The William Cecil Bar & Restaurant in South Kesteven

After hearing good things about Millie’s Bistro and won over by the promise of live jazz I decided to book Sunday lunch for my dad’s Birthday meal. First impressions are lovely with a cosy lounge and dining area full of character. I had assumed that the Jazz would be in the dining room but it’s actually in the lounge which means that you can’t hear it when you are in the dining room. Maybe I should have checked who was playing on the Sunday we booked but I would not describe the singer as Jazz. Not to take anything away from the singer at all! Her voice was amazing but my dad is an avid jazz lover and we were a bit disappointed. We ordered the chicken roast for three adults and were under whelmed by the amount we were served. There was one small piece of chicken breast and then three drum sticks and one chicken thigh. The bread sauce was amazing but everything was a bit cold and didn’t look that appealing on the serving platter. Be warned - read the description of the Yorkshire puddings. I didn’t and they come served stuffed with beef which none of us ate as we don’t eat red meat. We had desserts which were nice but a bit of a shame that there isn’t a crumble on the menu for a Sunday lunch. The waitresses were all very polite and friendly but a bit slap dash. I think we will try to come back on a different day of the week but all in all it wasn’t the experience we were expecting.

We enjoyed a Saturday lunch at the William Cecil hotel , we went of the set menu I had a lovely cauliflower soup to stay with my wife had a goats cheese salad with beetroot which she said was nice we both had rump steak mine raw and Kathy’s medium rare they was both cooked to perfection we enjoyed a complimentary glass of Prosecco as we mentioned that we booked after seeing their article in Stamford pride when the bill came I noticed that a 12.5 percentage service charge was added to the bill I hadn’t noticed this mentioned on the menu ( although I didn’t study any small print) although we enjoyed the meal I do like to tip as I see appropriate preferably in cash ,However I must say the service was good …also we had to pay on card as cash wasn’t allowed nevertheless a nice meal out

We were staying at the hotel for our anniversary and wanted a special meal. From start to finish the service was appalling. The waiter hardly spoke to us and when he did the tone of voice and the way he spoke to us was rude. The bottle of wine we ordered was dumped on our table and the waiter walked away. My starter was inedible, the steaks we ordered (we asked for them to be medium and was told No, chef will only cook Medium/Rare) were medium/well done and chips had far too much salt on, apple crumble was stone cold. Asked for the bill and the waiter came over and put the bill in front of me and held the credit card machine in front of my husband. Have never had such appalling service, such a shame as the hotel is lovely.

We were so excited to come to Milly’s & the surroundings didn’t disappoint. However, we didn’t have a great experience with staff. The lady at the door told me to come in, that the restaurant wasn’t open but handed me a menu for the food that is served in the lounge. We were pleased with that. However, The staff member who served us was not friendly and actually quite rude. We were in the Lounge and the waiter stood as we read the menu and told us we didn’t even have 5 minutes (my wife apparently didn’t have time to walk from the car!) to order because there was a wedding and they couldn’t serve the Lounge, too. We felt pressured to order and uncomfortable as he stood over us. Even when we wanted to order a drink, the same thing happened. Post-food, we wanted to order tea and a pastry. He told us we couldn’t order a pastry (which was only a pastel de nata) because of the wedding!! It literally is a take out of the fridge dessert. We weren’t too impressed - either be open when functions are on or closed. Make sure all staff know what is available and not. The waiter didn’t smile once, didn’t even apologise once or try to come up with alternatives. In fact, we were spoken to like it was our fault that we dared to ask for something whilst the wedding was on (which we didn’t know!) A most disappointing experience of hospitality in a beautiful place that we looked forward to coming to.

A dreadful dining experience. I am amazed at previously positive comments. We had dinner with friends Friday 6th September, we are all local from Stamford. Service was abrupt and unfriendly, tables were sticky and filthy. Food was poor.

Super lunch on a very hot day. Everyone happy. Maybe a bit above normal sunday lunch price but worth it. Beautiful meat. Even the little one enjoyed his lunch.

Recently undergone a revamp and so much better as lunch is served in patio area or in the light and bright conservatory or in what used to be the bar. What was the restaurant now a super comfy lounge where snacks are available and definitely a place I will head for when we get wintery weather. The Sunday roasts were very good indeed and the puddings delicous. Excellent value for money at £29.50 for 2 courses.

Best Sunday lunch ever. Atmosphere was great with jazz in the courtyard and the ever attentive staff doing everything to make you feel welcomed and valued. Can sometimes seem like a hidden hem in Stamford but ist one of the best places to eat,drink and relax in the whole area

Food was terrible used to work there poor to staff bullying head chef comes in drunk and starts having a go at staff if table place an order kitchen is dirty. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

A fantastic restaurant that delivers in all areas. Service great, food great, environment great - nothing not to love about this place.

