Macdonald Dunkenhalgh Hotel

I thought this was a great hotel. Beautiful grounds with cows in the pastures right next door, very attentive and friendly staff (with the exception of one guy at the front desk who I thought was rather rude), historic building, excellent food, great gym/pool/spa. All in all, I enjoyed my stay very much. I arrived at the hotel early in the morning after flying all night and asked if I could check in early, as I had requested prior to the trip. I was told my room wasn't ready at first, and then was told I could have a room at the top of the grand staircase. I went there to take a nap and the room was literally 100 degrees with no A/C and windows that opened one inch (it was probably 60 degrees outside at that time). I suspect that room is one they don't typically rent out... After changing rooms (6 hours later when my room was ready), I was much happier. Beware that the rooms don't have A/C and if it's warm out--as it was when I was there---it can get pretty warm in the rooms. Open windows help but then it's hard to sleep in the morning with the birds in the trees at 4am. All in all, I enjoyed the hotel with the exception of the guy at the front desk, but the rest of the staff was just excellent.

I would have given this hotel 5 stars out of 5 - the food in the awrd-winning restaurant was fabulous, the rooms were lovely and the staff extremely helpful, however I knocked one point off for the distance of my room to everything else - the place is HUGE and from the pool, i walked all the way to my room on the other side of the hotel, then realised i'd forgotten something and had to walk all the way back and then all the way back to my room again and was exhausted (good job there was a spa to relax in!). The bed was really comfortable, the whole hotel was really clean and i had a facial in the spa which was fantastic! I would deffo go back again.

Me and my boyfriend booked a weekend through Superbreak, at a cost of £35 a night (including breakfast.) It was pouring when we arrived and we had to park out the back, (which is a bit of a walk to reception.) However, when we got towards the door a member of staff came out with an umberella for us. We then checked in, it wasn't too busy but they couldn't seem to find our reservation. I really started to panic but it wasn't a problem as they put us into a deluxe room at no extra cost! The room was spacious and very clean and the food we ordered from room service was delicious. The restaurant the next evening was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely. I have no idea why people are complaining about breakfast, it was perfect! The Spa facilities were great and all of the staff were nice. A really good weekend I would say.

Unfriendly and unsmiling staff. Room considerable distance from reception - including walking between buildings - but no offer of assistance. Despite making booking 10 days earlier, room was changed at last minute and staff were still in the room when I arrived. The room was large but sparsely furnished. No information in the room about restaurant menus or services within the hotel or nearby places of intertest apart from the room service menu. Room service menu is limited and the order of a salad and a club sandwich with a bottle of wine took 40 minutes, although we were informed on ordering that it would be a staggering 55 minutes. Food was scant and tasteless. Wine at £18 was a screwtop rather than corked. Breakfast food was good but in a room only a third full, we were told we had to wait 10 minutes for a table. Very unorganised breakfast manager who spent more time speaking abruptly to staff than looking after guests. Made sure we ate out on the second night. Finally, the reception area does not seem geared up for such a large hotel.

Stayed here with my company for a work xmas party. The hotel is 'nice' and it does have a few special parts (like the grand staircase). However the hotel is def not a 4* (3 and a half I would say). The food was average for the xmas party - had much better though! The service was pretty good, and staff friendly. Nothing at all wrong with the rooms, just good standard, clean and nicely furnished. One thing I would warn if you are prone to feeling the cold, the public areas of this hotel are FREEZING. Sadly had to cover up my pretty party dress with a big shawl as the draft was terrible throughout the whole ground floor. Staff blamed the smokers coming in and out....... Also, on the sunday when we were leaving, a xmas fair was on in the ballroom AND a wedding in the next room. Felt very sorry for the wedding party as the place was teeming, no privacy, and I can't imagine the bride would have enjoyed the struggle to get up the driveway de to the cars everywhere!

This hotel pressed all the right buttons for me. The staff were extremely helpful, very friendly and efficient and looked very smart in their uniforms. Check-in and checking out were a breeze. The food in the restaurant was good, if pricey ( £36 including bottled water and orange juice) - but the fillet steak was honestly the best I have ever tasted - and I've tasted plenty - and the buffet-style breakfast was good too. Although a bit maze-like, the spa section was excellent - heated pool really means heated here, not tepid! The sauna and steam rooms were spacious, I'd guess the sauna could probably seat 20 people. Not a little box sauna then! Great staff again. The bedroom had separate shower and bath, separate ironing board and trouser press, free water on arrival and a good selection of tea-making supplies. There was a fluffy bathrobe in the spacious wardrobe and the toiletries were all French and smelt like toiletries should. Magnifique! The room was in the new wing and a bit of a walk, but hardly a major problem. The view from my window was over woodland, so I was very happy with the room, compared to many other hotel rooms I've stayed in. The room price was reasonable, but drinks were a little pricey. Taxi to/from the Railway station cost about £5. In summary, a great find and I hope I do get to stay there again. I would probably stop off here en route to somewhere else.

