Newbridge on Usk — Restaurant in Wales

Unfortunately, it appears this once lovely establishment is being run into the ground by unprofessional staff.

We are long time customers of the Celtic Manor. My parents got married in the Manor House. We had my grandmother’s 80th birthday at the private dining room at the Newbridge on Usk. We come to the Celtic Manor venues for special family events all the time. In a first, we received aggressive and hostile service from the male (I believe) Italian duty manager at the Newbridge on Usk on Saturday 21st July, around 12.30 - 2pm.

The unprofessional and hostile behaviour was as follows: -we came for a quiet drink, making use of the bar as we have many, many times over the years. -The lady waiting tables was very pleasant and helpful although seemed surprised we would come in for a drink. -I asked whether the bar served drinks and it was confirmed that it did and that the outside spaces were also available. -I am not sure therefore why she was surprised. As I say, we have been to the Newbridge for many drinks over the years. -The Italian gentleman (I have assumed he was the duty manager from his behaviour) was outright hostile from the point we came in politely asking to have a drink. -When we tried to go outside he almost shouted “you can’t go that way” when we went towards the rear doors, and did not have the courtesy to explain which way we should go (these are the doors we have used before). I had to ask and the bar lady told us. -We sat quietly enjoying our drinks and the view of the river as we had come to do. -The duty manager/barman took one of our empty glasses and refused to make any eye contact or ask if we would like anything else when doing so. This wasn’t a hostile act but still unwelcoming and poor customer service in anyone’s book, at what is described as ab allegedly four star hotel. -When I came in to go to the toilet before leaving he barked “yes” at me, when I was trying to remember which way they were. I asked where they were and he just said “upstairs”. I said “I think the words you were looking for were excuse me sir how can I help”. -When coming downstairs before leaving I went over to him to say his attitude was appalling and that I would be making a complaint. -He chose to run after me into the car park and did not deny his attitude had been hostile - rather he justified it by going on a rant that “you walked in like you were somewhere in the middle of no where” (we live 10 mins down the road in Caerleon). I said we have been coming here for 40 years (our family) he said “well don’t come again”.

We have made a formal complaint to the Celtic Manor about this astoundingly unprofessional behaviour.

The service is not up to par or the standard those who have been coming here for years would expect. Avoid and...

I am writing this review as I wrote a private review that was sent to the Newbridge on usk and I received no reply. I booked this evening away for my husbands birthday Firstly we arrive at the hotel and were greeted nicely and were seated for the Sunday lunch that was booked for 1 o’clock. It was very cold and through our lunch it felt like we were in a canteen with staff constantly in and out of a swing kitchen door and running up and down a spiral stair case with plates of food and drinks. It definitely didn’t feel like we were in a AA rosette restaurant. Our table was definitely in the wrong place. Our starters were very nice but my main Beef sirloin was very fatty and I couldn’t eat it. So I ate my vegetables. The member of staff asked did I wanted another one but it was too late then my husband had finished his food. Nobody came to ask if we would like another drink after the first one we had to try and get the staff’s attention. We then had dessert that was lovely. We then went to the lounge hoping it was warmer. It wasn’t as the staff were going through a fire door and leaving it open so I got up to close it. The lounge needed a bit of love as sitting on the windowsill was a large glass dusty vase and a vase with very tired plastic daffodils. Very sad for a 4 star hotel. The leather seats had seen better days. Felt like we were in a waiting room not a hotel lounge. There was entertainment there from 1 o’clock until 3.30 pm that was excellent. Our bill for Sunday lunch came up £160 and the manager said he had taking off my starter because of my main meal. A bit bizarre as my starter was lovely. |Off to our room which was very cosy and tastefully decorated. We went up to the main resort in the evening as the Newbridge on usk only served Sunday lunch all day until 8 in the evening. I did ask if there was anything else we could eat but there wasn’t and no room service. |our evening was lovely. Had a few drinks in the cocktail bar then ate in the grill restaurant nice food lovely staff and transport was provided with the shuttle service. We went back to mulberry bar had a few more drinks and watched the great entertainment into 11.30. |We left then and asked concierge to order a taxi. It came in 20 mins but cost £26 as there is no transport back to the Newbridge on usk. Our breakfast in the morning was only continental as only one member of staff there. She was lovely and very helpful. We wouldn’t stay there again but would stay in...

Nice spot by a slightly ironically named old bridge over the river Usk. The Newbridge Inn is much more of a restaurant than a pub nowadays, as seems to be the case for most places in the area. It's quite a nice interior, with tables nicely spaced out, and a spiral staircase leading up to a galleried first floor, with exposed beams in the roof above. We had a really good sized table for our group of five, in front of a large bay window, with views down to the river. It was actually fairly quiet on the Sunday lunchtime when we went, but there's a large terrace outside and I can imagine it's popular on sunny days.

As for the actual food, it was fairly small menu on offer for Sunday lunch, I think just four or perhaps five main courses to choose from - usually quite a good sign. I started with the broccoli and stilton soup which was perfectly fine. The vegetarian main was a dish of gnocchi, and whilst personally I'm always a bit disappointed when the vegetarian Sunday lunch option isn't something that comes with all the trimmings (roast potatoes etc) it was at least a bit of a break from the tediously ubiquitous risotto, and a bit more interesting than just a straightforward pasta dish. At my request they were happy to do it without the advertised Parmesan (I don't understand why restaurants all over insist on using this cheese made with non-vegetarian rennet for vegetarian options). The gnocchi themselves had quite an earthy flavour to them which was interesting - I suspect they baked the potatoes to make the mash rather than boil them, and they were probably a decent floury potato like a King Edward. The sauce was a creamy sauce using some oriental mushrooms (I'm glad they didn't commit the usual crime of mislabelling these as "wild" mushrooms), topped with some rocket. Nothing wildly adventurous, but points for well executed gnocchi.

The staff were very pleasant, and, presumably a one off - we were offered a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival. At £20 for three courses it seemed like...