed by Michal and I must give a special mention for Olivia here - she would grace any high-class restaurant.The menu offers plenty of variety, with additional meals offered each day. We certainly felt spoilt for choice. Between us my wife and I explored six different menu options over our stay and they were all excellent. On our final night I had the steak and whilst the waitress was fetching the English mustard I had requested, I tasted the steak. It was so tasty that when she came back I told her that I didn't need it - it would have seemed like sacrilege to add such a strong taste to what was already excellent. That night, was also my wife's birthday and so we ordered desserts. My wife's came with 'Happy Birthday' written in chocolate around the rim of her plate. Nice touch - you don't have to go overboard with singing choirs of waiters and fireworks to make someone feel special! The Tripadvisor review template does not provide space for me to say that this is fine-dining but at very affordable prices; I've certainly eaten in pubs that were more expensive.Having checked out we returned with my 93 year old mother-in-law for lunch. There was a selection of soup, sandwiches, salads, hot meals and some far too tempting desserts. Mum was made to feel like a queen by the staff and we all enjoyed the occasion.

Used the restaurant for dinner whilst on a spa weekend. You certainly don't feel like you're on an inclusive spa deal. The menu is extensive and the surroundings and staff and excellent. The food is of a very high standard and nothing is too much trouble.

Started our day off here with coffee before starting Spa Day. Had a nice buffet style lunch which was laid out quite attractively offering three courses of hot and cold dishes. A menu was also available. At the end of the day we had afternoon tea, which was very very good. We had this in the bar area which had very comfortable armchairs and is very well laid out. Waiting team were all pleasant and helpful.

I went to Lifehouse for a rest. The staff were very friendly and helpful. I had considerable back pain and the restaurant were only too happy to accomodate my needs.The breakfast was very substantial and there was a great selection of food to either have a 'full English' or a 'continental.' The staff were quick to bring hot coffee and condiments.Dinner was varied and the choices I made were all filling and tasty.I half expected the dining room to be quite empty on an evening as people tend go and try local places for a change of scenery but there were lots of happy residents enjoying the food.

Stayed here recently and had the DBB option, the choice for dinner was excellent, the food was well presented and tasty. We went for the chateaubriand and it was one of the best I've ever had. Service was prompt and attentive. Highly recommend.

I visited this restaurant with my mum as we were staying at the hotel for a couple of nights relaxation break. We were seated at the back of the restaurant so we presumed they were going to be very busy. I was facing a brown curtain that is there to hide the breakfast bar . If i was on a romantic meal i may not have noticed but after a while I looked around and the restaurant was half full. The food was ok but small portions, i had scallops for starters which consisted of 3 small scallops and some salad. We both had duck which was delicious but again small portions. Ok if you are on a health kick or diet but we were not. Bottle of wine was £22 and very nice. I did say that the manger should really spend time on his seating plan as it's not ideal to face a brown curtain unless the restaurant is full, service was ok but not great it seemed like a lot of young inexperienced staff. The next night we went to th Olive Branch in Thorpe le Solkien which was recommend on here by other unsatisfied customers of the lifehouse restaurant and I'm glad I did as it was only two minutes away and excellent.

The service was attentive and prompt. The a la carte lunchtime choice wasn't hugely inspiring and the prices were high for an average meal. Would I eat here again? Unlikely.

Been here three times and food is brilliant. The staff are very friendly and attentive and I would definitely recommend it.

Took my Mum for her 96th Birthday along with my 2 Sister's and girlfriend for the buffet lunch. £12.50 for 2 courses or slightly more for 3. You can mix and match between having a starter and main, main and pudding, or stater and pudding. You can eat as much as you like. A traditional menu is also available. Great selection of salads and I was most impressed. The mains and puddings were good but not exceptional. There is a fruit fly problem as they were everywhere; even under the little tents supposed to protect the food. They should install an electric blue light insect zapper on the wall near the buffet. So all in all, the food was better than average and I would say it is of exceptional value. What lets this place down is the poor service. Even with adequate staff, they are so inefficient someone needs to explain that they are supposed to serve the guests and not just stand around chatting all day. The manager very kindly removed the coffee bill after we waited over 15 minutes. Despite saying I wanted a cognac served without ice and in a brandy glass, I got exactly the opposite. The manager explained that they were waiting on a delivery of brandy glasses but for an establishment such as this, a poor excuse. Be warned that if you sit outside you may be the target of the local ducks. One poor man opposite us got completely covered by one duck who got too excited trying to fly into the window and it took 3 attempts by myself to get someone to clean up the mess. We were informing other guests not to sit there so wanted this to be sorted before we went in to the restaurant.Management if you are reading this; your staff are letting you down big time. Such a shame for a truly remarkable location.

We didn't quite know what to expect - what a surprise. The dinner menu was well thought out, the food was well presented and extremely tasty. The service was first class.Lunch too was excellent - this was buffet style. Once again, well thought out and presented.

Decided to try this place out after having a spa treatment, it was our wedding anniversary! Had the Chateaubriand for two, which was amazing! The staff were very attentive, and we had a lovely bottle of red wine. So full could not even eat a dessert! Would recommend this restaurant and will visit again.

Food was lovely But most things taste lovely when you wait an hour for it Slow service Incorrect ordersMediocre foodReasonably expensive I don't mind paying for it if it's worth it but it really wasn't My girlfriend and me expressed how disappointed we were however restaurant staff did not seem very interested

The food here was absolutely superb. Quality and freshness was spot on however I know it's easily done but there was a hair in the food which was quite off-putting. Our main concern was that although there are plenty of staff, almost none of them have any idea about their job. Food was incorrectly delivered and looked quite unprofessional in comparison to the previous reviews

Ate in the restaurant on an overnight stay plenty to choose from and an extensive wine list. Reasonably priced for good quality food

stayed here on a spa break - dinner was very expensive for what it was nearly £10 for a starter which was essentially a small salad, main courses, frined had lemon sole which was very little for the price I had prawn thai curry- was good- had to ask for finger bowl (there were 2 whole prawns).Desserts good £6 each - we had 3 gin & tonics and total bill was £82 which was a lot I felt for the fairly average cuisine, Restaurant has been revitalised and is more suitable for a dinner than previously.breakfast was pretty good, reasonable staffing , but friend asked for poached egg and they were brought on a large plate with nothing else, friend wasn't told to get toast prepared in preparation and we had seen some served on toast