Booked this, as we were staying at The Bull & Swan just down the road their sister Hotel. What a disappointment my wife & I ordered Tempura courgettes & I crushed roast potatoes with I think some Parmesan cheese sprinkled over it, the potatoes were just normal roast potatoes, not crushed, then steak with salad as a main, the Steak was covered in some sort of herb dressing and soaked in butter even with the herb dressing it was one of the most tasteless toughest we have ever tried to eat, then the salad was bland with hardly any dressing, we finished off with a couple of coffees in the lounge. The waitress was pleasant enough but the bill came to just under £100 after they took off 15% off, but then they had the nerve to add 12 1/2% service charge onto the bill

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect from Milly's Bistro, to be perfectly honest, but I was utterly blown away. I've only ever been to The William Cecil Hotel, in which you'll find Milly's, for a business meeting several years ago, but boy, have I been missing out. On arrival, we were greeted at the door and shown into the newly refurbished lounge and sat in a bright and sunny window. The decor is comfortable and chic, with William Morris wallpaper, big comfy sofas and rustic-meets-elegant pieces of furniture. We were poured a glass of prosecco each and shown menus. When we asked for recommendations re nibbles, the trio of appetisers was recommended by the charming, friendly waitress. This comprised three beautifully crisp arancini balls scattered with parmesan, courgette tempura and slices of Serrano ham. There was also a finger-lickingly good dip. The courgettes were my fave, although that might have been the best, most meaty Serrano ham I've ever had! For a starter, I went with the scallops, which came with smoked bacon dressing. It was so delicious. My sister had the local Tallington asparagus with ricotta and honeyed egg yolk, which was soft and equally delicious. For main course, I had confit duck leg on mash, with turnip tops and a red wine jus. I was offered sides but I figured that I wouldn't, so I could leave room for dessert, which I seldom have, but I had read what there was and they sounded GOOOOOD! My sister had the cod which came with a potato terrine, buttermilk and wild garlic. The cod looked perfectly cooked and flaked when it made contact with a knife. It must've been good, as neither of us wanted to share! We both chose the strawberry and vanilla tart with elderflower and strawberry sorbet for dessert, which was refreshingly light in a thin pastry case, hence it vanished within seconds. I am booked in a few weeks for the jazz Sunday lunch. It is, hands down, my new favourite place to eat in Stamford and beats everywhere else, both in terms of atmosphere and food quality. I can often be hard to please, I have to admit, but this was excellent. Highly recommended. Plus, there's a spacious car park, so you don't have to fight to find somewhere to park, as in much of Stamford. My compliments to the chef. An outstanding meal!

Had our wedding reception here 2 weeks ago and it was perfect. The food was amazing and the staff were extremely attentive. Everything had been sorted so we had nothing to worry about when we got there. A special shout out to Jonathan who made the day run so smoothly.

Went here the other day and it was less then average I’m sorry to say. Lovely setting but that’s where the enjoyment finished. Unfriendly staffSteak which I’m still chewing onBread and olives came with 1 small sachet of butter and nothing to get the olives out.They need to up their game dramatically

We had drinks at The William Cecil which was lovely and I accidentally left my scarf which I only realised the next day after I had made the 3 hour drive home. I called and left a message on the answer phone and I was promptly contacted by a very helpful lady who agreed to post my scarf back to me . I could haven’t have asked for more . I gave since received my scarf as promised

Visited one weekday lunchtime for a booking for two. It was ok, just ok. It seems very quiet in the dining room, there's no music and it can feel a little oppressive because of that.Service fine but food - both meals served with chips were disappointing and it felt like the chips were leftover from the day before and reheated. So hard and a danger to teeth. Coffee lukewarm rather than hot. A shame as the parking is great and the setting is lovely and has the potential to be so much better for a meal.

Well what a lovely lunch we had here today. I was impressed with all the Covid measures in place, spacing was good, plenty of sanitiser, staff in masks and table was cleaned. We had pate for starters which was delicious, for mains I had beef, and the others had the stuffed rolled pork, accompanied with a dish of cauliflower cheese, they were amazing really fresh and the Yorkshire pudding was huge and home made you could taste the flavour. We were all so full that desert was not going to be an option, but then again it would be rude not too, I had bread and butter pudding and vanilla custard it was so good I just had to finish it, as I said be rude not too. Lovely surroundings and attentive staff a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and one I hope to repeat soon. Thank you The William Cecil for a fantastic lunch

We stayed at the Bull and Swan but were obliged to eat at the William Cecil.Breakfast was ordered the night before and was generally fine (the order form needs to be better laid out).The meal we had was on our first night of three night stay and only ate the one evening for the following reasons.The food was not great the beetroot starter was a rip off with a few thin slices of beetroot (ingredient cost at no more than 30p?) The fish main course was watery and not well cooked, the veggie main was considered ok but a mean portion, the chicken main was supposed to have a rosti but it did not resemble any rosti I have ever seen or made myself, the risotto was just ok but a bit dry and lacked any real truffle flavour, a drizzle of olive oil and a few flakes of truffle would have lifted it.We thought that the evening food was very overpriced for the quality and the that pizza offering at the Bull and Swan a far better offer for price and quality.The staff were very good and professional.We should really have said something at the time but felt the staff had enough to deal with.Loved the fact that dogs are welcome

