The Goring

We were made to feel special from the moment we went through the doors of this beautiful hotel. It was our first visit and I had very high expectations and am happy to say the whole experience was faultless. We booked lunch for our 37th wedding anniversary, the reception staff accompanied us to the dining room where the restaurant staff shown to a beautiful table in the corner. All the many staff who looked after us were friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the food and the hotel, they talked us through our choices which were as beautiful on the eye as it was on the pallet (especially the beef wellington)! At the end of our meal the staff noticed we were interested in some of the intriguing artwork around the dining room and without being asked, showed us around, explaining some of the stories and history behind each of the pieces. The Goring really is a truly understated gem - thank you so much for having us and we will be back.

This hotel is extremely beautiful throughout. Staff are super friendly, efficient, welcoming and very eager to please in all departments. The service element is very strong at The Goring. A generous plate of fruit and bottle of house champagne was placed in my room prior to arrival as it was my birthday and this was well noted by the hotel. Room amenities were disappointing in several aspects. I had to ask for a fridge and one was duly provided. The room was very warm. Air conditioning did not work well and someone attended but was unable to address. Only when I requested, was a fan provided. There are no tea or coffee making facilities in the room. Only via reading online reviews did I discover again that you have to ask for this. It wasn’t offered on arrival. Again disappointing. I felt this should have been offered on arrival. Service for pre-dinner drink was slow in the bar lounge. Food here is very good however my main course at dinner in The Dining Room had a fois gras element, which was not explained on the menu. It was only explained after it had been served. I did not expect a “hot pot pie” to accompany a lamb dish to taste predominantly of fois gras. I was unable therefore, to make my own informed decision on ethical grounds, on this menu choice. Again disappointing. Room service breakfast was very efficient although staff appeared fixated on removing the tray from my room while I was preparing to pack and leave.

I rarely give a hotel or a restaurant five stars. I save them for the best of the best. The Goring truly belongs in that select group. The building, inside and out, is gorgeous. The staff, from doorman to general manager, could not be kinder or more accommodating. The receptionists bend over backwards as do the concierges. And the dining room and bar staff are perfect. We have stayed at the Goring multiple times. Each time we are sorry to leave her and promise to return.

I've been fortunate enough to have stayed at The Goring five times now and with each visit I love the place even more! Each time I've received a genuine warm welcome and made to feel at home and at ease from their amazing team. A team who I can tell love what they do and remember you from each visit. I can see why they were listed in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025! The rooms are lovely and impeccably clean, full of lovely decor, lovely toiletries and a turn down service where you come back to Classic FM playing on the radio to lull you to sleep! The best touch a cuddly toy sheep called Barbara waiting patiently on the bed for each guest to take home as a memento; I am slowly building my own flock (there's an interesting backstory to sheep which is worth reading about). One of my favourite parts of my stay is visiting the bar with it's beautiful decor and array of drinks and the most amazing team there. Second to none. But a special mention goes to Billy (Scott) who has always gives us a warm welcome, provides great service and knows how to make the best cocktails - in fact he made my very own cocktail which was sublime! He works hard to ensure everyone is taken care of and always with a smile. Billy and the team are a real credit and there is no need to venture out further than the lovely garden! The team always go above and beyond and on my last stay Sean from the Concierge team showed this when he helped me with a very last minute request. I needed to sort out a private Black Cab tour of London for some of my family visiting from Ireland and I couldn't find anyone! I was defeated and felt it was a long shot, but this is where Sean calmly put on his cape and within a couple of hours made it happen, and we had the most amazing afternoon. I was so happy! I've stayed in lots of nice hotels, but The Goring is special because it makes you feel special with its genuine warmth, care and passion for its guests no matter who you are. That's special and sets itself apart from other luxury hotels! I always leave happy with another Barbara to add to my flock and will keep returning time and time again.

As elegant and quintessentially British as it comes, The Goring is easily one of the best hotels we've ever stayed in. The Goring is unapologetically traditional - they do not attempt to win you over with fancy facilities or high-tech gadgets in your room. What they specialize in, however, is just plain, utmost care that they place on their guests, and the impeccable service that comes with it. From breakfast staff who remembered where we sat the previous day and our love for berries, to the concierge picking up flu medicine for us, almost everyone we met in The Goring was extremely lovely and pleasant. I can spend a full day in my room without feeling like I'm wasting time as one can argue that time spent in The Goring IS the British experience that tourists like us are looking for. The highlight of our stay was the breakfast, so much so that even though we'd never been early birds, breakfast in the beautiful dining room was the thing that we looked forward to the most, every single day. There's something about the experience that I can't quite put my finger on, perhaps it's the sound of silverware clattering and newspaper turning, and the muffled dialogue in an otherwise quiet room that made us feel like we were part of a period drama. Not to mention that every single dish was carefully prepared using the best ingredients and beautifully presented. If you stay at The Goring, breakfast is a must, and please come early. Our stay, however, has not been without fault. For example, no one helped us with our luggage when we arrived, and we struggled to bring it up the stairs into the lobby. There was a flickering light in our room that, despite telling the front desk about it, didn't seem to be completely fixed. In addition, we had dinner at the famed Goring Dining Room and it was rather underwhelming. Those things were, however, very easy to overlook if you consider the otherwise wonderful experience The Goring offered, and we can't wait for our next stay here.