The Five Arrows Hotel, Aylesbury

2.6 / 5 Anonymous on 04/10/2009 (Mature couple)

Location, style and furnishings, size of room

Booking process, hotel couldn't handle booking so had to make this via Active website. Although spoke to hotel and agreed which room would be allocated, this was not known on arrival - advised had been allocated a) twin (double agreed) b) not in main house (agreed would be in main house) c) room 5 (room 11 allocated). In the end allocated room agreed on phone but like drawing teeth. Pressurised to book dinner on arrival (at noon) without any invitation to view menu - we didn't in the end eat there. Said on 2 occasions on arrival that we would leave bag as we were 'visiting the House (ie Waddesdon Manor) and would therefore only need to have access to room after that. On accessing room and reading hotel details, found out that guests received free entry to the ground of the Manor, which would have saved us 10 pounds, but we weren't advised of this. Breakfast next day. Sat and waited for table to be dressed. No butter or preserves, had to get left over butter from next table. Preserves never arrived. Gave order to disinterested young girl. My order - scrambled eggs with bacon. Arrived - no bacon. Had to ask much older lady who delivered food for this. Then asked for mustard which not provided. When older lady delivered comment was 'well anything else' in a 'don't bother me again' attitude - didn't like to ask for preserves!! Orange juice had run out had to ask for this. Unshaven (and this not from me but my partner) lad also serving very offhand. Overall the hotel is lovely - reason I booked it was that I had arranged a corpoate event there 2 years ago for international racing people lunch and private view of Waddesdon Manor, so wanted to show this and the Manor to my partner, just a shame it was let down not by overall experience but a combination of little annoyances - eg bedside light not working. Why not have a checklist of setting a table and checking a room and tick each item off to ensure everything as it should be. Would recommend to others and stay again if in the area but such a shame to be let down. (also noted that others at breakfast were asking for eg a glass, salt & pepper on other tables).

Overall: Lovely area, lovely hotel, let down by a multitude of little annoyances. Staff training obviously required. Why not introduce a checklist for them if they can't get their act together.  (108189712)

5.0 / 5 Linda [Welwyn Garden City, GB] on 29/07/2009 (Mature couple)

The hotel is very clean and tidy and the staff were polite and friendly, the bed was extremely comfortable and the breakfast was excellent with a choice of continental, cooked, or for a small supplement you could have kippers or smoked salmon.

Overall: We really enjoyed our stay at The Five Arrows Hotel and we would choose to stay there again sometime in the future, we would also recommend it to friends and family.  (108546632)

4.1 / 5 Andrew [glasgow, GB] on 09/07/2009 (Mature couple)

Fantastic location for Waddesdon estate, hotel very clean and historic building. We had a room at the back which was great. Had a good welcome at the village church.

First course of evening meal was not up to scratch. The staff were very helpful, friendly and made the stay enjoyable, but there seems to be a lack of overall management in the hotel as it lacked a bit of organisation.

Overall: A lovely overnight.  (107514081)

3.6 / 5 Anonymous on 25/06/2009 (Solo business traveller)

 (107560110)