Macdonald Berystede Hotel & Spa, Windsor And Eton Suite

Our stay at the hotel was a bit of a mixed experience. The hotel itself is in a beautiful location, and I can imagine it would be an ideal wedding venue. The atmosphere was lovely, and our room had everything we needed, though we couldn’t find a hairdryer—perhaps it was available on request. There was no bottled water in the room, but it was available on tap in the hallway. The bed was comfortable, which was a plus. We didn’t have time to check out the spa or swimming facilities, so we can’t comment on those. The biggest disappointment of our stay was our dining experience at the Acanthus Restaurant. We sat down at 8 PM, and our order was taken at around 8:20 PM. Our starters didn’t arrive until 9 PM, and we had to chase for our drinks, which eventually came a few minutes later. Other couples who arrived after us were served much faster, with their drinks, starters, and mains all arriving in a reasonable time, while we were left waiting. At 10 PM, we asked again about our food and were told they would check, but no one ever came back with an update. Finally, at 10:15 PM, our mains arrived. My steak, which I had asked for medium, was so overcooked it was like chewing on a car tyre, while my partner’s chips were undercooked. When the waitress cleared our plates and asked how the food was, I told her it wasn’t great and the wait had been unacceptable, but she said nothing and just walked away. We asked for the bill as we didn’t want to risk waiting even longer for dessert. No apology was given, and there was no gesture of goodwill for the poor experience. Breakfast the next morning wasn’t much better. We ordered breakfast in bed, but the scrambled eggs were a sloppy consistency, the toast was cold, the tea was cold, and the so-called “pastry basket” was just three mini croissants on a plate. Overall, the hotel itself was lovely, but the dining experience really let it down. The service in the restaurant was slow and dismissive, and the food quality didn’t match expectations. If the restaurant service and food were improved, this could be a fantastic place to stay, but based on our experience, I wouldn’t return for the dining.

Disappointing Experience – Unhygienic, Outdated, Poor Service and unreliable. We booked a spa experience for Sunday, only to have it cancelled on short notice—completely unprofessional. After a heated conversation with the manager, they finally honoured our booking, but I wish they hadn’t. The rooms were straight out of the 1990s—outdated, dirty, and poorly maintained. We found blood stains on the pillowcases and skid marks in a toilet that wouldn’t even flush. The morning spa staff were shockingly rude, and the entire facility was filthy. Mosquitoes and dragonflies hovered near the pool, the showers reeked of urine, and there wasn’t even a proper clothes dryer available. The cupboards and doors were broken, and the place looked like it hadn’t been cleaned or maintained in years. The TV in our room was from 2008, and despite booking for two people, we were charged an extra £75 for a child….. our room had three beds and the manager mentioned it should be fine to bring the child free of charge on the phone. On top of that, they refused to let us use the facilities the next day because they were “too busy,” according to the spa reception staff. The only saving grace was the food, which was decent but extremely overpriced. Overall, I’d rate this place a generous two stars at best. The staff, especially the assistant reception manager, were rude, unhelpful, and completely unprofessional. Do not be fooled by the charming “English country” appearance—this place is a health hazard. I left genuinely worried I’d catch athlete’s foot from the filthy floors. There are far better spas out there—avoid this one at all costs.