Best Western Appleby Park Hotel

We are Best Western members so use them quite often. We came here for a conference, staying two nights. The meeting room was fine and well lit, except we had to get moved around to accomodate a wedding/party for our dinner. And the coffee provided for our morning and afternoon breaks was foul Overall the hotel is awful. Looks from outside like a Communist era barracks, although public areas are spacious. We needed help with our luggage, but they don't even have a hotel trolley, so a poor girl had to struggle to carry it by hand for us. Food poor quality, premium rooms far too small for the price, more like a cheap downmarket chain than a Best Western. No newspapers available " go to the garage opposite" was their idea of service, One tiny box of water in room. No phone in room for early morning call. No instructions for heating in the room which was freezing when we checked in. The only saving grace was a good proper shower. Dreadful evening meals, including our formal dinner, most of which was overcooked and tasteless, eg tasteless soup, leather crackling with the pork, limp rocket leaves with the pate, places laid forgetting to put out any serviettes, etc Don't forget to log in your car number as they have franchised out the car park with huge fines for non-compliance. No complaint forms available- I wonder why? less

I stay in Best Western all over the country and am a Diamond rewards member. This hotel is close to the company I consult for so have stayed here several times. Firstly I will say that the Staff (when you can find them) are very friendly. The rooms are small, clean but the furniture is basic, the bed is comfortable. Last night I stayed in a standard double room and the cost was £88.73 B&B. I ate in the bar and had Lamb Koftas followed by Chicken and bacon Melt. Which was OK. My main issue is the breakfast. The last few times I have stayed here it has always been poor, but this morning it was the worst I have encountered, As I have a later appointment I went down for breakfast at just before 9. (breakfast is served until 9:30). I stood for quite a time "waiting to be seated". Orange juice - Dispenser virtually empty. Coffee- Thermos pump flask - Stewed muddy and cold. Had to resort to a sachet of Nescafe! Milk Dispenser - virtually empty, I was told to tilt it to get a dribble of milk out. While I was there this was never filled, I had to tell two guests to tilt it! No Staff anywhere to ask. Tiny cold Croissants- eventually a waitress appeared and I ask if they could warm a couple up for me. This was obviously a difficult question as she had to ask in the kitchen. They arrived soggy after being put in the microwave. Cooked Food - Gave this a miss as it looked very dried up with eggs like shoe leather. Toast - 2 Crusts left in the basket rock hard. No staff anywhere to ask.Waited again for several minutes and eventually new bread was brought out. The choice of cold items is very poor. Contrast this with my previous night at the Best Western in Widnes. Beautiful room, Great food. Breakfast - huge choice lovely warm croissant. Hot food cooked to order which was amazing. Fresh brewed coffee. All for £88.40 Just less than Appleby! How can there be so much difference at virtually the same price? There is a PremierInn nearer to the company I was at so I think as much as I hate them I would be better off there in future. less

Staff I thought were really friendly, clean room. The food was ok , the bar a bit dull although spacious. Location isolated, handy for motorway junction, although old English village down the road pleasant, stroll with 2 pubs. less

Stayed for 1 night as part of a National Holidays mystery weekend. The hotel reception and bar area is clean and well presented. It's also where you're going to eat as part of the trip. The room we had was clean but desperately needing a refresh. The bed was incredibly soft. Positive points it was very quiet and the curtains kept out any light. The food was in a word - appalling. The hotel puts on a set menu for National Holidays customers and clearly are working to a limited budget. Starter option was either soup or fruit juice. We had the soup which was very watery tomato. The main was cottage pie, fish or but roast. We had the cottage pie which was disgusting. It tasted like it had used very cheap, fatty mince. Dessert was better with a choice of cheesecake or jam sponge. Breakfast was also much better as you're given the same choices as other hotel guests. less

Clearly a business hotel for which I attended 3 days of meetings there. On the 2nd day we had to move our meeting room 3 times which was an absolute pain since we had a great deal of kit to move each time. Worst aspect for our group was the food for our dinner. First night the fish was awful - cold, overcooked and with poor side dishes. The fish even started to run out despite us ordering several hours in advance! We had to ask for napkins as none were provided - they merely put some paper ones from the bar in the middle of the table for us. Second night the standard improved somewhat although our bread rolls came several minutes after the starter had been served. I feel the staff did their best and the problem (quality, variety of food on offer and staff ability) was all down to management. Our bedroom was clean but one of the bed side tables had fallen off the wall and had not been replaced, and the bed was far too soft for a good nights sleep. Toilet rolls were not replaced by the cleaners (we stayed 2 nights.), and additionally there were no toilet rolls at all in the ladies toilet in the lobby area! So overall for our group this was not a good experience and we will not be coming back again to this hotel. less