Stayed in The Feversham this weekend for a birthday celebration. The website promised lots; heated swimming pool, excellent cuisine, fantastic rooms and decor, etc. etc. but in reality the hotel delivers little. The annoying thing is they have almost got it right but basic lack of service or attention to detail really lets the place down and makes it average and overpriced.

The room: Nice decor, comfy beds, great toiletries but on the downside it's far too hot and stuffy. Also, the expensive Bang & Olufsen TV/DVD/CD is a good idea but is far too complicated to use and why no instructions?

The Pool: Again, heated swimming pool a great idea but why turn the heating up to improve your guests enjoyment and comfort.

The Restaurant: Great menu, very extensive wine list (although the one we asked for we found out 20 minutes later was out!) but the service is so painfully slow; 2-3 hours in a very quite restaurant. The food is obviously well thought out and well prepared but the chef over seasoned everything, my partner simply couldn't eat the sea bass as it was too salty.

Service: Yet again, full of great ideas but the service just doesn’t deliver; you can order early morning drinks to your room from 7am before breakfast but ours didn't turn up along with our morning newspaper. When I mentioned this the girl at reception said she didn't know what time to bring the drinks - why not ask us!

Breakfast: One of the best breakfasts I've eaten spoilt by more needless lapses in service; two salts/no pepper, asked for two teas - received one, and trying to find a clean glass was impossible (the waitress watched me pick up, inspect then put back at least five glasses then walked away).

I got the feeling that this was either a place trying to move up to the next level of hotel but wasn't quite there in which case I would advise upping the rates once all the problems are ironed out or a hotel that was once fantastic but is now at the top of a slope of decline.

Shame really because it could be so good.