Our room was disappointing.Dust in several places, torn wallpaper, a bathroom hot tap that moved every time we used it and poured out boiling water, net curtains in the room had seen better days, a very small tv. When you are paying £150+ per night for B+B I expected so much more. The hotel food was good. However the service was not good.The evening we ate dinner at the hotel we went into the bar for a drink before dinner. We sat in the bar for 10 minutes . I had to go and find a waitress to get a drink. Our two breakfasts were even worse.First breakfast only 3 glasses for a table of 4. The cereals were not what we ordered and we were given tea and coffee for one when we ordered it for two. Our second breakfast there was no milk on the table. As a consequence of starting our breakfast late we were served our main course before we had finished our cereals. These are basic hospitality standards. If the staff have any hopes in the industry they need to improve or be trained properly. Which is it? All the food and drinks for breakfast were ordered the day before and written down on a piece of paper. It was not difficult to check this.I am sorry and disappointed to have to write this as this is somebody's business and livelihood. Also it's somebody's job. However if guests don't point this out how will things ever improve? We may have caught the hotel on a bad day or maybe a wedding there could have affected things, but why should paying guests suffer for this.

Good choice, well presented meals and of high standard. Price was reasonable across thewhole menu and service was great

Seated at a table that hadn’t been cleaned from previous people. Hello COVID Generally shocking no one knew what they were doing despite having pre ordered. Orange juice smelt rank to which the reply was I’ll report it (from same carton) gave up left. Probably die from Corana virus now

We had the 2 courses for £30 evening meal and I’m afraid it was disappointing in quality and quantity . Risotto - well this was more like savoury rice as it lacked the necessary glossy texture to be called risotto. Horribly overpowered with garlic .Venison - with a £6 supplement this should have been a complete meal but with only 2 tiny pieces of Venison , a pack of cards size slice of potatoes and one carrot it was ridiculous . Cheese board ( with another supplement of £3) was poor value - 6 crackers ( Jacobs ) and around 4 extremely small slices of cheese. This hotel is in a super location and is a lovely building but the chef should have hung his head in shame. The staff were nice .

Had breakfasts and several evening meals here. The staff were friendly, helpful and careful to adhere to the rules required to protect guests from C19. Service was relaxed and all our food was absolutely delicious. Good choice of wines. Wonderful!

I can only describe our Sunday roast as Shocking! The beef was over cooked and dry , very little of anything especially gravy! We had to ask for more gravy to help eat the meal. There was a purple purée on the plate, I have no idea what it was because like everything else on the plate it was unseasoned. We booked a table for 12.30 I dread to think what state the beef was going to be in by a later booking! £17 a meal for possibly the worst roast I’ve had in a long time!! If you like good food don’t eat here.

We arrived for a birthday evening meal and whilst the food tasted good (and in particular the venison was excellent) the service was shockingly poor.We had to chase them up to ask for drinks. It took an hour to be given bread and to take our order.Only given two stars because service is the key to an enjoyable meal and yes, they gave an extra discount on top of the Eat Out Help Out scheme, but it did not make up for the quality of the service.Will not be returning.

The room we were allocated on arrival was very disappointing. Very odd shaped room with bed angled down the centre. Furnishings were of poor quality and the bathroom very basic with grout missing around tiling area. To be fair, when we approached the manager to Express our thoughts on the room he was very accommodating and we were offered an alternative room straight away. We did wonder if we were allocated such a poor room because our booking was just for the one night? However, we found the hotel in general in quite a tired state, in need of refurbishment . Would not revisit although we are regular visitors to Stamford.

Called in for lunch, myself, partner and brother. The fish and chips were delicious as was my burger. Very helpful staff and felt very Covid safe. It was a hot day and we sat inside where there was a nice breeze. Had a walk round the garden after lunch as we were contemplating booking a family party as and when we can. The gardens however have been neglected terribly during lockdown (probably longer) and I do hope that they can be restored to their former glory - such a shame.

We ate at this restaurant on the last night of a 3 night hotel stay. We had made a 7pm reservation and were told we had been given a table outside. We were not given the option to sit inside which was a surprise, however as we were in the middle of a heatwave and COVID this was fine with us. Due to COVID we had to preorder our food. As someone with dietary needs I’m used to discussing my requirements, so this was a little harder than for most. However they gave the opportunity to state dietary requirements so I picked items I liked the look of that also looked like they could be made gluten free and added a note to the form. All the items I requested were made gluten free for me, with no negative impact. Our food was all delicious. I had the wood pigeon, venison and panacotta. My husband had crab cakes, chicken and baked white choc mousse. (More like a cake)Where we were let down was on the service. This was initially attentive but as it started to get dark those of us sat outside were neglected. We had to chase for our dessert after waiting quite some time. By the time it arrived it was rather dark out. There was no lighting on the tables and a few poor fake candles were all that was provided when another table asked. With little lighting was hard to see what we were eating, which for me impacts enjoyment. I had to use the torch on my phone. I’d say it was about 9:45 at this point. There was one gentleman waiter who throughout the evening was working particularly hard, bringing much of the food and clearing a lot of the tables, and even he was struggling once it was dark to do his job effectively, but he continued to be positive. So to sum up, really lovely food, great for gluten free but a bit neglectful service towards the end.