We booked our wedding in July 2005 and I planned everything to the smallest detail. The hotel was very helpful and obliging and couldnt do enough for us. We were assigned a Master of Ceremonies who looked after us all day and everything went to plan. The ceremony, meal, reception and buffet were all of a high standard and everyone loved it. Our bridal suite was fantastic and we felt very speical! Downsides and my only complaint were the Townley Suite restrooms were being refurbished and were closed. They did however open the rooms directly above for the use of my guests.... but for our elderly guests who couldnt climb stairs it was a long troop to the bathroom. The suite had just been redecorated so it was very nice indeed! I like this hotel and staff as nothing was too much trouble. I wrote them a list of things I wanted them to do for us on our special day and they were very helpful and did everything we asked of them! I have stayed a number of times and have enjoyed each visit. The staff our welcoming and helpful. The facilities are excellent esp the spa and pool.... very relaxing! I would reccomend this hotel to anyone!

I have just the spent the weekend at this hotel and I have to say that it just wasnt what it used to be. I decided to pay a little extra for the executive rooms of the hotel but I have to say that I wasnt too pleased. On arrival at the hotel you are met by a really grand old building and it was nice to see a wedding ceremony going off as well but I didnt expect to have to walk right through a party to get to me room...the walk to the new wing isnt the easiest..through a bar and then a a long outdoor walk way and then through a maze of long corridoors and finally u get to the new wing. The room was big but really lacked any character...I felt that all of the furninture had been pushed in the corners and it left a gaping hole in the middle..there was very little room to get out of bed on the wall side despite there being acres of room on the other side...there was really nothing special at all to comment on...there wasnt a keyboard to do any work on despite a loose wire peeking out behind the tv desk, the sugar tea etc was in a wooden box and clearly nothing had been used for a long time because of the dust and the fact that everything had been squashed in and was now all over the place...the two bottles of water were read hot after they were placed in the direct sun light inches away from the window. Breakfast was included in our package so we took advantage of it...we found it to be very busy and because it wasnt a buffett hote breakfast u were limited to how many pieces of bacon u cud have..there were plenty fruits but the croissant, muffin side of things wasnt great...because of how busy it was we did find that when we had gone up to get some more brekfast our table was cleared and everything had gone withint 2 mns...luckily no-one had been given our table...pretty much same affair the next day...toast was cold within seconds.. After I stayed when it was a Mcdonalds hotel and we were in the courtyard I must say that my experience was better then...our room this weekend could have been anywhere.

Stayed for 2 nights over the weekend and was very impressed. The only complaint I would make was that after checking in we had to trawl our cases through a bar full of guests dressed up for a function. Our room although a way from reception was large and had a view over the lawned garden with two easy chairs and a table. Very large bed and tasteful furnishings made it a lovely relaxing room to be in. The 'blackout' curtains meant I slept way past my normal waking time. The bathroom was spacious and modern and had large and plentiful towels. The food was exquisite, some of the best I have had in hotels and there was a fantastic choice at breakfast to please any taste. Throughly enjoyed the spa facilites and the warm pool and would definitely stay again.

Went overnight with my partner for a get away. The hotel is an attractive castle style building, though the entrance once inside is disappointing considering the grandeur of the exterior. The check in was not a great experience, as the receptionist was on the phone to a friend, and then the only way to our room was round the outside of the building through the rain, or attempting to drag a suitcase through a wedding party of 400 guests having a drink... After that, things were generally lovely. I paid £102 for dinner, bed and breakfast for two people. The deal was on the hotel's website. Our bedroom was in the newer part of the hotel and had been recently refurbished. It was big, clean, attractive and comfortable. Dinner was beautiful, and I found the dining room to be very attractive, and conducive to relaxed and romantic dining. The food was excellent, and the staff were attentive but not intrusive. Drinks are expensive however. The spa facilities were very impressive - an attractive pool and jacuzzi, (though as they are joined you may find the pool too warm or the jacuzzi too cool,) and the steam rooms and sauna etc were very nicely done. Breakfast was good, though the hotel were short staffed, and we had to ask for more glasses and plates, and wait for things to be replenished. (And my soft poached egg, was not soft!!). There was variety though and the quality was good. Overall, the experience was of luxory and relaxation, and the hotel is very easy to find on the motorway network. The only hiccough was right at the end, when the spa treatments we had booked were not available due to staff absence. This was a shame, and I left diappointed, but it did not overall detract from the quality of the spa, hotel and restaurant. I would go back.