Can you remember life before the internet? We really should get out more!
Can you remember life before the internet? We really should get out more!
Member since:02.04.2003
Reviews:8
I stayed at this hotel last weekend and can thoroughly recommend it. I was meeting an old school friend for a weekend of walking, chatting, theatre & good food. The Malvern Hills Hotel provided the perfect base for a wonderful short break.
LOCATION: The hotel is located near the southern end of the Malvern Hills directly opposite Herefordshire Beacon (also known as British Camp). It is on the border of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, about 3 miles south of Great Malvern on the A449. This is an ideal position from which to explore the Malvern Hills - you can leave the car in the car park and walk directly onto the hills. For those who don't want to walk so far, the Malvern Hills Hopper (service number 244) stops at British Camp, so you can just walk one way and then get the bus back (or vice versa). I think the bus runs from April to October but if you plan to use it I would suggest you check the details with the hotel or local tourist office.
EXTERIOR: The building dates from the 19th century but has recently been refurbished and looks very smart. When we arrived on Friday afternoon there was still some scaffolding outside our room. On Saturday morning coming out of the bathroom I was surprised to see builders on the scaffolding (I think they were surprised too!), but they were there to dismantle it and by Saturday afternoon it had all been removed. I think the hotel should have telephoned
the room though, to warn us that this was going to happen - fortunately I was reasonably decent.
The car park runs from the side, round to the back of the hotel. It would be quite adequate to cope with the number of rooms, but because the hotel is such a popular place for eating and drinking, it could sometimes be difficult to get a space. We arrived at 4 p.m. and didn't have a problem.
RECEPTION: The reception area is quite small with lots of wood panelling. It was brightened by a beautiful display of cream coloured lilies, which turned out to be silk, but looked very realistic. There is a good display of leaflets about local places of interest. The lady on reception was most welcoming and showed us round the ground floor public areas on arrival, which was a nice touch. She also came up to the room with us rather then just pointing us in the general direction, as often happens in hotels these days. We noted that the reception staff always acknowledged us as we passed and were happy to help with any questions.
ROOM: The hotel has 14 rooms, all en-suite, including a 4 poster room and family room. We had booked a deluxe twin. I had requested a room with a nice view when booking and we were not disappointed. I think many of the rooms probably have lovely views, but some may overlook the car park, so it's best to make a request on booking.
The room was spacious and light with windows on two sides. Each bed had a bedside cabinet and individual reading light. There was also a dressing table with a large mirror and stool, two armchairs, a coffee table and a large built-in, mirror fronted wardrobe. There was the usual beverages tray with a good selection of drinks, some pretty ordinary biscuits and china cups & saucers. Why are hotel cups always so small? I always use a mug at home and I wish they would supply them instead of little cups. I usually take a mug with me, but had forgotten it last weekend.
There was a remote controlled TV which rotated out of the wall but I can't comment on the variety of channels as we only switched it on for the results of the rugby and the Grand Prix. A hairdryer was also supplied.
The quality furnishings and carpets were all in excellent condition and spotlessly clean. I was particularly impressed with the curtains which were really beautiful, heavy fabric - top quality. The beds were made up with crips white linens and soft duvets. (There were extra blankets in the wardrobe.) Personally, I thought the bed was too soft as I'm used to a hard mattress, but I still had two good nights sleep.
The bathroom was light and very spacious with spotlessly clean white fittings and very good quality tiling. There was a bath and a shower over the bath. The glass shower screen was not completely watertight though and we found we always had a puddle in the corner after using it. There was a very effective radiator towel rail to warm the lovely soft fluffy white towels. The complimentary toiletries also included shower caps.
BAR & RESTAURANTS: The Oak lounge bar is very popular with both residents and non-residents. The oak panelling makes it feel very welcoming and cosy. I understand it is CAMRA-recommended, although I'm not a beer drinker so can't comment on the standard of the ale. You can get a good variety of bar meals there and they seemed to be serving all day at the weekend.
On Friday night we ate in the Vu Restaurant which is smart and contemporary with a stylish wall of glass panels. It was nearly full so if you do go to stay there, remember also to book a table if you want to eat in the hotel. The food was excellent and well priced for the standard of the establishment. My starter of roast peppers with goats cheese (£4.95) was delicious and beautifully presented on the plate. For the main course I chose roulades of trout with a smoked salmon mousse (£12.95). The fish was perfectly cooked and was accompanied by an individual dish of steamed vegetables. To finish, I could not resist my favourite creme brulee (£3.95) which had a satisfyingly crisp top and a rich creamy centre - just perfect! We drank wine by the glass to compliment the meal, but I can't remember how much this was. We also requested a jug of water which came with plenty of ice and slices of lemon. The waiting staff in the restaurant were friendly and attentive without being too 'obvious'.
Breakfast was taken in the breakfast room, which is spacious and bright. There was a good buffet selection with various juices, cereals, fruit salad, dried friuts and yoghurts (but sadly no porridge). Beverages on offer icluded various types of teas, coffee or chocolate. To follow we were able to choose from a menu of cooked items: eggs (cooked however you wanted them), good quality sausage & bacon, mushrooms, beans, tomatoes. Alternatively, there was smoked haddock or a platter of ham and cheese. The breakfasts were cooked to order and everything was just perfect, but the chef must have thought I needed feeding up because although I specifically asked for only one egg, on both days I was served two. I hate wasting food, but I really didn't want two thank you!
WHAT TO DO IN MALVERN: The main reason people go to this area is to walk and enjoy the countryside. The views from the hilltops on a clear day are just spectacular. From the summit of British Camp (1114 feet above sea level) you can look up and down the length of the Malverns. Across the Severn plain to the east you can see Bredon Hill and the Cotswold escarpment beyond. To the south stands the dome of May Hill and to the west on the horizon are the Black Mountains. Worcestershire Beacon is the highest point of the Malvern Hills at 1394 feet. Due east from here the next highest point are the Urals in Russia!
On Saturday evening we visited Malvern Theatre where there is also a cinema. We ate at the theatre restaurant before the show and took coffee and dessert at our table in the interval. It was a most enjoyable evening to round off a perfect day........but that's another review!
TO SUM UP: Our stay at the Malvern Hills Hotel was one of the best short breaks I've had in this country. We paid £190 for the twin room with breakfast for 2 nights and it was worth every penny. When I go away I expect my accommodation to be at least as comfortable, if not better than my own home and this hotel ticked all my boxes. I'm looking forward to a repeat visit.
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With superb local food and an 18th century oak bar, The Malvern Hills Hotel is located in ... more
the heart of an area of outstanding natural beauty.The hotel is close to the Iron Age hill fort, British Camp. The fort is a major landmark located 1115 feet (340...
Information:
Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Oct 10th, 2007
(Oct 9th, 2007)
very helpful by (100%):