Visited this weekend and we were seated promptly in a cosy room for afternoon tea.I feel that sandwiches for the tea were prepared freshly as we waited an appropriate amount of time for that to be so. The food was beautifully displayed with cakes and scones on a cakestand and sandwiches on a,slate board. The tea was in a decent sized pot, although no lemon was offered with the earl grey tea. The sandwiches were as fresh as a daisy and the scones were generous in size and very light. I personally found the cake,selection a bit boring, but the cookie was lovely. Fresh pots of tea were brought as a matter of course and we had a lovely afternoon.

We visited this venue some 2-3 years ago and thought what a nice place to revisit. How wrong we were.The table was booked in the restaurant for 5 persons. When we arrived the requested table was taken and we had been placed in the conservatory which we distinctly said we did not want when booking. OKWe then proceed to agree a large table to accommodate us all. We basically laid the table ourselves found chairs to sit upon and chose from the menu. It took approx. 45 min for the starters to arrive then a further 30 min for the mains. Considering there were only two other tables occupied 3 and a 4 they were not overrun by any means. The menu was basically 4off starters, mains, and desserts...when they arrived one couldn't complain but not that spectacular for the prices charged....£30 per head average including wine.The overall view of the restaurant and hotel building was dirty and very unappealing. The furniture was well worn and drab. The young staff employed, seemed not to bother in their attention to detail responded to requests when asked and showed very little enthusiasm. Sorry, but for all of us this was a mistake and will not be returning.

Food Ok but service and ambiance disappointing. It should be a real treat as it’s a lovely hotel but too many lights so need ambiance. Service was poor but the staff tried hard. Just not enough of them. Food tasted Ok but no finesse. For the price I expected more. Wine wasn’t cold. Won’t be going back.

My wife was given a voucher for her 60th for afternoon tea at the William Cecil, we booked in advance and gave them notice we didn’t eat meat. We turned up on time but we’re met with indifference and what seemed like confusion, I reminded the staff that we did not eat meat. A table was hastily prepared for us and tea ordered. Our afternoon tea arrived on a tiered stand as expected, with sandwiches on a slate. We had a selection of cheese and pickle, egg and cucumber sandwiches, there were twice as many cheese and pickle as other sandwiches, so we reckoned the meat sandwiches had been substituted at the last minute, no fish option. The sandwiches were freshly made, which is good, but the cucumber was very thickly sliced, not what you’d expect from a cucumber sandwich and generally lacked imagination. The bottom tier of the cake stand had scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam, this was the highlight of the afternoon tea, warm scones, lashings of luxurious clotted cream and little jars of jam. Then we got to the cakes, chocolate brownie slices and what could have been tea cake, these were weird, crispy on the outside and dry throughout, it was like they’d been left in a hot oven for 10 mins or so before serving, like you would to revive stale cakes? Anyway, onwards and upwards, the top layer had small (shot) glasses of a white creamy desert, possible white chocolate, but virtually tasteless, macaroons which were ok, lastly there were shortbread biscuits, these had been stuck to the plate with a sugar paste, which had softened the biscuits and made them inedible. We were expecting pastries (“a selection of cakes and pastries”) but there were none. We left somewhat underwhelmed, we have eaten some great afternoon teas, one of the best was at the Wedgwood experience near Stock on Trent, this one was by far the worst.

We recently had a meal in the restaurant at this hotel which was very disappointing. The main course was very late being served and when it arrived the portions were small and decidedly lacking in taste. No vegetables apart from mashed potato were served with the food. The chocolate brownies for dessert were rock hard and virtually inedible. When these complaints were passed on a member of staff the response was rude and defensive.

I travelled north to the William Cecil on Xmas Eve morning, meeting up with family members coming south from Lincoln. After having coffee, we stayed on to enjoy the delicious parsnip and apple soup and also shared sandwiches. The atmosphere was great, with people coming and going, often with dogs in tow after walks nearby. I can honestly say that all the staff couldn't do enough for us: I was especially lucky to be looked after initially by Sepiso, and then by the duty manager when we added to our food order. Thank you to all concerned, and we look forward to returning.

We have eaten at The William Cecil numerous times. This was a birthday celebration. We received a warm welcome and enjoyed fantastic service throughout the evening. Our food was well cooked and beautifully presented. We will be back.

Booked for Sunday lunch as my parents had previously had a good experience eating at the hotel. Sadly this wasn’t our experience overall. Our table was booked at 12 so we arrived a bit early and had a drink in the bar after telling staff we had a table booked for lunch. No one gave us menus and we eventually had to ask where our table was rather than any of the various staff around taking any interest in us. Initial service when at the table was ok and we decided to have the roasting pot for four people. Unfortunately the food came out on a large dish with no plates or any spoons to serve it. We had to wait whilst the food got cold and we had to ask where our plates were. Once they came it became obvious that all we had was meat, 2 roast pots each, some roast parsnips and carrots and a Yorkshire each. No other veg at all. We then had to ask if we should have any green veg and could we have horseradish etc. They came eventually when we had nearly finished our food. A table ordering after us had the same and automatically got the green veg so clearly we should have done too. The beef was exceptionally tough although we had asked for it not to be rare so that may have been our fault. The puddings and coffee were both ok so this somewhat redeemed things. We did tell serving staff we weren’t impressed both during the meal and when we paid. They apologised but didn’t seem overly concerned. Don’t think we will be back as there is plenty of choice in Stanford.

