Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel

If you enjoy working out in a gym that doubles as a sauna in the Summer you will love it. Air conditioning has been broken for last 2 yrs in the gym and there are a couple of fans to blow the hot air around instead. Good side of it is the gym is empty during hot weather as a result. Staff say keep complaining and it might get looked into. Management too tight to sort it. Wont be renewing membership

Run down, in need of renovation in the rooms, very uncomfortable beds, dirty rooms, restricted pool times for kids, WiFi didn’t work in our room, was meant to get 10% off when booking, didn’t get it so contacted customer services, 3 weeks later and still no response. Definitely not the best MacDonald hotel in the group 👎

Very disappointing stay – not what we expected We arrived for a one-night family stay which also included spa treatments. The spa treatment itself was okay, but unfortunately, the rest of our experience at the hotel was extremely disappointing. On arriving at the main hotel to check in, our first impression was that the property was very outdated and old-fashioned. The welcome at reception was also not particularly warm or welcoming. When we later went to our room, the condition of the hotel continued to be disappointing. We had booked a Deluxe King room, & a standard king room. but the room was extremely dated, with floral furniture and soft furnishings, peeling paint on the walls and a bathroom that had mould around the silicone and clear signs of water damage on the ceiling. The television was very old and basic, and the wardrobes were chipped, with one even having a missing door. There was also a diffuser in the room, which was completely empty and had dusty sticks in it. As part of the upgrade, we had specifically been told over the phone that Elemis bathroom products and complimentary bottled water would be provided. Neither was in the room. When we raised this with the manager and showed him photographs of the issues, he apologised and explained that they had run out of the Elemis products and should no longer have been advertising them. However, these had been specifically promised to us when we booked the upgraded room. The second room was very basic only tea and coffee in room and strong smell of peppermint as soon as opened the door. The manager offered us food from the menu and drinks for the family that evening and a 50% refund as a gesture of goodwill, which we appreciated. However, when we went to the restaurant and had our first round of drinks, we were subsequently told by another member of staff that we would now have to pay for anything further. We were also told that the manager we had originally spoken to had finished his shift, so there was no way of discussing what had been agreed with him. Unfortunately, things then became much worse. One of the drinks ordered was a Jack Daniel’s and Coke. When the drink was handed to us and went to drink we noticed that the glass had a large jagged gash — approximately two inches — running along the top rim. We immediately pointed this out to the bar staff, who took the drink away and replaced it. However, despite us originally having a double, the replacement was only a single and that was given with attitude by member of staff called Jack. What was particularly upsetting was the attitude we received. It felt as though we were being treated as if we had somehow caused the damage ourselves. When I asked if I could take a photograph of the damaged glass for my review, the member of staff claimed he could not find it, despite us seeing him put it down. He then went as far as saying to my husband, “Actually, I saw you smash this yourself.” This accusation was completely unacceptable and extremely upsetting. We had absolutely no reason to smash the glass, and we immediately reported the crack as soon as we noticed it. We asked to speak to the manager and requested that the CCTV be checked. The manager who came to speak to us appeared shocked by the way we had been spoken to and by the accusation, and we received an apology. We were told that the general manager we had spoken to earlier would speak to us again the following morning. The next morning, we went to reception, but the manager had not yet started his shift. We were then told that we would receive a 50% refund, which was what had originally been discussed. However, after everything that happened during our stay, particularly the accusation made against my husband, we felt that a full refund would have been much more appropriate. We eventually met the manager outside as we were leaving. He said he would contact me regarding the matter, but I am still waiting for that contact. Overall, what should have been a relaxing family night away turned into an extremely disappointing experience. The condition of the hotel and room was nowhere near what we expected, promised upgrade items were missing, the service was inconsistent, and the accusation made over the cracked glass was particularly upsetting. The biggest disappointment is that, despite raising our concerns several times and being told we would be contacted, we are still waiting. Based on our experience, we unfortunately would not return or recommend this hotel.