The Belfry Hotel & Resort Recensioni 122

The Belfry is expensive and that's okay if the service and quality was excellent, but it isn't. The rooms are tired (mine had no heating or hot water for much of my stay and none of the staff cared). The hotel is currently a building site and will be for some time to come. It is enormous and signposting is hopeless. I was at a conference, which is clearly where they make their money, but I wouldn't go back. On the positive side the food was good especially the breakfast which was a decent buffet (buffets are inherently flawed and often offer luke warm food, but this was as good as they can be given the volume nature).

Response to the Belfry's response: What a load of meaningless rubbish!! You are SO concerned about this that you have taken 6 months to reply. And the reply essentially says "We are disappointed with the review, but don't actually care......because we are adding loads of new things that will make us loads of money in the future from more people we won't actually care about"!

I happen to know the company well who were in before us and suffered no heating at all and ruined their annual meeting. I am just organising my annual Golf Day and the Belfry didn't make the Long List let alone the Short List.

Paying customers don't want meaningless corporate platitudes, they want action and you putting your money where your mouth is.

Highly helpful staff and a beautiful golf course! However, the bar was a bit overcrowded, making it hard to place an order.

Belfry Cambridge

Arrived mid afternoon on a Saturday and no one at front desk for 7 minutes. Rooms noisy on first floor, could do with updating 239 has a cracked basin. Could not open windows fully.
No towels in room which was easily rectified but it felt like planning wasn't their strong point. It was obvious the majority of staff employed here are very young. Various functions were on, one being an 18th birthday party. Lots of rowdy teenagers running up and down the corridors, no security. Fire alarm went off at 4am, no guidance, no communication no fire wardens anywhere.
Smashed glass around stairwells total shambles outside, no one knows what's going on. Apparently no fire but not everyone got out of rooms. The hotel offered 30 minutes extra for breakfast no other compensation for lost sleep and upheaval. Note, no members of staff knocked on doors or checked rooms to see if every customer had left the building, no head count either. If there had of been a fire there could have been fatalities. The receptionist mentioned that police had been called and they were reviewing cctv but she felt the hotel had done all it could for the safety of their customers. That was not the case but she was repeating what she had been told to say, no empathy for the situation and totally wrong attitude for this customer facing job.
At breakfast, food was cold, no salt and pepper on tables and after using the swimming pool only to find that could do with updating we all agreed we would of had a much nicer stay at a premier inn or travel lodge. There is a safety issue here at this hotel, there is no security that we could see and some of the staff would benefit from basic customer care training. Investment in security needs to be addressed if the function rooms are going to allow drunken teenagers to cause havoc and distress for older customers. There was no assistance to people in wheelchairs either it was only the kindness of other people staying at the hotel that these guests got out of the hotel at all. Some were too drunk and were still in their rooms so did not leave the building. What does the Belfry plan to do about this as way of compensation and no we don't want to have reduced rates to stay again. I would not be able to sleep knowing there is no process followed with regards to a fire drill and staff were happy for customers to fend for themselves!

I visited the Belfry for a Spa Day.

The member of staff that welcomed me at the Spa reception was very warm and welcoming.

Whilst having my treatment I could hear conversations taking place in the corridor. In my opinion, a Spa Day is an opportunity to relax and unwind. This did not make for a relaxing experience at all and when I mentioned this to the member of staff that was carrying out my treatment all she did was apologise.

There was no flexibility to alter my treatment either. I had chosen the back massage and facial/scalp massage (which came as a package) but I didn’t want the facial and would have preferred some extra time on my back or scalp massage but the member of staff carrying out my treatment said she could not do this. I regularly visit several Spas a month and this is the first one where they have refused to alter/‘tweak’ a treatment. It’s not like I was asking for a completely different treatment and it’s little things like this that can make all the difference to an experience!

A light lunch was included in my package which was served at Roccos. The food was lovely and they catered very well for my milk allergy. I was so pleased with my milk free chocolate cake… thank you!

Rachel who was working in the Fire and Ice section deserves a special shout out. She was one of the most loveliest and engaging members of staff there. She is a credit to the Belfry and should be recognised for it!

I noticed it started getting quite rowdy after 5.30pm which I was told is when the membership holders start to come in. The whole ambience of the place changed and it did get quite rowdy and foul mouthed at times. I also felt there was a ‘click’ of sorts where everyone seemed to know each other. Spa etiquette certainly didn’t exist after 5.30pm. There was also a child of about age 7/8 in the Jacuzzi despite there being a notice clearly stating no children under the age of 12 are permitted in there. There didn’t seem to be any staff members around to control/address this.

It’s a shame as this place offers all the facilities that I am looking for but there are certain aspects that really need to be looked at to make this place better and more appealing.

Overall it wasn't the worst experience I’ve had and this establishment does have the potential to be outstanding.