My mum and I visited for lunch. My second visit within a couple of months. A great choice for lunch from soup, sandwiches to small dishes. We had the small dishes, chilli prawns, breaded Brie, Chorizo with saffron alioli, and dipping bread. Superb food, and service . The staff were very polite and friendly and it was lovely to enjoy the open fire . A lovely old hotel with lots character. Will be back

An attractive hotel and restaurant just outside the centre of Stamford and on the edge of Burghley estate. Having pre-looked at the menu online we were looking forward to a friendly afternoon in lovely surroundings with good food.

The chef and his or her team created lovely dishes - imaginative nibbles, deliciously crisp pork belly, succulent steaks. (Child’s penne, however, was bland and disappointing). Disappointingly, the front of house team let them down badly. There seemed to be plenty of staff; the restaurant didn’t appear to be too busy. But from the lack of warmth in the welcome or interest in our ordering drinks, from the delay in bringing the wine list to having to request the dessert menu there was a lack of service throughout. The only prompt service was when we requested the bill. Sorry, chef, but we won’t be returning.

The service in the bar and restaurant was unimpressive. We felt ignored. Our waiter at table was personally very pleasant, but we had to summon him every time. The menu was quite exciting, but sadly have to say that the best dish was the cheese, which obviously involved no cooking. We ate on a Sunday evening and often that’s a bad night. It might be better to offer a simple dinner menu on Sundays and keep the complex one for nights when the chef and his/her full team are there. It Is a pretty restaurant and I feel sorry not to be able to be more enthusiastic.

The starter was not as described and the roast beef what there was of it was tough and despite asking for more gravy it didn’t appear, the roast potatoes if that’s what they call them were bland and tasteless, the toffee sticky pudding was the best but still tasteless. Avoid this place like the plague.

Het restaurant is aan het hotel. Er is een goede kaart met keuze en de gerechten zijn zonder meer lekker, goed gepresenteerd. De bediening is vriendelijk en behulpzaam.

We wanted a stylish family party to celebrate our recent wedding and as soon as we visited The William Cecil we knew we had found the perfect venue.

Stayed for a couple of nights in August. The building is a nice looking older build, and with this come the odd shaped rooms and quirks that you expect in a building of this age. The car park is large so no worries about parking in tiny spaces that many newer establishments expect you to squeeze into. My room was nice, well furnished and well stocked, the bed was comfortable. The breakfast great, slow service, you have to keep asking for things not what I really expect for a venue/price asuch as this. I didn't get the feeling that this is a place that the staff love to work in. I didn't have an evening meal so can't comment on that. I would stay here again, but will try others in the area as it didn't make me feel like rushing back. Sort out the breakfast service and it would be a huge improvement.

Great place, great, room, great price.. The only downside is one particular "barman"... Jack.. Lazy manboy, with couldn't care less attitude.. If you don't want to work there, go elsewhere.....!!

Decided to eat at the hotel as we were staying, food was excellent, great service, large amounts of food and not expensive, nothing too much trouble.

We had a very small room with a small bathroom and no hanging space for clothes. The room was at ground level and on the front of the building which wasn't particularly noisy but didn't feel too private.

We had a lovely evening celebrating a friend's birthday in the courtyard on a perfect English summer evening. I was cautious about booking the Cecil, as I have had a couple of less than satisfactory lunches in recent months. However, Shane and his team were great. Very friendly, interacting with us, helpful but still professional. The food was good, well presented and the menu offers something for all tastes.

I went to the William Cecil on my birthday and had not been there before. We had a drink outside, then came into the conservatory for the lunch menu. The conservatory was really hot, no air conditioning and no windows open. We ordered a starter, blowtorched mackerel and the pigeon. Both sounded good but were dry and not impressive. Then the pork belly arrived which had a solid piece of crackling on top joined to the pork. We couldn’t cut into it at all so tried to get it off the pork and cut it on the plate. You needed a chain saw!! We asked for wine with lunch and some apple sauce which after 10 mins the apple sauce arrived and no drink order went ahead. I complained about the pork and the response was ‘well what can I do’, we asked the waitress to get the chef to try the crackling to which we had no reply but the pork came back with the crackling all chopped up on top. This was dreadful, so we said we wouldn’t be eating it and asked for the bill. A different person brought the bill over with no apology that we had to leave without having lunch, so I asked to speak to the manager to which she said ‘I’m kind of the manager’. I expressed that there was no explanation and they also expected us to pay for what we had. The response was that this is how they serve it and that they have not had any other complaints, so she took off a drink and we paid the bill and left. There was no compassion, staff were not customer service trained and or professional. Never will I visit again or promote this place!!! We will stick to the George for special occasions which is superb in comparison.

