Great Fosters

The hotel is housed in a beautiful house with a very well kept garden. The waterway, bridge and outdoor seating provide a very relaxing and picturesque setting, although you can hear the M25 in the distance. Despite being a lovely venue, the owners have made some questionable design decisions that start to give the impression that this is not really a 5 star hotel (eg faded plastic ivy screens to separate the wedding guests, grey composite fence by the pool that is not in keeping with the buildings). The pool is a good size with plenty of loungers, although the impression left was that it needs some TLC - eg one or two broken parasols, wobbly hand rail getting into the pool (which could actually be dangerous). The staff were very pleasant and professional, although they seemed a bit short staffed at times as we waited for nearly 30 mins for a drink outside. The room we had was nice, clean and well decorated with good air con and facilitities. We booked Dinner Bed and Breakfast, but couldn't help feeling that the allowance made for dinner was too low, given that we had nibbles, 2 courses, no extras and still had to pay £70 more than the allowance - not including alcohol.

Just spent two days here and an overnight stay on some work meetings. The buildings are beautiful. My room was excellent with a very comfortable bed and very spacious bathroom. Food was good, not great. Service everywhere was sadly lacking with poorly trained staff. Not the 5 star luxury experience that was advertised nor value for money for the price. Wouldn't recommend!

Beautiful hotel, with great staff. Every member of staff we met made our stay special, they were friendly and helpful. Our room ‘The Waterloo suite’ was spacious, spotlessly clean with the added bonus of a door that opened on to a small balcony (fire escape) that also let a nice breeze in to the room as the weather was very warm during our stay. Dinner in the The Estate Grill was good, the breakfast which we were able thanks to the good weather to sit out on the terrace for was very good, the breakfast staff were lovely and attentive, the food brilliant. Cocktails in the cocktail bar were very well made. Thank you, we very much look forward to returning.

Worst hotel experience I’ve had. For an expensive 5-star hotel I was shocked how bad it was. Firstly, hotel guests get secondary treatment to ‘day guests’ for the pool area. You’re only allowed to use the pool between 3pm-11am. We only booked this trip for the outdoor pool facilities and even when you can use it there was no towels for hours both at 3pm and at 9am first thing the next day, so even when you can finally use the pool you can’t go in it unless you’re happy to without a towel…. The room was fine however it was the hottest room I’ve ever had, sleeping was a myth and it was like a sauna all night. You get a fan that you can put ice into however, it’s useless. We were told we’d have to eat breakfast the next morning in our room as the restaurant was fully booked breakfast (which we’d paid for) but luckily we did get a table in the end. The hotel seems to prioritise day guests who pay over £100pp just for lunch and pool use and 90% of sun loungers were reserved for them. Meanwhile hotel guests and left to fight for the remaining beds (without towels) after spending near on £300 for a nights stay.

We chose this hotel for a restful stay before returning to the U.S., largely because of its charm and proximity to Heathrow. On arrival, the property is undeniably beautiful and welcoming in appearance. However, our experience didn’t reflect a five-star standard. Upon settling into our rooms, we noticed several maintenance issues. Throughout our stay, no staff member asked how things were going or offered assistance, which was surprising. Basic amenities like water were not readily available, so it’s worth bringing your own. The service lacked the warmth and attentiveness expected at this level — something we’ve consistently experienced at other five-star properties. Training inspired by service-focused hotels like the Ritz-Carlton could elevate the guest experience here. The food was decent, but not remarkable. The pool, though refreshing, had visible debris, bugs, and what looked like algae on the sides — something that would be unacceptable, especially if paying extra for that feature. A major disappointment was the pool restriction: children under 18 are not allowed to swim from 10 AM to 4 PM. This detail wasn’t clear on the website and significantly affected our plans, as the pool was one of the main reasons we booked this hotel. Lastly, as we checked out, no one acknowledged our departure or asked how our stay was. The staff felt more robotic than genuinely hospitable. This hotel has so much potential — the grounds are stunning, and the location is ideal — but the level of service did not reflect the premium price. With some service improvements and warmer communication, it could become a truly exceptional destination.