Afternoon Tea – Avoid

If you have a food allergy avoid the afternoon tea at The Belfry. They state “we strive to provide accurate information about allergens, cross-contamination, gluten-free options, and vegetarian/vegan choices” but this is definitely not my experience. Pre ordered gluten free and waited 1 hour 20 minutes longer than other guests for my afternoon tea – they had completely forgotten about me. I was finally presented with a sandwich, not presented well and no other savoury options, I was offered a vegan sausage roll as they thought ‘it would be suitable as an alternative’ - it contained gluten! Another guest who was dairy free was offer a crème brulee – it was not dairy free.

The service that was provided to us by The Belfry at this event was shocking and extremely disappointing. I expect an establishment with the reputation such as The Belfry to be fully prepared to cater for all food allergies and staff well prepared/trained – on this occasion they completely let me down, were unprepared and genuinely did not seem to care.

A family afternoon celebration spoilt due to the inadequate service at The Belfry. It took a three week battle to get a refund.

Definitely not a recommended place if you have specific food requirements.

Had the best hot stone massage of my life on Thursday. Emily was so kind and lovely and made me feel like a new woman after my treatment. What I also really enjoyed is Emily gave me a consultation before my massage asking me how I wanted to feel and put oil on my wrists for me to choose the scent. Absolutely 5*

Today my friends and I had the most amazing spa day at the belfry
Kerry did my treatments she is truly the most lovely person and incredible masseuse I have had ever experienced
Well done Kerry for making our day a truly fantastic experience

I came with my cousin and I wanted to celebrate her birthday. I wrote in the notes but didnt receive a response however the receptionist by the name of Nigora at the front desk tried to help us as much as she could, thank you! Was a lovely 1 night stay. Pool is a little small and steam room smells of mould but lovely grounds and room was of a nice size.

Afternoon tea. Awful. Service dreadful. Never again. Should have known better!!

Arrived this morning with 2 friends for a spa day. The belfry did not disappoint. Friendly helpful staff on spa reception, clear directions and printout of our times for treatments and lunch. The day ran perfectly. Very happy with our treatments, ladies were very professional, informative and the treatments put us all in a very relaxed state for rest of the day.
Dinner was set menu, we all picked the same, couldn't fault the food and service...If I had to be picky the food arrived before our drinks but other than that it was spot on.

The fire and ice experience was enjoyed by all, Nin our host was friendly and helpful.

Overall perfect day and we would return.

Gutted but have just come back from a stay and sad to say it will be my last… Ive been coming for a few years now but the last few stays I have been in rooms that have a real damp, mouldy smell. This last stay was the worst. We were in a family room (had booked the family package) and the room smelt so bad I didnt sleep well and woke up feeling really dirty. My son couldnt smell it at first but when he got into bed he could. Its so bad I wonder if there is black damp behind the paper/paint. The room was also incredibly dirty. See pics. There were crumbs in the bed and all over the floor. I did tell the receptionist but she said she could only move us to another room in the building next to us and it will be exactly the same. She was a little patronising and made me feel bad for mentioning it. Last couple of minor bits…
Flies at dinner and at breakfast, lots around the food.
No conditioner and they didnt have any on site. So note that when you see they say they have toiletries that doesnt include conditioner.
You have to pay for anything other then black coffee at breakfast, never ever had to pay for a latte but apparently its a specialty coffee so extra charge of a fiver. Bought a latte in the golf place next to the kids green and it was awful. Had two sips and left the rest.
Despite having the family package I had to ask for the kids golf tickets, the sweet cart tokens etc. it was only because I had read up beforehand that I knew what was included. Oh and the picture shows a teddy and kids activity pack, the two kids with me didnt get anything.
Lots of building work going on at the min. Hoping it will be somewhere new to sleep that will be fresh and clean.
The kids go karts and the stuff on the green are good but not good enough to make us return. £18 each for a childs dinner buffet (not including drinks) is a little extortionate, as is charging a service charge on drinks when you have to go to the bar because nobody serves you. Could be an amazing place but needs work.

I used to be a member and decided to go for a Sunday evening swim with my husband who is still a member. Safe to say I won’t be returning ANY time soon, fire and ice is meant to be members only after 5.30pm however judging by the fact there were that many people in the saunas they were standing up with about 15 people in each sauna. The pool was absolutely rammed with screaming children and foul mouthed adults, and the changing rooms were full of mould, filthy floors and hair everywhere. Clearly they are not interested in maintaining the existing facilities whilst they build new ones.

It was fantastic for the children. The staff were wonderful especially Kerry and Alfie and Callum went beyond what they had to. Fantastic with the kids at archery and go carting

Sadly a poor experience. I organise a small sized golf society. We chose the Belfry for one of our summer dates. As we have a varying skill level and due to the society being relatively new, I decided to ‘test the waters’ with the Derby Course. First of all, I organised this for a Monday and around 5-6 months in advance. We were quoted around £55 per person and there were 22 of us. Unlike other venues, they weren’t open to any sort of negotiation regarding price based on bigger numbers etc. which I accepted at the time as I understood this was a popular and historic establishment. The £55 per person covered the round of golf and a bacon bap with tea/ coffee before hand. This seems fairly reasonable until you read on….