My husband and I visited here for Saturday lunch. We sat outside and my husband went in to order drinks and get lunch menus, whilst inside he confirmed hot food was still being served and he was told it was, he was also told that our drinks and menus would be bought out to our table. 15 or so mins later our drinks and the menus arrived and we were told someone would be back to take our order, we sat waiting and no one arrived. So my husband went to the bar to order given the service was so slow. Upon him getting to the bar at 2.31pm he was told upon ordering, that food orders were no longer being taken as the kitchen closes at 2.30pm and that we could only have sandwiches. My husband explained that we had now been in the establishment 30 minutes and that no one had been to take our order, he also explained that he asked when we arrived that full lunch was available and at no point was he told the cut off for food was 2.30pm and neither did the waitress who delivered our drinks with the lunch menus inform us of this. The response he received was that they could not serve us, no apology was given for the lack of customer service or delays because of their staff inefficiency and neither was it taken into account that my husband was placing our order a minute or two passed the 2.30pm deadline. In light of such poor treatment my husband settled our bar bill at 2.35pm and we left. It may be a good idea if firstly the staff could be trained to notify customers that food is only served until 2.30pm when they provide the lunch menus and secondly if they could be trained in efficiency or alternatively the management have sufficient staff on to ensure customers are served in a timely fashion. Had we ordered when we arrived and not waited on the staff to bring drinks and menus and the delays that followed, then we would have ordered in plenty of time pre the deadline. Very poor service standards.

A lovely place with good food- when it eventually arrived. Terrible service. A wedding was also taking place but this cannot excuse our poor treatment.

My son decided to take me to this restaurant for a belated father's day dinner, and I can only say what an excellent choice it was. The surroundings are very well kept and atmospheric.

Quite a lot wrong. A lovely looking place but when you get out of the restaurant area and towards the toilets and area it looks tired. That said, it was the experience in the restaurant that was the massively disappointing thing. There was a wedding on (It was a Saturday evening) but it was next door to where we ate and was so loud my wife and 2 friends had to raise voices to hear ourselves. We realised the wedding is where they made their money but we should be warned if this was the case. It smacked of greed. The Maitre D was a bit too forward and hyper, and really should be anonymous and slick instead. Our preferred wine wasn't in stock (the substitute was okay). The food however was very disappointing. My wife and 1 of our guests had the scallops, which were cooked nicely and the accompaniments were ok. I had the vegetable chowder, which started ok then became tiring with the amount of veg in. It was so filling and not overly tasty though. Our other guest was happy with 2 of the "nibbles" selection. The mains were a let down bar one, the fish and chips which you can get anywhere. The lamb loin was meagre and one of the loins was tough. The sides were average (peas with lardons) - tasteless. The garlic potatoes barely tasted of garlic. My wife and a guest had the stonebass in a broth. It just didn't work and, whilst the fish was cooked well enough, it didn't suit the broth and other things on the plate. Why not have a fish that is just grilled with some side sauces rather than trying to be clever? When we came to leave and pay there was no one to be found as they were serving the wedding, and no one asked how our meal was. We were considering staying here for future weekends (we come often to Stamford and the Crown is becoming expensive to stay at) but we wouldn't entertain going back now as a result of the thoroughly disappointing food and service. To boot, I expect the wedding parties can keep people awake. Given there are a fair walk out of town I am amazed peole go back

Evening dinner was of a very good standard from service, presentation and taste. Breakfast the next morning also gave an excellent choice and quality

Knowing nothing about The William Cecil previously I ate in their restaurant with 8 other family members to celebrate two 60th birthdays. One of which was my own.

On a gloriously sunny Saturday in Stamford, we thought lunch at the William Cecil was just the job.

Full of character and charm, with a warm welcome from attentive staff. A great base from which to explore Stamford and the surrounding area. Rooms are well appointed and if the lovely breakfast is an indication, the restaurant should be exquisite. We stayed here for our anniversary and had a wonderful time and are looking forward to our return visit in September for a wedding.

Having had a wonderful experience for our anniversary dinner 2 weeks earlier, we celebrated my birthday yesterday at The William Cecil. We were greeted by Shane and received very attentive and friendly service from him all evening. The food was excellent and beautifully presented. A fabulous evening.

Unfortunately I did not get a chance to samble tge food beyond tee and coffee, but it is a georgeous place, which just so happens to feature some of the most uncomfortable seats i have ever encountered.

Food was ok, but not a huge choice. Chairs were dirty when we were shown to table, had not been cleared up from previous use. Service poor, not offered children's menu, drink missing from order, had to search out someone to pay at the end. They were not busy and yet poor performance.

Lovely food in a pleasant and unhurried atmosphere - perfect for an informal family gathering over lunch. The food itself was very good and the Lunch for Less menu represented good value. We will certainly be returning soon.

