Greswolde Arms — Restaurant in Metropolitan Borough of Solihull

I have finally got round to doing a review of The Greswolde Arms Hotel in Knowle. I have to give credit where it is due, on all of my visits in the last 5 months has been very good however the lack of staff is a constant challenge to all the pubs/restaurants in Knowle, these are not easy times for anyone. If you can be patient, you will be looked after by Lorraine & her team.

Staff & Service - I have always found the team at The Greswolde really lovely, helpful and although under pressure at times, I think the team there are hardworking and lovely. I don't go of a night time as queuing at the bar proves very difficult for me. I visit in the mornings for coffee and sometimes brunch with a friend and I love it. Peace, quiet & comfort is guaranteed and the staff have time to look after me. Lorraine, Sam & Michelle helped me today, even though they had a busy breakfast session, I was not over looked in anyway. Food - I really like the brunches, the lunches and the Sunday dinners. The main menu I find a little pricey for what you get but I don't go out for meals there of an evening anymore due to my own personal circumstances. Accommodation - I use The Greswolde regularly for when my family visit. The deals are out there unless there are events on at the NEC when the prices significantly rise. Location - great location just off junction 5 of the M42 right by the shops and all the fabulous cuisine that surrounds it. Value for Money - Well it suits my pocket for when I go. Prices behind the bar are too high for me for alcohol but I guess they charge hotel prices. As for food prices, they do have good early evening offers but all I can say is the food I eat in the bar area is at a competitive price for the area and I don't mind paying those charges. Access for the Disabled - I don't have a wheelchair so I can't comment in that regard but I struggle in other ways. Access is generally very good. The use of a roomy disabled toilet is a blessing. It could do with a freshen up paint wise but it is perfect for my needs. Final comment - I know the leisure industry has had a hideous time over the last few years but really it is time now to to raise the hourly rate to attract people back into the industry. Limited staff behind the bar, in restaurants and kitchens etc means queues and fraid tempers and that is not fair on anybody. I like it there because the staff are always kind to me and I very much...

I had a frustrating experience at The Greswolde Arms in Solihull that I feel compelled to share. My husband parked in their car park for a lunch visit, unaware that payment was required. A couple of weeks later, I received a £100 parking charge notice (reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days).

Before appealing, I discovered that if the car was parked for less than 2 hours, the Greswolde Arms would reimburse the charge. While my husband technically should have paid, we would have received a refund anyway. I assumed they would accept this as a gesture of goodwill, but I was wrong. For 28 days, I anxiously checked my email and mail, expecting a response.

When I finally received a letter demanding the full £100, I was shocked, having assumed my appeal was accepted due to the lack of communication. I sent a letter explaining my situation, but their response stated they had emailed the appeal decision within the 28 days. Despite thoroughly searching my inbox, I couldn’t find that email. I even requested proof of it, but they didn’t reply.

Then I was contacted by Debt Recovery Plus for £170! I called them to explain the situation, and they provided proof that the email was sent. However, despite being tech-savvy, I couldn’t locate it anywhere, not even in my trash or spam folders. Eventually, I found it on my email client’s website, but it raises a serious question: why wasn’t the appeal response forwarded to me? Emails can go astray, and it feels like this is exactly what they were counting on.

Instead of a manageable £60 bill, we now face a tripled amount. This experience has left a sour taste, and I believe it’s unethical for The Greswolde Arms not to clearly inform their customers about the paid parking policy. I shouldn't have to pay for parking at a pub where I'm paying for a lunch.

I hope this review prompts the pub to reconsider their communication practices regarding parking to prevent future patrons from facing similar...

The hotel is situation on a small highstreet with Tesco, Toby Carvery and a few other bars nearby. Parking is obvious but be aware that you must add your registration inside at the HOTEL COUNTER and not the first counter you find.  I found the staff attentive at check in but note that you must walk past the first reception area (this is for pub/restaurant) and then you can see the hotel reception counter on the left. The pub itself was busy and shows how popular a place it is. There are plenty of rooms and they are all decorated in a pleasant way. I was in room 8. The furniture seemed good quality and the room was clean. Mine had a good size TV and an iron in the room. The tea-making facilities were good for a night's stay and had plenty of milk packets for a change. Also had plenty of plug sockets with USB ports around the room (most importantly, next to the bed). The room had no view (onto a roof and film applied to prevent seeing those without opening the window). There was a constant hum from some equipment which I didn't mind as I like to have ambient noise while I sleep. It wasn't too loud. The only real issue I had with my stay was a loud bang caused by some heavy doors which was a frequent occurrence throughout the evening until around 11ish when it didn't happen long enough for me to fall to sleep. All the doors up to the room are soft close except the door to the room. Perhaps it is those. Not sure if it was the doors to the pub or some internal doors somewhere. If you want an early night here, it probably isn't the place to stay. Breakfast: Service was good. Food was to a high quality and cooked exactly as requested. Really enjoyed it. The toaster was not plugged in and wasn't the clearest to operate however. The continental had a reasonable selection but it was a shame a spread was on offer and not a butter alternative (though I didn't ask for butter either and I would bet there would be some available...