January 2024 by Andy E
We had booked a double suite for two nights, 14th and 15th December. Someone called Tim called us mid-morning of the 15th to say there was a ?room swap?. We were out for the day and this came as a complete surprise to us. Tim stated that there was another guest booked into that suite and we would have to be moved to another, cheaper room. He then went on to say that they had only just noticed this situation that morning and we should have been notified of this by booking.com. At no time were we notified of this by anyone, and if we had known, we probably would have chosen to stay elsewhere from the beginning. We were not told about this alleged ?room swap? when we were checked in by Tim the day before. Tim said that there was nothing he could do. I asked about refunding the price difference from a suite to a double room and he said they could not do that because we had not booked the suite directly with the hotel, we would have to contact booking.com to refund the difference. I explained that this was obviously a hotel booking mistake and that he would have to resolve it. We arrived back at the hotel later that morning to find out what was going on and spoke to the owner, Jason Kalen, on the phone who also stated that we should have been notified of the change. We were very unhappy at this situation and requested a refund for the night of the 15th as we were clearly not getting what we had already paid for. His initial response was to contact booking.com for the refund because, as had been stated earlier, we had not booked directly with the hotel and there was nothing he could do. He then said, that "as a favour" he would refund us the 2nd night less a 20% booking fee. We considered this offer unacceptable. Upon going upstairs, we were surprised to find the door to the suite open and all of our belongings missing. There was a housekeeper in the suite cleaning the bathroom for another guest checking in to the suite. She told us that, at the managers request, she had moved all of our belongings; clothes, toiletries, underwear and personal items; to another, smaller, room. She was clearly uncomfortable at having had to do this and stated that in over ten years, she had never been asked to move personal belongings before. She said that it was not something that is done in the industry. Having seen this, we gathered our belongings and left the hotel. The manager was noticeably absent when we left, despite me asking for him so he could explain himself and his actions. At no time were we notified of any ?room-swap? by anyone. It is my belief that this was a manufactured excuse to try and cover up a double-booking by the hotel. If this so-called notification exists, I would like to see a copy of it. At no time did we receive an apology or an adequate reason for this situation. In all honesty, I found Tim's attitude arrogant, unhelpful, but above all, unprofessional. All they presented were obstacles, not once was a reasonable resolution, or apology, suggested or offered. Clearly there is a noticeable difference in the service offered to guests that have booked directly with the hotel, and those that booked through booking.com. Odd, considering that their own website directs guests to reserve a room through booking.com.
January 2024 by 950herbc
Met up with a friend for a dog walk and stopped here for lunch. Really lovely old pub atmosphere, we were really impressed with the Sunday dinner roast here. The beef roast was cooked to perfection and plenty, the roasties were crispy and cooked right. The Yorkshire puddings were perfect and mouth watering good. Obviously a popular place on Sunday as there were lots of people in for lunch. Staff were friendly and attentive. Highly recommended.
December 2023 by joannecA5141TE
My friend and l had the best pre Christmasy experience lunch today.. the deco was so cheerful and inviting, the fires were lit and the welcome we had was lovely. We were looked after and cheerfully entertain. We couldn?t fault our meal, though a little more expensive every penny was well spent on quality and quality of our dishes, it was imply divine and the mulled wine just made it all perfect. Thank you for making us so welcome and coming up to the bar of excellence! Joanne & Ruth
November 2023 by DetroitC
Great stay, great food, great service, cozy bar and friendly atmosphere. The staff work hard to ensure you have a comfortable stay. The room was warm and inviting. You have to remember this is a very, very old building and adjust your expectations accordingly, if you do that you will have a great time and wake up to a really nice, well cooked and prepared breakfast. Oh ?? and don?t forget to have the cheese soufflé for your starter at dinner.
November 2023 by Jrobinson21
We chose The Marlborough as the venue for our date night based on the great sounding menu online and it was rather easy to book a table online. On arrival we were seated swiftly and our drinks order was taken. While waiting longer than I?d expect for our beers to arrive, our ears were raped with the sounds of cheesy country & western as we took in the décor which I assumed was designed by someone who had previously ran an 1800?s saloon in mid-west Texas. The pints arrived, and very nice pints they were - Madri?s with a dash which I highly recommend. Our food order was taken, disappointingly there were no fillet steaks available so we had to opt for sirloin as a substitute. Our starters appeared in good time, which were fresh and very tasty, then our mains appeared and it was at this time that it all went downhill. I?m no professional chef but it?s really not that difficult to cook a piece of meat well, however, it appears the chef at The Marlborough really struggles with this. There was almost zero sear on either of them and the fat wasn?t rendered, seasoning was non existent and quite frankly they resembled what I can only describe as the flesh of someone?s Nan - tough and grey. The sauces were far too thin and I thought the half a tomato was rather 80?s. The chips, however, were good - something the chef is clearly competent at cooking. Following this we opted to not stay for dessert and instead necked our bottle of wine (which was a good temperature but tasteless), pay up and leave. The service from the waiting staff was good and for this reason I didn?t quibble the inclusive 10% service charge. All in all I could have gone to Lidl and bought a couple of steaks, all the trimmings and a bottle of wine for a fraction of the cost and produced a far superior meal at home and for this reason we unfortunately won?t be returning to The Marlborough.