My partner and I visited The William Cecil to celebrate his birthday. The food was incredible, the menu was varied and although there was no vegan option the staff were more than accommodating and provided a delicious three course vegan meal. Shane in particular was very attentive and made us feel very welcome. Overall a fabulous evening in a beautiful building, we will be back soon!

Beautiful historic building. Paneled dining room. Tastefully maintained. Good lunch menu and wine list. Service a little slow, and mistakes made in our meal choices. Otherwise a nice visit. A large car park appreciated, especially in Stamford.

I made a booking for Boxing Day lunch on 25th November, for my wife, two Italian friends and me. This booking was confirmed the same day.

Having met a couple of friends for the 11 am part of the menu, we ordered coffee and two bacon sandwiches - I had the Lincolnshire sausage sandwich.

We had a Christmas lunch with friends, it was so good,tasty food and served on hot plates with attentive and friendly staff!

Quite a quirky place that is aspiring to be very chic and well appointed but lacks elements of finesse, that detracts from the quality of the food.

Wonderful, helpful and obliging staff were on hand and served us throughout our time at the William Cecil. Fully recommend the Sunday Roast Pot, with the two meats served with five veg. No quibble when more veg was requested. Two other mains were ordered both were to the same quality as the Roast. Puddings were excellent, especially the sticky toffee pudding. Not the cheapest place to eat (£30 each including drinks and gratuity) but thoughly enjoyed by all and will certainly revisit. Well done to all at the William Cecil.

Food was good. I ordered fish and chips on.y to be told they had sold out. This happened on 9th November at 7.30 p.m. I was surprised as we were quite early. I had a burger which was acceptable.

A group of friends and I, with our three babies, attempted to eat lunch here. Upon entering the restaurant, nobody greeted us or attempted to direct us in the the right direction. When we eventually found someone to help, she was incredibly rude and unhelpful telling us that if we wanted a table, we had to wait until other diners left. When I asked how long that would be, she sarcastically replied that unless she asked each individual table, she couldn't know. A guess based on average customer duration would have sufficed. There was absolutely no attempt made to help us, despite there being a whole other dining area free, and we were rudely told that next time we should book a table. Her dismissive and unhelpful attitude felt directed at the fact that we had babies with us, who she clearly didn't want to deal with. In the 15th months of dining out with my daughter, I have never been made to feel unwelcome; in fact, most places have gone out of their way to accommodate us, like The Collywestern Slater pub we went to instead. Looking round, there was a solo diner with a dog occupying a large table, so it would appear that dogs are welcome, but not mothers and their babies. This was an incredibly disappointing experience and I certainly expected better from such a well regarded hotel and restaurant.

Turned up to this venue early afternoon with three adult and three children. There were plenty of tables available that could have been pushed together and created a bigger table, but we were told there was no available space for us. I felt that the children weren’t welcomed and that this was just an excuse. We went elsewhere and found a child friend establishment of which we would return to.

We frequently meet at the conservatory for a quick and light lunch during term time.

Wanted to take a friend out for a birthday tea. Rang and booked, option of inside or outside could be decided on the day.

Lovely hotel in perfect location. Lovely breakfast. Great value for money. We would highly recommend.

First time here, having lunch with cousin and her boyfriend. Great food and service, friendly staff, and a beautiful environment. Will definitely be coming again. Lunch for less menu was good value and well presented.

We came here for Sunday lunch a few weeks ago, it's handy because it's local but haven't eaten here for a long time, normally only have drinks. We had the roast plate for 4 people and the meat was good but you don't get enough vegetables. When we ordered the puddings, the passionfruit pannacotta, it was basically three spoonfuls and a teaspoon quenelle of ice cream on the side, very small and disappointing. The dining room that we ate in wasn't the best because of one noisy family and it really did echo so don't think we will be dining inside again. The sunday roast at Seaton is very hard to beat and The George is better also. We then came again for drinks and possibly lunch to eat outside after Burghley on another Sunday. There were two tables taken outside on the patio so we sat down and waited to be served as told it was waitress service. The girl had seen us as she had advised us to move to another table as the one we were out she was about to reserve. Two families turned up after us and she served both drinks and menus and still ignored us. So when seeing another couple turn up we decided that if she ignored us any longer we would walk out, this after 15 minutes of sitting down. She served them so we walked and at that point she immediately asked if there was a problem. Obviously. When I have sat and waited for my daughter to finish school here I have always ordered from the bar and come and sat outside, that's the only way you can get served immediately. The staff are all young and really very slow.

Lovely surroundings and despite the fact there was a large function on a Sunday evening we were well cared for. All our courses were well presented and very tasty. The affogato to finish was excellent. Well worthy of their two rosettes.

Our second time eating in the restaurant at the William Cecil and we enjoyed a laid back, delicious family meal.

We booked a table for Sunday lunch at 12.30, on arrival we went straight to the table in the conservatory, ordered drinks and chose our food. After waiting 30 minutes we went to ask when the food would be arriving and were told 6 to 7 minutes, the food was carvery so quite surprised it took so long, it arrived after another 10 minutes. I will say the food was good, the gravy however was very gelatinous and after a couple of minutes solidified in the gravy boats.