A week or two after paying the deposits etc, it became apparent that the we could book through their website the round of golf itself at £30 per person. I rang and spoke to the person who had arranged the society day with myself to discuss this, only to be told that it’s a mistake and that due to the selected date being in June, the prices actually go up in season etc and that was the reason for this. They did however offer to knock it down to £52.60 per person instead. I somewhat begrudgingly agreed and understood the reasons given and accepted it.

The day comes along. We get there and it became very apparent that there is no care for providing a good experience. This is a money making corporate machine. But again, we, as a group, somewhat accepted this as it’s a popular place and ultimately money is reason these places are running. But then it was brought to my attention that we could still book a round after our tee times at £30 pp. and checked the next week and found a lot of tee times on the derby course at this price. Then we were presented with the worst, most basic bacon sandwiches going. (This next part will sound massively pedantic) not only was the bacon rubbery and undercooked and the baps oversized for the two rashers of bacon per person. But they didn’t even have branded sauces. You can ask any Brit what they have on their bacon bap, and it’s HP brown or Heinz Ketchup.

Anyway, I wanted to complain and found no one around to deal with this prior to our tee times. I decided to make the most of the day and deal with it after.

A few other points to note. The derby course is nothing special. You would get the same experience from your local course. Perhaps you could argue the greens are a little better than a standard local course but that’s about it.

In a society, you generally all want to be able to see all the groups tee off etc until your group. On the derby course, this is not an option as you are required to be ferried down in a mini bus 4 people at a time. This was not made clear beforehand.

I’m sure it’s a different experience on the other two courses which are of course more expensive/ historic and are harder etc. but one thing a few of us noticed while being escorted to the first tee and driving past the Brazabon, was that they appeared to really be squeezing as many people on the course as possible. On the first hole, we could see a group teeing off, a group in the middle of the hole and another on green.

As we teed off, we had a guy coming round and checking our progress etc. but this stopped after around the 5th hole. So by the 10th/11th we were backed up from the various groups ahead of us and it became a 5 and a half hour round. A lot of waiting around.

I attempted to complain after but they had closed up shop except the bar. And no one there was capable of helping (not that it seemed that they wanted to).

I was a bit annoyed and raised this with the organiser a week afterwards when she asked for feedback. (The person I originally organised the society day with had quit it seems so was replaced with another person). I gave some feedback outlining the above. And specifically the fact that we essentially paid £22.60 per person for cup of tea and rubbish bacon sandwich. The lady I spoke with appeared concerned and explained she would like to discuss this over the phone. After several attempts to get through over a week period, it became apparent that the only reason she wanted to call me was to tell me that I was wrong in my feedback and any complaints I had regarding the price and anything discussed with her predecessor were not her fault or problem. I advised I frankly can’t be bothered with this and that, as a business and establishment, I assume they do not care as they will always get continued business. I was offered a discount to come back next year which I declined (I wasn’t told what the discount was).

If you are looking to book a society event here, I strongly suggest pooling the total money needed, then booking individual 4 balls on a fairly quiet day. Basically, not value for money. (And that is after already anticipating it as an expensive day out)

Rooms dated. Fire and ice experience had sections shut. Ridiculously priced drinks! (£4.40) for a small bottle of TONIC!! Yet I hear they give golfers a 25% off discount card!! We spend a lot more on treatments than golfers do on around of golf yet they get there perks. Think seriously before you book here!!

Your food & beverage prices are extortionate.
This is compounded by your policy of automatically adding a service charge to ordinary bar sales.
The prices are embarrassing and ruined our visit.
Moreover, this was compounded by, having spent a fortune, trying to sleep in a room that lacked air conditioning on one of the hottest nights of the year.
You are just being greedy.

Shame you can’t give less than one star.

Joined the spa/health club while the one I use is undergoing a refurbishment. They seem to be letting anyone in and unfortunately this is ruining the place. Constant foul abusive language, there have been a few confrontations between members where it nearly became physical. Members spitting in steam rooms and showers, just generally full of really classy people !!!! Have wrote to them and got the standard I’ll tell my manager response.

My friend took me here for a treat. The Spa was nice although jacuzzi temperature could have been warmer, this has been mentioned in other reviews but not dealt with. Staff were friendly and always seem to have a smile for us. Restaurant and quality of food were excellent as were the staff. Now the main bar area where we decided to have a drink in the evening was an interesting place, the music was good and it had a good atmosphere, we constantly got harassed by drunken golfers especially when we were on the dance floor. We felt safe as there are 6 security personnel available but ended up taking a drink back to our room. If I came here again it would be Spa only.

Received a 9 hole playing lesson with a senior pro as a birthday present.
Tried to book the lesson, unable to do it online, sent 3 emails, 6 phone calls, all promising to call back or reply to email, still not booked, this has been tiring, over a 6 week period!
The gift cost £250, and the Belfry golf academy just do not care, awful service, would not recommend!!
This is a rant about service, not the course, as I’ve played the courses previously, and they are truly great, but the service levels are bordering on arrogance and disdain!

I went to the Belfry recently with a group of friends. The grounds are stunning, the rooms are spacious and they are nicely decorated. The staff are very friendly and professional. I would like to say a big thank you to Samuel in the restaurant who was very helpful and friendly. I will definitely go there again.