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.

Had afternoon tea here. For a hotel of such standing and what they charge, we expected something outstanding and a little more special. It was disappointing. The finger sandwiches were starting to dry around the edges, and not very generous with the fillings. The cakes were very "samey". Mousse fillings very sweet. A portion of fruit cake or plain Madeira cake would have been nice. Scones were good. Jam - was just red sugary goo.. Wasn't sure whether it was jam. A good choice of teas was available or coffee if you preferred. The decor is starting to look tired, especially the wall light shades.. frilly knickers comes to mind.. The surcharge, which they have the cheek to add to your bill, is definitely not worth it..

Another excellent lunch in the restaurant. Great location, food and ambiance. We have been every year since it opened and keep going back for that ‘special’ treat, still a premier South West location and worthy of its Michelin Star. Enjoy!

We visited Lymstone for the special offer lunch. The food was amazing and beautifully presented. It was a pleasure to enjoy not only the food but the elegant dining room and the service and professionalism of the staff. This is the 4th time we have enjoyed lunch here and it will not be the last!

We stayed for two nights from last Sunday. It was £750 for a night and then we seem to have been charged £28.44 per night discretionary accommodation service charge. We asked for this to be cancelled a few days ago but have yet to receive a reply. None of the other garden rooms seemed to be occupied and the second night we had the pool house restaurant to ourselves. Perhaps they need to look at the prices? It was our wedding anniversary and birthday but there was no special extra. The setting is lovely and our room was lovely. There is no comfortable seating if you want to spend the afternoon on the patio. It was very sheltered and warm.

We booked Lympstone Manor’s Pool House for a post-wedding celebration, and what should have been a relaxed and special afternoon quickly became a source of stress and frustration due to poor communication, disorganised service, and a general lack of care for the customer experience. Although the venue now refers back to “terms and conditions” and claims that aspects like the minimum spend and bar offerings were highlighted beforehand, the issue is not about what was written in small print—it’s about how those things were communicated, handled, and followed through in real time. The customer service simply didn’t match the premium price point or expectations. Instead of working with us to create a seamless and enjoyable day, the venue seemed more focused on deflecting responsibility and quoting policy. One of the biggest issues was the abrupt reversal of a previously agreed arrangement regarding individual payments from guests. This was changed just days before the event—while we were in the middle of our wedding—which caused unnecessary stress and confusion. Had we known this earlier, we likely would have cancelled within the appropriate timeframe. On the day, no one could tell us what our outstanding balance was, despite multiple attempts to find out. We were offered vague suggestions (like taking wine home to “make up the spend”) but without being told how much we were even short by, it felt chaotic and unprofessional. The staff on-site couldn’t answer basic questions, and the person who could apparently help wasn’t available. The bar was another letdown—something as simple as a Bloody Mary wasn’t available due to missing ingredients. This is a basic cocktail, and for a luxury venue, it was frankly embarrassing. Guests ended up ordering less due to the limited options, which ironically contributed to the minimum spend shortfall they were so focused on. The final response to our complaint was dismissive and lacked any genuine accountability. We weren’t asking for miracles—just a bit of understanding and proper service for what was meant to be a celebratory weekend. For comparison, we had our wedding the day before at Rockbeare Manor, and the service there was absolutely flawless—warm, thoughtful, and truly professional from start to finish. It made the shortcomings at Lympstone Manor even more obvious. If you’re considering Lympstone Manor for a private event, I strongly recommend you look elsewhere. The setting may be beautiful, but the experience behind the scenes was stressful, confusing, and not worth the cost.