The George Townhouse — Restaurant in Stratford-on-Avon

The George, ah, our home for 5 nights in the new year and I couldn't have asked for a better home from home. It couldn't be more comfortable or more convenient. We had room 3 an exceptionally spacious and comfortable room with high ceilings with a large bay window overlooking the main street, none of this poky hotel room proportions. It had a very comfortable bed with enormous velvet headboard, a small table in the bay window, a flat screen TV, a nespresso machine, a kettle and a bathroom you just want to take back with you. A cast iron bath with shower attachment and a walk in waterfall shower and beautiful mosaic tile flooring. It was other touches which make this pub superior to many posh hotels: feather pillows, cosy wool carpets with very thick underlay, cast iron radiators which blasted warmth into the January gloom , the provision of a whole set of spa treatments for use in the bathroom, daily replenishment of crisps, still and sparkling bottled water, mince pies and friendly, helpful servicing each day. Not only this but breakfast is served until 11am, a definite sign of genuine hospitality. They bring you lattes, cappuccinos etc if you ask as well as there being a buffet table with filter coffee, tea, fruits, croissant, breads for toasting, cereals, yoghurt, compote and there's even a basket of marmite as well as jams. Not to mention the cooked breakfast menu which also has eggs royale and vegan options if you are that way inclined. If this wasn't enough, you are directly over the road from the co-op, a postbox, a cashpoint, there's a treasure trove junk-shop, a rather nice clothes shop, a byo indian restaurant and it goes without saying, you are staying above a pub with very decent food. You can also be in Stratford in 20 minutes so you can see any play you like with ease. The George is great, you should stay here but I don't really...

lunch visit.

A very pleasant place to look at on entry. A snug with some lovely leather seating and an open fire, too. Waiting for entry to the restaurant area was a little unclear but easy enough, and service was functional, rather than polite. Food satisfactory but nothing more than standard pub grub here, with a couple of additional items on the menu to give it some sort of twist. Better places around that's for sure but basic & reasonable food in a nice setting, if overpriced. £45 for 2 'mains' and 2 non-alcoholic drinks.

Detractions: Ordering haddock and chips. It was then referred to by staff as fish and chips on order - they weren't actually sure. Is it haddock or is it 'any fish' and chips? Some places do vary their catch so a reasonable question to ask in this circumstance - seemed to cause a bit of fuss! Service generally quite cold throughout. Breakfast buffet hadn't been cleared from the largest table on arrival and it wasn't cleared until we and another earlier lunch arrival had finished. Not clean either. Random pop music being played in the restaurant area. Is it a cheap pub with a fruity or a nice place with an atmosphere? Not sure what's going on with that. It added nothing unfortunately. Overpriced

Positives: Decor. The pub area is beautifully decorated. The snug. The non alcoholic cocktail I had was very nice and well presented. Conveniently located for Shipston...

Originally this would have been a review saying how nice the hotel was. Friendly staff, comfortable rooms and an enjoyable dinner. Then came the breakfast disaster. Breakfast started badly when we had to wait a long time for our order to be taken. When it did arrive it was the most awful food ever served for a breakfast. For the Eggs Benedict, one egg was poached solid whilst the other egg was barely cooked. They were supposed to have smoked salmon on them but most of that was heaped on just one egg with just a sliver on the other. And then it was coated in stone cold Hollandaise sauce. Truly appalling. And the Full English was no better. The bacon was so overcooked it was like cardboard [cold cardboard at that] and the two fried eggs were so overdone that the yolks disappeared into a powder when cut. Nobody came to ask if we were enjoying our meal until we had virtually finished picking our way through the edible bits, by which time we just wanted out of the place. There was a welcome letter in our room from the manager giving us an email address to contact him on if you had a problem. We emailed him 3 days ago but have had zero response which really sums up this hotels customer attitude. There are several other hotels & restaurants in Shipston and I would recommend you look at those rather than be served...