Lympstone Manor Hotel Restaurant & Vineyard - Relais & Chateaux

We recently had lunch at Lympstone Manor when they were offering a special lunchtime deal. This place is beautiful, the setting is idyllic and we were very well looked after on arrival. After some drinks and canapés, we were taken to our table and shortly given our appetiser. Then nothing happened for 45 minutes, we watched tables around us being served ahead of us, and were confused what was happening. Because it’s such a posh restaurant and there was so many staff, we figured they must know that we were waiting so we left it longer than usual to point out that we hadn’t even had starters. By the time they arrived we had been sat there for an hour and after a 90 minute drive to the restaurant we were starting to run out of things to talk about, and were generally feeling awkward about the delay. We’d also eaten two bread rolls eat because we had been waiting so long and we’re very hungry which then really took the edge of our appetite for the main event. The food was all very nice and the rest of it came in a timely manner afterwe’d complained. The waiter did remove our soft drinks from the bill, (approximately £10) and offered to remove the service charge, but we declined that offer. I wouldn’t have written a negative review if it was just this instance, but the time before that, when we visited in April 2024, we were saying in one of the shepherds huts, and went for dinner at the new poolside restaurant. Again, we waited a fair amount of time for our starters, and when our main courses came, they were wrong so had to be sent back. When they returned with our food, our steak was half the size of the original overcooked one, the chips still had truffle on, which we’d asked to not be added, and our mushroom is missing. We ate this meal though. as it was getting late. In the end they didn’t charge us for a meal, but it was our anniversary and we had gone and stayed there as a special treat & especially to enjoy delicious food, and so had been left very disappointed and unsatisfied. I was expecting them to invite us back for dinner at a reduced rate or a complimentary meal, but they didn’t. And then again visiting this week I was left disappointed by what is a Michelin star restaurant. Maybe we have just been unlucky.

With a heavy heart I am writing this review now. As a month has now gone by since our stay and it's taken this long for the communication with the general manager to end. Our trip was for a special birthday treat for my husband. I booked it because it is Michael Caines Establishment and was very much hoping that he would be the Chef that evening. Alas despite being told on arrival he was on duty that evening, when being shown to our seats, a Waiter told us he was not. That was our first disappointment. The evening meal had a few issues, my husband felt the Ala Carte choice was quite tasteless. The service was slow and took three and a half hours to complete the meal. The following day unfortunately the slow service continued at breakfast. Despite putting in our order we did not get our breakfast for nearly an hour. We were told they had forgotten to put our orders through. I did send an Email to the General Manager about our Disappointing Stay and it did take several weeks for a response. So summing up our experience - We did not receive a 5 STAR, MICHELIN Stay! Also we feel that when Michael Caines name is above the door and his Establishment charges top prices., more is expected. I can't tell you the disappointment I feel when it was meant to be a special occasion for my husband!

I celebrated my birthday at Lympstone Manor, and it was absolutely unforgettable! From the elegant rooms to the stunning grounds and exceptional service, every detail made the day feel truly special. The beautifully presented meals and attentive staff made it a perfect luxury escape. If you’re looking to treat yourself or celebrate a special occasion with classic English charm and modern comforts, Lympstone Manor is the place to be. We left feeling utterly refreshed and wished we were staying longer. Check out all the highlights and photos on my Instagram: 👉 @jolashleys_adventures

The Setting of the manor house and the views over the estuary are amazing, and the grounds are dotted with wonderful artworks. But….Very mediocre afternoon tea. Uninteresting pastries/cakes, and the most common sandwiches, for which they charge a small fortune! That was very disappointing. Service was rather offhand and uncaring. And this after an elaborate questionaire where even my photograph was requested….”so I could be greeted in person by name on arrival”!!! Well, that certainly didn’t happen and our party was not made to feel particularly welcome.

I had lunch with family in the Pool House. The food was delicious, the setting is spectacular and the staff are charming. It was very relaxed, we didn't feel rushed and nothing was too much trouble. Perfect for a special occasion.

Dinner was excellent Micheal even came out of the kitchen to see my mum it made her day. Thanks Micheal. The hotel however made multiple errors despite pre ordering wine, no one checked and were out of stock. They mixed up peoples intolerances which could have had serious consequences these are just 2,of the issues there were many more. I sent a constructive email post stay, did they offer a partial refund hmmm no just a poor condescending email not what I would expect from 5* hotel