Lincolnshire: Standard/Superior Double for Two with Breakfast and Optional Dinner Allowance at The Barn Hotel & Spa

Our honest review of our weekend…. My partner & I received a lovely weekend away with a murder mystery dinner at this wonderful hotel. We checked in at 16:00 after travelling 5 hours to get here and to be welcomed with a smile from the reception already made it seem worth the 5 hour drive. She was so accommodating and pointed us in the directions of where everything is. The receptionist also told us when we arrived that the spa facilities were at full capacity and to try again in a few hours. Once we got to the rooms, they were huge but had dated and bland decor. There wasn’t much colour at all but we weren’t that fussed. The room had good water pressure (it’s the little things that make to trip) it also came with an ironing board, kettle and a hairdryer which is a massive bonus. The room had a lovely view looking onto the fields. At around 18:30 we went down to the bar force drink and it was quite busy in there. (There were lots of options for drinks) So we brought our drinks and sat in the library which I think has the most personality within the whole hotel. At 17:00, it was time for a murder mystery dinner. This is an event which the hotel hosts for guests. The suite where it was held had a separate bar from other guests and I could not fault the barmaid, she was very lovely and remembered what we ordered throughout the night an all we had today was “same again please” and she honestly made it such a lovely evening for us. We found our table and sat with other couples ready for the mystery to begin. Onto the 3 course meal, as a starter we had pate & crackers (on the basic side.) Our main was lovely, pork belly, veg and mash potatoes (could’ve done with two portions though.) The dessert was a homemade raspberry rolly-polly and it was delicious! Now onto the murder mystery itself, we couldn’t stop laughing the whole night, the actors were amazing and very talented. However, it would’ve been easier for us if the “evidence” was on the table instead of having to keep getting up and down to look at it on the walls. After the murder mystery, they had a DJ “Dangerous Dave” which went on from 22:00-00:00 and accommodated all ages with his tunes. The next day, we woke up and went down for breakfast, this was included in the deal we had. It was small buffet with bacon, eggs, sausages and beans. It also had a couple pastries and a choice of toasts and cereals. Overall, we had a lovely time here and without the murder mystery meal I don’t think we’d have the same experience, it really topped off our stay. If I was to make any changes it would to have a booking system for the spa with time slots to ensure all guests have the chance to use the facilities (as we didn’t get chance as they were at full capacity the whole time we were there) and add a bit of personality to the rooms. We couldn’t fault the staff and their hospitality, they were all so friendly and accommodating!

Tired and outdated Very dated! Reception staff were incredibly unhelpful on the phone and stated there wasn't any rooms available but we had previously checked on the website which said there was, on double checking the staff managed to get us booked in with some relunctance. The bar, restaurants and seating areas are clean and modern but that's the only area that was. Our room was spacious but could have done with some modernisation, the sealant around the shower was broken and mouldy, there were holes in the walls that could have been filled. Plus there was an annoying humming sound from the heating or something that went on throughout the night and made sleeping almost impossible. The carpets were dirty throughout the hallways and coming apart along the stairs. The gym was closed for refurbishment so they had moved minimal equipment into three of their smaller hotel rooms. The pool was nice and clean apart from some of the outer flooring coming apart. The jacuzzi was working but dated. Had clearly been painted and worn off over time and could do with being replaced. The spa staff member was incredible friendly and helpful and was a credit to the company. The food was exquisite throughout our stay. We got this as a gift and overall enjoyed ourselves there but only because we hadn't paid for it.

Great night with minor moans. Booked in for Burns Night, dinner and bed & breakfast. Great entertainment from the band and the piper. Lovely food. Yes, the room (902) was a bit dated (windows could do with replacing), but fine for an overnight and the room was clean, quiet and the beds comfortable. Didn't like the bathroom sink tap which only allowed you to control the water flow of the cold water. Any warm or hot water came out at full blast and bounced out of the sink and wet your trousers! It would be nice if the breakfast restaurant staff smiled sometimes and greeted guests when passing in the corridors. A little thing that goes a long way to making guests feel welcome. It would have been a 5 star rating if it weren't for these minor points and the fact that the lift broke down before we went up to bed on the first floor as my wife has mobility issues and struggled with the stairs. Although, to be fair, we didn't mention this when booking. Bar staff, reception, waiting staff in the evening and the lady who booked us in to breakfast were all friendly and helpful and we'll be back!