November 2023 by Sarah J
Booked 3 rooms here for 2 nights and we weren't disappointed. Staff were so friendly and made us feel welcome straight away. The landlord was really friendly and very funny. Zoe, the landlady worked so hard, coming in at 8am and not leaving until gone 11.30 pm. Always smiling and full of conversation. We had a meal there on the 2nd night, food was so good. I had crispy Chilli beef to start. I honestly can't recommend this enough! My sister in law and I wanted to finish the night with a cocktail. Luke, the barman suggested martini expresso. Try this cocktail! Gorgeous!! Luke was very chatty, and made such an effort to make our stay enjoyable. Lots of the staff there seem to be long term friends, and it really shows through the atmosphere there, warm, welcoming, entertaining. I stayed in the Library room, very spacious and clean. It is directly above the bar, so don't expect silence! I personally love the noise of people downstairs chit chatting away. There were 2 other staff I remember talking with, Billy, who was a pleasure to talk with, and I'm afraid I don't know the other guys name, but he booked us in, I think he may have cooked too. I just want to say a big thank you to all the staff for making our weekend such a pleasurable one x and not forgetting their furbabies! 2 beautiful chocolate labs!
October 2023 by Getaway676898
I knew The Sun many moons ago and returned this summer to find it delightfully reincarnated as The Marlborough. That occasion was just for lunch. My impression earlier this summer was good enough to have me leap at the possibility of staying a night and enjoying another meal or two. I was not disappointed. This place shows up all the faults of most other 'pubs with rooms'. The service is characterful and professional. The food is top notch. The atmosphere is lovely. The standard of linen, towels, trays etc in rooms is far better than most. In short, these people know what they are doing and create a happy place in the process.
September 2023 by jazebtay
This is a great spot for lunch in Marlborough - very friendly staff, delicious hearty food and a good menu! We had baguettes and salad - the baguettes were full to the brim and came with a generous portion of fries. We would certainly return.
August 2023 by EdPUsername
Outstanding ribs?fell off the bone & a wonderful spot on the High Street?Waygu burger was also reported as excellent but the recipient was not for sharing!
August 2023 by Rema52
Lovely food, friendly staff, attractive interior. I highly recommend the salmon as a main. The only minus was our placement: with a reservation the three of us were placed at a table for two.
August 2023 by T6617MUpaulm
We went to The Marlborough for a family Sunday lunch for 6 people. We went on Sunday 6th August, we had a great time, great food and service. You should try the Crispy Chilli Beef absolutely delicious. The service was second to none by the staff being attentive but not intrusive. A wonderful meal and experience.
June 2023 by Pablo V
I went back to the Marlborough to try the new menu. It was a treat once more and impressed my guests so much that they returned the day after for a sunny lunch on the great outdoor restaurant terrace. The Halloumi salad as a starter complemented with a perfectly cooked Swordfish (critical for me) as the main, are my new favorites! My wife had a lovely Tomatoes and Mozzarella starter beautifully presented. Well done team, again, and thank you for the warm welcome. Don't forget to book, it's a sought-after place for proper dining in Marlborough,
June 2023 by Z3532JXjop
Very disappointing visit? We booked this pub for my father in law?s birthday meal. The pub is lovely! To say service was slow is an understatement. There was plenty of staff but everything was very slow. We had to ask for a drink, then had to ask to order our food. The pub wasn?t particularly busy. We ordered one starter which was soup and a warm rustic roll. That took 40 minutes to come out, minus the roll. We then asked for the roll which was neither warm or rustic! 4 x Fish & chips - batter was soggy. Chicken salad Baguette was gross. Chicken was boiled and had absolutely no flavour or colour. Burger & chips (minus the cheese & Bacon) come out with the cheese and bacon. We informed the waitress ? No apology. The burger returns 5 minutes later. Cheese wiped off and turned upside down! You forgot to wipe the cheese off the sides. Luckily for you the request of no cheese was personal choice not an allergy. Burger was over cooked and dry. Burger was removed from bill without us having to ask? I then informed the waiter we would also like the service charge removed due to the long wait for food. Clearly unimpressed and rolled his eyes as he went to amend the bill. I also find it extremely unprofessional when staff who are not actually working go behind the bar to pour their own drinks? then wonder in and out the kitchen with her friends during service.
April 2023 by 00David00
We visited on a mid-week evening and there was a lovely friendly atmosphere. Both the starters and the mains were very good, particularly the steaks which were cooked to perfection.
April 2023 by Chantal k
The service and food was fantastic. We cannot speak highly enough of this amazing place. Friendly, fun and a lovely atmosphere.
