Frensham Pond Hotel & Spa — Hotel in Waverley

In our search for a good roast, dining here today, tucked away in a serene setting, the restaurant exudes a retro charm, with the restaurant giving off a nostalgic feel of the 70s.

Specifically there for the roast dinners, the kitchen's prowess shines brightly and complements to the Chef and team. My selection of the roast chicken was a revelation; the poultry was impeccably roasted to a golden perfection, its skin crisp to the touch, yet the meat inside remained tender and juicy. The chicken was lavishly draped in a creamy, rich gravy that was a masterful blend of depth and subtlety. This gravy, speckled with fine herbs and a hint of garlic, clung to the chicken lovingly, enhancing each bite with its velvety embrace.

My wife's choice of roast beef was also on par. The beef was succulent and cooked to a precise medium-rare, its edges kissed by a smoky char that spoke of expert grilling. The slices were thick and indulgent, coated in a glossy, dark sauce that was the epitome of gravy. It boasted a complex layering — with whispers and hints of different flavors, all mingling to create a flavorful gravy so divine it demanded to be savored slowly. We even ordered extra bread so we could finish it off.

While the overall dining experience was thoroughly delightful, it would be remiss not to mention a minor shortfall in the vegetable accompaniments that accompanied the roast dinners. The selection of greens, consisting of a modest spoonful of mixed peas and carrots along with a solitary piece of broccoli, felt somewhat underwhelming. For those who relish their vegetables as much as their meats, the portions and variety were slightly lacking. A more robust offering of chunky, hearty vegetables would have been preferred, adding not just to the heartiness of the meal but also providing a vibrant contrast to the rich, savory flavors of the meats.

However, it's worth noting that the roast potatoes served were exemplary—crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and perfectly seasoned, they were a highlight of the meal. Additionally, the cauliflower cheese, though not typically our favorite dish, was surprisingly delightful. It was skillfully prepared, boasting a creamy, rich sauce that enveloped the tender cauliflower bites. The dish was infused with a robust cheese flavor that was bold without overpowering, showing the kitchen's adept handling of what can often be a (very) mundane side dish.

Dessert was an artful display of both technique and taste. The lemon parfait was a bright beacon of flavor, its citrus notes bold and clear, without being overpowering, yet balanced by the creamy, almost ethereal texture of the parfait itself. Not as fluffy and airy as I expected it, but none the less, each spoonful was like capturing sunshine on a plate, refreshing the palate with its zesty liveliness.

The apple and rhubarb crumble, on the other hand, was a comforting conclusion to my Wife's meal. The fruit was stewed to the point of just tender, their tartness a perfect foil to the sweet, crunchy topping. The crumble was a delightful contrast of textures, with the soft, warmly spiced fruit juxtaposed against the crumbly, butter-laden topping that crunched satisfyingly with each bite.

Throughout our dining experience, Anton, our waiter, was the epitome of attentive service. His presence was discreet yet timely, ensuring that our every culinary need was met with a smile and expert care. His suggestions were spot-on, and his attention to detail did not go unnoticed, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to our meal.

In all, a meal at Frensham Pond Hotel & Spa is a feast for the senses, where each dish is not just cooked, but almost crafted with care, and every flavor is an invitation to indulge in a little bit of culinary heaven.

Definitely room for another visit...

Avoid this place if you want a relaxing spa experience, any decent customer service...or even a mediocre massage or facial!

This is a long waffle- but worth the read! DO NOT BOOK THIS PLACE

I went for a spa day here with 3 friends. A month prior to the spa day, we booked the times for time for our lunch, and confirmed the treatment would be done 2 at a time.

Upon arrival we checked in and completed medical forms and were shown the locker room. After heading to the pool area, we realised we had not been told what time any of our treatments would be so headed to reception to check. We were given a bit of paper with alot of jumbled overlapping times on it. We noticed that the times given would clash into the lunch we had booked, we raised this and were told they had moved our lunch time. This had been done without talking to us, or asking if this would be okay.

Time for the first treatment came and went, so we chased this up. We had not been using the spa facilities as were waiting for someone to collect us. We had not been told of any more change to the times, or if there was a delay. Upon waiting another 20 mins someone came to get 3 of our party of 4, to take them in for back to back treatments for 50 mins. Leaving a member of our party alone in the spa. Not what we had booked, but after waiting for so long, we went along with it. The 4th member of the party was given no time of when they would go in for treatment, this was chased up after another 30min wait, to be told they would go in when the others come out, leaving them alone for almost an hour. This pushed the lunch to over an hour late, and also meant 3/4 of the group waiting around after their treatment for the final person.

