Retreat East, Potting Shed

Close but not quite Booked a three-night break just before Christmas to unwind and savor some delectable cuisine. The room was fantastic—comfortable, warm, and spacious. I opted for the extra £60 per night for a room with a fireplace, but I was surprised to find that it only came with about 40 minutes of smoke-free firewood. Any additional firewood had to be paid for separately—it was the only place I’ve ever stayed where the fuel for the fire was an additional expense. The spa facility had its ups and downs. You had to book a slot in advance, which was fine, but the hot tub was tepid, all the showers were out of order, the steam room only had emergency lighting, and the sauna was completely dark. The restaurant was a highlight. The food was fantastic, but unlike the introductory videos, there was never a fire lit in the dining room. When I asked for a fire to be lit so I could enjoy a bottle of wine, the staff said it couldn’t be done because the room would get too hot. When I mentioned this issue to the receptionist, they suggested that I send an email. That was an interesting front-of-house technique. The hotel has a lot of potential, and with a bit of refinement, it could easily compete with the established Cotswold hotels, The Pig and others. However, for the current price point, we would have expected a higher level of polish and service.