Aldwark Manor Golf & Spa Hotel

We are a family of 4 (from Ireland) with kids aged 12 & 15. Been coming to the Aldwark for 4-5 nights annually since 2022 as its a great base for touring within a 100 mile radius. Exceptional hotel, with lovely location, rooms and Breakfast. Special note on the breakfast which is fantastic. We occasionally dine in the Bunkers and have dined in Elements in the evening also.

I first visited this hotel 20 years ago for my hen party and we loved it back then. However 20 years later we’ve returned and it’s quite an exception place now! It’s quadrupled in size and has so much to explore from the well manicured grounds, to the spa with an outdoor hydro pool, a gorgeous bar with beautiful terrace overlooking the gardens and a golf course with a sports bar. It was stunning in the English sunshine and I imagine it’s magical in the winter. We stayed in a junior suite as we like a bit of luxury and space. The room overlooked the gardens which are stunning with a large bathroom - slipper bath and large walk in shower plus a mirrored dressing room area. Bed was firm but actually very comfortable, plus it was a Superking so very spacious. I will say the rooms do vary in size, price and views so your experience will ultimately depend on the choices you make but we think this place is worth splashing out for. We’re very picky and the suite we had, spa experience and restaurant we are in all exceeded our expectations. One small caveat would be the outdoor hydro pool was uncomfortably hot. Not sure if we would pay to use the outdoor spa area again as we used the indoor pool and steam/sauna rooms more. It’s a shame as it’s a beautiful space but in this summer heat it was oppressive. In the winter I imagine it’s lovely. A big thank you to Kieran in the spa for taking great care of us with cocktails, ice water and good info on the hotel! We ate in Elements restaurant which is large and beautifully decorated. Windows overlooking the golf course with a mixture of tables and booths. The artwork is both quirky and enticing! Someone there has a great eye for interiors and upholstery. It’s all very well executed throughout the entire hotel and very high end. The food in Elements was wonderful, well presented and the service was lovely too. All of the staff we encountered were so nice. Shout out to Tony who looked after us in the bar and restaurant, he was fab! Funny and informative (plus two other young men on Tues 11th also served us in the restaurant but I didn’t catch their names. They were also brilliant!) very professional and attentive. So a shout out them as well. I was actually amazed by the previous review as we had great service and thoroughly enjoyed our food! Thank you also to Andrew for a tour of the grounds and facilities. All in all we had a truly relaxing, luxurious stay and we’ll definitely be back. It’s not often we’re blown away by a place but we absolutely loved it! Thank you for making our 20th wedding anniversary a one to remember!

We booked a package that included dinner and overnight stay and use of the spa the following morning. Check in was good and the room ok apart from the shower didn't drain very well and you had to keep turning the shower off so the shower didn't overflow. Dinner in Elements was a let down, the food was good but the service was some of the worst i've experienced in what is described as a 2 AA Rosette restaurant. We sat for 30 minutes before someone asked if we wanted a drink, we ordered a bottle of red wine which came with one red wine glass and one white wine glass! I asked for some more sourdough bread with my liver parfait and the manager huffed at me and pulled a face before he went to get it. Tables either side of us were left for an hour with dirty dishes and not removed until we said something to the manager. We called the manager over to complain about the service and he just agreed with us and said it will get better over time! As a way of saying sorry he offered to remove the discretionary service charge. Wow! The spa was ok but nothing special and they have a ridiculous extra charge of £25 per person to use a small outdoor thermal pool which would be complimentary at any other spa. The spa also said they had run out of robes and slippers and expected you to just walk round the facility including the dining area and to and from the massage area in just your swimwear. We escalated this and they managed to find us 2 sets eventually. For a one night stay including dinner and use of the spa facility and a massage for two this cost just short of £600, this is really overpriced for what the hotel offers. To put in perspective the same package currently at Rudding Park is quite a bit cheaper and i think Rudding Park is way ahead of Aldwark in every department. It's a pity as our first stay here 3 years ago was really good hence we decided to return. I can't see us coming back again.