De Vere Dunston Hall, Norwich > Reviews (2)

I have to say that this hotel is absolutely stunning! We were visiting friends who live in Norwich, and knowing our love of good accommodation, suggested Dunston Hall.

Set over 100 acres of stunning grounds, you are greeted after a drive down the long entrance road, by at first impressions a beautiful Elizabethan manor house - We later found out that it was actually built in the 1850's on the site of the original manor house!

There is ample parking with several disabled parking bays close to the reception entrance. We were warmly greeted by a member of staff, who was on door duty and found the reception staff equally warm and welcoming as we checked in.

Our accommodation was in a separate wing/block which was reached by a connecting hall from the main reception - (Note: I have mobility problems and found the walk not to tiring, but if you have severe mobility issues it could pose a problem - I do know that the hotel does have a number of rooms that are wheelchair/disabled friendly.)

Our double room was on the 3rd floor, and was of a good size - Even with the Queen Size bed, that both I and my partner found so comfortable, that it was a trial to get out of it every morning! The room decoration was smart, clean and contemporary with plenty of cupboard/drawer space, with the usual facilities of complimentary tea/coffee, internet access (additional charges apply), TV etc. Another touch that we found nice was that the window could be opened. Although fully air-conditioned, it is sometimes nice to be able to let in fresh air, which we have found in many hotels is impossible as the windows are secured shut. The bathroom was also a good size, with a bath and shower over it, again the cleanliness could not be faulted.

We had booked our accommodation inclusive of breakfast, which was served in the brasserie. It was self-service, with plenty of choice - cereals, fruit, yoghurt and the selection for the full English breakfast was superb - eggs (scrambled or fried), bacon, 2 types of sausage, fried bread, beans, tomatoes, hash browns! Toast and coffee/tea was served at the table. We went down for breakfast at around 0830 everyday, and had no problems with being seated, but we did notice that after about 0900 - 0915 it did become busy, and there was always a small queue as we left of people waiting to be seated.

We also had lunch in the brasserie on the Saturday, when we invited our friends to enjoy the surroundings. We found the waiting staff very friendly and attentive, and the food was excellent. One of our friends had the Thetford pork loin, one had the organic salmon, and three of us opted for the carvery which on weekends you had to have two courses, but given the selection of starters and desserts was no real trial! - We naturally went for the dessert option! We also had drinks and a couple bottles of wine - No-one in our group could fault the quality and service, especially when the member of waiting staff overheard us wishing our friend happy birthday - She asked if we would like some balloons - and a few minutes later came back with a bunch all ribboned and weighted!

You can see the full selection of menus offered at Dunston Hall if you go to the De Vere website. After lunch we took and gentle stroll in the grounds, and were able to view parts of the golf course that are part of the complex.

As we were only staying for a long weekend, we didn't get the chance to make use of the spa and pool, which looked fantastic, and we only briefly had the chance to make use of the spacious bar area.

The only slightly negative point I would raise, is that it is not close to any public transport links, which could be problematic, but saying that the walk down the entrance road/drive would be a bit of a trek! We used several taxis/cabs when we went out in the evenings to meet up with our friends. The centre of Norwich was about a 10 - 15 minute trip away, and the costs ranged between £8 - £13 depending on the time, and also if you used a private hire taxi or hackney.

We booked our stay directly through the De Vere website (www.devere.co.uk), and would advise to check under their "Offers" tab, as we found that they were offering 2 nights for the price 1 for the weekend we travelled, however given the wonderful level of service and standards we experienced, we would have no issues in booking this accommodation again, at the full price!