The treatments themselves were so shockingly poor, and can't see how they have ever been trained. What was meant to be a 25 minute massage was someone just rubbing my back frantically for 20 minutes (not 25) and constantly checking their watch. We the moves right into what was meant to be a 25 minute mini facail. This was products rubbed into my face - including over my eyelids - unheard of for a facial and actively advised to be avoided- for 10 minutes. The a 'mask' was applied. I was told to leave this on for 5 mins and the therapist left the room - again never have I ever had this with a facial, a mask is usually complimented with a hand or arm massage and the therapist would stay in the room to ensure the client did not have any reaction to the mask. So not only did the therapist leave ... she left for 13 minutes- during a 25 minute treatment. When she did return she proceeded to tell me the clock was wrong, I advised I had timed it in my phone as I have sensitive skin, to which she replied she had gone to find one of my friends to get there Groupon voucher?! I said this should not be done on my time and left the treatment room.... stressed, angry, with sore skin. Its also worth mentioning that at no time were any of us asked our names prior to the treatments starting , meaning the medical forms we had completed with notes of any issues or skin concerns were pointless and also not taken into consideration.

It is also worth mentioning , that all my friends had awful treatments, with one also being given a male therapist without being asked prior, something that could be extremely triggering for some people.

Upon contacting the hotel and spa to raise a complaint, it had to be chased up twice before even an initial reply, and chased AGAIN after they missed a self imposed deadline for a resolution - to which they dismissed concerns and simply offered a 25 complimentary treatment- absolutely no way would any of us ever step foot in here again.....

Probably the worst getaway that I have had. Pricing - Two days before we arrived we saw that the much larger rooms with balconies were going at cheaper rates. As it was too late to cancel or edit the booking without being charged we waited until we got to the hotel to be upgraded or have the price honoured. Instead when we got there we were told that the was an issue from booking.com and if we wanted to upgrade it would cost an additional £20 per night even though we were already paying a higher rate than the premium rooms.

After we contacted Booking.com so that we could cut our stay short, the agent got into contact with the hotel the same evening we arrived (via email as there was no hotel receptionist to answer the phone) We were hoping that they would respond before we had to check-out however they did not respond to our cancel request, the entirity of the trip.

Mind you the cancel request was not just because we were overcharged but the quality of the room.

Room - Small and run down, very dated decor once you have gone upstairs past the hotel lobby. No minifridge in room so had to cool drinks with cold water in the sink. Cracked paint on ceilings. Glass shifting on bedside tables (very hazardous). Pillows were small

Service - Very annoying fire alarm went off for about 10 minutes, so we all had to go outside in the cold. Just to find out it was a staff fire alarm drill, which none of the guest received any notification of it happening. Wi-Fi was absolutely terrible and did not work properly once you went upstairs to where all the rooms were. I was away for a wedding but still had remote work to do, so this completely hindered me with my job. In the end I found that the Wi-Fi worked well in the gym so had to sit in there on the floor and work. On one day however the Wi-Fi cut out in the gym also so I had to go to the dining hall where everyone was having breaksfast and doing my video call. I sat right in the back corner so that I was not disturbed, however I was still asked by one of the staff members to turn my laptop down.

Breakfast - Noted down that I am gluten free when I booked the stay over two months ago and got an immediate response from the hotel to say 'Noted'. However it was not noted at all. When I asked for gluten free options, they said that they didn't have any. Wasn't much options for vegetarian and gluten free diets. Had to settle for a minimal breakfast. Breakfast bar is half-empty. In the end during the evening hours I ended up scrapping my gluten free diet as there weren't options for me nor were there much restaurants in the area.

Restaurant - Main restaurant was by far the best aspect of the hotel, food was great and very filling. Good value, slightly overpriced. Waiters were very attentive and professional. Was advised that the bar restaurant would be open all day, however one day that we went down around 3:30PM, they said that they didn't open the kitchen until 5:30PM. Even says on the menu that they serve food at the time that we came down so not sure why that wasn't the case.

There was also a difference in the main menu and the bar menu, so when we were in the main restaurant asking for something on the bar menu they said that we couldn't order it although they were literally right oposite each other and I'm 100% sure that they share they were operating from the same kitchen.

Area - Nothing around, I'm sure the lake would be great in summer. Nothing else going on, no takeaways around, just...