Vellore - Bath and North East Somerset

We didn’t even get to our table due to disgraceful customer experience. I booked our Ruby Wedding Anniversary about a month ahead but minutes before we were due to leave the house we got a phone call to say are we still coming and we can’t do Sunday Lunch as chef has just said he doesn’t have the supplies. They said they we could have the à la carte menu instead so we decided, reluctantly, to go with it. When we arrived in good time we were told our table wasn’t ready and would we take a seat. I noticed men in suits were hastily arranging tables for a large party but sat down and waited, and waited! After about 20 plus minutes I wandered into the restaurant area to see if someone would come up and seat us but no one did. The men in suits proceeded to walk past us as we sat waiting and we’re fussing with air spray. Then a large party were ushered in and seated. I went to the reception desk this time and expressed my dissatisfaction. Still no action. I then presented myself again in the restaurant and a waitress asked if she could help?! Yes please but my frustration boiled over and one of the men in suits appeared. He apologised and ask me to take a table but by then I just didn’t feel like eating there and we walked out, disgruntled at our 2nd class treatment. Thankfully the Bird Hotel just down the road rescued our special day. While there the restaurant manager rang to offer a complimentary meal and I said thanks but please pop it an email as I was still calming down. It’s a week now and, of course, no email or any other message has been forthcoming, hence this dqmning review. We know we don’t want to return ever and I strongly advise anyone to NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS PLACE!

The menu is varied with a selection of at least five items for each course. We opted for different choices and certainly for dessert enjoyed tasting each others'! The presentation of each dish was creative and stylish and the portion sizes just right. My white chocolate panna cotta was very rich and so delicious! The ambience is classical, in keeping with the grandeur of the room.

After a flight from the US and a full day in London, we decided to take a day relaxing and just eat at our hotel. Vellore is the upscale restaurant at the Bath Spa Hotel and it did not disappoint. Our afternoon tea was delightful, and made even better by the Platinum Jubilee themed sweets. The earl grey was some of the best I've had. Even the bottom of my first pot was mellow with the slightest hint of citrus. The finger sandwiches the day we visited consisted of 4 varieties. The expected chicken salad, and smoked salmon were very well done, and both the cucumber and the pickled cucumber were light and fresh. The brought two towers and I shared one with my vegetarian daughter so I think we may have had a few substitutions, one of which was a curry-based sandwich. The scones were fresh with clotted cream and raspberry preserves, and the assortment of sweets were decadent. Dinner was equally good. The menu isn't large, but it was very good. My wife's steak was cooked to the perfect temperature, the monkfish was well prepared with potatoes my daughter said were amazing. My duck was perfection. The perhaps could have seared the skin just a bit more to render more of the fat, but the confit bon bon (basically a round, fried fritter) was crisp with a melt in your mouth center. The drinks were expertly made. The basil gin smash was perfect if you like spirit forward drinks that are more herbaceous than sweet. And the desserts were top notch. My lemon meringue had varying levels of sweet and tart and many textures from the creamy custard, to the crispy meringue, small dices of jello like cubes and sweet candied lemon peel. If you're looking to splurge and appreciate artistry and taste over portion size, I highly recommend it.

So I ordered fish and chips. Was very nice staff were lovely I got a bunch of condiments, bartender was very talkative and could hold a conversation well. This was the highlight for me :

Met friends for lunch on the patio (lounge menu). We were not staying at the hotel. Service was extremely slow. Servers were inexperienced and uninformed. Only salads/sandwiches available on patio. Vendor clearing out some glass items from earlier party dropped a glass tray on path broken glass stayed on path for duration of our visit. Had to find staff to order. Had to find staff to pay. Food just OK.