We booked online to meet a friend at the William Cecil as we were travelling from York, and our friend from Cambridge, so it make a great halfway stop. Online booking was easy, phone confirmation and email confirmation too.

It was a lovely evening so we thought we would return to the William Cecil and enjoy a bar meal on the patio! What a joke! What happened was unbelievable!

We tried booking a reservation online for dinner, completed the online booking team on the Monday but heard nothing back, so on the Thursday decided to telephone. At first, the service was very good, with the exception that we were put in the conservatory, on our own, as apposed to being in the main dining room. We ordered a bottle of wine and our 3 courses. We waiting approximately 30 minutes for our starter to arrive, which was fine, however we were left with our finished starter plates for nearly 45 minutes, I think we had been completely forgotten about. Our main course eventually arrived but it wasn't what we had ordered (with the exception of a bowl of peas!). The food was then taken away. We decided to call it a day, as not only were we not prepared to wait another hour for our main course but we were passed being hungry at this stage. We did make the Manager aware and we were given an apology but we were still charged for our wine and starter. The reason we chose this establishment was my husband had been given a bonus from work to have a 3 course dinner at an establishment of our choice, normally we wouldn't be able to afford to eat here, but we thought it would be a lovely treat. We were therefore £30 out of pocket, of our own money. Very disappointing to say the least.

Really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Made a great change to restaurant chains and all the better for it.

I Booked the William Cecil for a special Afternoon Tea for myself and 2 of my old school friends to celebrate our 60th Birthday's. Having been before and it was very enjoyable and value for money. Unfortunately on this occasion it was disappointing.

Had the best club sandwich I've had in years here for lunch taking the (excellent) chips option. At a different time tried their burger which again was nice - special mention for their home made relish here. Bar has a range of drinks including a local real ale - from Grainstore when we visited.

Lunchtime treat with friends ending up spending most of the afternoon here enjoying the sunshine. Local specialities on the menu and in the bar, plus hedged-off seating area for teas and coffees afterwards.

A charming town hotel and restaurant, has old world charm. We were warmly greeted but it took ages to get the drinks! We decided on our dinner and it was lovely, my only criticism is the lack of training of the waiters, you would expect the wine to be served when the first course arrived and not to have to ask for it! The cheese board was disappointing....just thrown on a board and we had to ask for plates and knives....A great pity as the hotel is charming!!

I went to the William Cecil a week ago and enjoyed one of the best lunches to date..we enjoyed the spicey monk fish and it was Delicous. The service was friendly and efficient despite having a busy wedding on at the sane time

We had a meal here to celebrate our anniversary recently. The food was absolutely out of this world and the staff who served us were very friendly and inviting. A couple of things stopped it being 5 stars for us, firstly there was a wedding going on in the room that adjoins the restaurant. The ‘boom boom boom’ of the music from the disco was clashing with the music in the restaurant, somewhat took over the room and it didn’t really help the quiet intimate environment we were looking for. (We asked if we could move which was absolutely fine and was very quick and efficient. We sat in the conservatory, which was lovely bright and airy.) Secondly, as it got busier we had less attention to our drinks - I ate my main course without wine as no one came back to ask if all was well/we needed any more drinks. Not a huge inconvenience however as it was a special occasion and a quiet meal to enjoy slowly without our children we wanted to make the most of it!

Went for afternoon tea for my Gran’s birthday in the week.

No one greeted us. No one at bar. Hardly any canapes. No one had been at reception when we arrived to tell us where the Burghley Suite was. Still like when it was The Lady Anne Hotel ==Fawlty Towers!

We were seated in the conservatory and spent 3 hours and nearly £300 on food that was well cooked but bought out at random times. We watched our daughter eat her meal 30 minutes after ours had been served! The service was appalling. The waiters were pleasant but out of their depth, smoked salmon is not raw, and served with crispy skin?! Makes no sense. We ate 4 loaves of bread whilst waiting for our starters. We felt very ignored and I will not be returning and I have had many business meals there. Not again.

The dinner menu at this hotel is very well thought out, with a wide range of dishes (covering meat, game and seafood) and interesting combinations of ingredients; and the execution of those items we ordered (vegetarian, fish and two game) could not be faulted - cooking, selection of accompaniments and presentation. The ability to cook both game and fish is a mark of a competent chef.

Returned here after a positive experience last year. Sadly our experience was different this time and I would probably not return again.

never again, very poor quality, cold, very disappointed, and when complained I was told no one else complained. The meat...

Following a fabulous Sunday lunch we had at the William Cecil last year we wanted to bring friends with us to show them and share our experience which unfortunately turned out to be a disaster on this second visit.

We entered via the large car park and drawn to the long conservatory on the left. We were of a...

We popped into the (almost empty) bar at 2pm for coffee and cake but were told that the lunch menu...

Credit where it is due. The quality of the food is excellent. Excellent choices on menu. Excellent presentation. Real quality....

Visited here on a quiet Monday for lunch with my Mum. It’s the second time I’ve been in and it’s...