Down Hall Hotel, Spa, Estate - Bishop's Stortford

bevg184

This is my second visit to down hall for afternoon tea. Today we went for my mums birthday and we sat in the grand hall which was a perfect setting. What a fabulous experience it was. The sandwiches and cakes were delicious, followed by a cold glass of prosecco. Jane was super friendly, attentive and very welcoming, a lovely lady! Would recommend this venue to everyone. Will be back. Thank you for having us.

natalieaT7169UJ

We got married here on April 25th having fallen in love with the place on our first wedding open day! Couldn't have had a more perfect day - Tracy you are an angel! Nothing was too much for and everything went to plan right down to the smallest detail. We stayed two nights and made use of the spa - all staff throughout were polite and attentive and our rooms were beautiful. We'll be back again soon! Our favourite hotel 🙂

Maia A.

I got married at down hall 21/6/25 and choosing this venue for my special day was undoubtedly the best decision I ever made. The whole team from the wedding coordinators, reception team, reservations, catering, house keeping (the list goes on) really went above and beyond and enabled my day to be seamless.

The grounds are just utterly beautiful and the food was incredible our guest was just blown away. Everything from start to finish was just perfect I cannot find any faults at all, if you are thinking of booking here for a stay or a wedding this is your sign to book.

The only feedback I would give is the rooms other than the suites were not air conditioned we stayed during a heatwave so guests did mention how hot the rooms got. Fans were provided by the team but in 30 degree heat an air con unit is most definitely needed.

Thank you again to all the team at Down Hall

Culture425903

Such a lovely hotel, I stayed in a Room with Patio area leading onto the gardens. This was perfect as I had my dog with me, there was a dog bed in the room and they even left a little gift for him with a tennis ball, food, treats and poo bags which as a lovely touch. ||We had dinner out on the Terrace and as the weather was lovely we sat out all evening. Buffet breakfast had all options covered with great service from the team as they set up a table for us to eat outside as it was a beautiful morning. Cant wait to go back again soon and try out the Edan spa

Michael L.

Lovely area and grounds big enough for a 30 minute walk. Lovely kitchen garden. Great breakfast especially if you like pastries. However I paid to come and enjoy the spa, which I assumed was free apart from treatments (like most hotels). There was a very sad little steam room and sauna and an ok gym. So for me it was overpriced. The photo of the spa is on the website and there is no indication it needs to be paid for. I’d say false advertising.

ALSO…… the bed…. We were given two single beds pushed together and they were on wheels and very light so didn’t stay together at all. And each half was TINY and nowhere near big enough for a comfortable sleep..

Unfortunately guests were also very noisy late at night and early in the morning. I’d come back if it was much cheaper and insist on a proper bed!

wwwazzzz

Our second stay at Down Hall, and it has become our favourite spot for a last night of relaxation in England to recharge before a long flight home to Australia. The hotel and grounds are beautiful and the breakfast is delicious. It is set in a lovely location, with pretty English villages nearby and some great pubs and restaurants. Thoroughly recommend this hotel and we will return next time we are in the UK.

Troy S.

I don’t typically leave negative reviews, but after this awful stay, I felt genuinely compelled to speak up. This was easily one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve had, and people deserve to know what they might be walking into.

Check-in was just about okay, but everything went downhill fast. The room was unbearably hot, and while a fan was provided, it was so loud and rattling it only made it harder to sleep. Neither my partner nor I got any rest that night. On top of that, the shower was dirty, which is completely unacceptable — basic cleanliness should be a given.

A situation arose during our stay that required assistance from staff, and the duty manager’s attitude was appalling. Rude, dismissive, and completely uninterested in resolving anything. We even asked to speak to the general manager and were met with eye-rolls and more attitude, for expecting basic service and respect.

The restaurant food was bland — definitely not worth it.

The only positive part of our stay was a staff member named Niamh, who was kind, helpful, and clearly the only one there who cared about doing her job properly. She deserves recognition, but unfortunately, she was the exception in a team that otherwise made us feel like an inconvenience.

This stay left us uncomfortable, exhausted, and completely dissatisfied. I don’t normally complain, but this experience was so poor I couldn’t stay silent. We won’t be returning, and I strongly recommend others look elsewhere.

F5753GZamyt

We visited Down Hall Hotel to celebrate my boyfriend’s 30th birthday. While the grounds are stunning and the interior is beautifully decorated, the service and overall experience fell far below acceptable standards.|Upon arrival, my friend and I sat on the terrace for over two hours on a 29-degree day. Despite the area being quiet, not a single staff member approached us to offer drinks or food. Eventually, I had to go into the Fox Bar and order myself. This level of inattentiveness is unacceptable for a hotel of this standard.|Our rooms were unbearably hot. Each room had a fan, but it merely circulated warm air. We assumed the temperature would drop by the evening—unfortunately, it only got worse. By 11 p.m., the hallway was sweltering and the rooms were like ovens. The bathroom tiles were hot to the touch. My partner and I went to reception to raise the issue—only to be told they were aware of the problem but had no alternative rooms or fans available. No further solutions were offered.|During our dinner, service again disappointed. Our plates were left on the table throughout the meal, even after we paid the bill. Staff were generally unresponsive and inattentive.|Another couple was overheard cancelling their stay and leaving for a Travelodge. Our friends, one of whom is pregnant, also suffered in their overheated room. We resorted to wetting towels and covering ourselves in an attempt to sleep. We asked for additional fans or cold water—one staff member promised a fan but never returned. It appeared she gave it to someone else, despite us stressing the pregnancy concern.|None of us slept. We cancelled our spa appointments and left first thing in the morning. My boyfriend now has heat exhaustion, and all of us are returning home tired, dehydrated, and extremely disappointed.|A 20% room discount was offered at checkout, but frankly, that is nowhere near adequate compensation for such a poor experience. We had initially been interested in enquiring about wedding packages, but by the end of our stay, we knew we would never return.