Top Places and Services in Brockham

Short Review: Hartsfield Manor boasts stunning historical charm and comfortable main house accommodations, but the experience was let down by inattentive service, lacklustre food, and missed opportunities for better guest engagement during the murder mystery evening. While enjoyable overall, improvements in staff professionalism and event logistics are needed to fully deliver on its potential.

Longer Review: Hartsfield Manor offers a stunning and picturesque setting, perfect for a weekend escape or a special occasion. As part of a murder mystery evening entertainment package, my stay was overall enjoyable, but there were notable areas for improvement that stopped it from reaching its full potential.

Stunning Location and Historical Charm

The manor itself is a beautifully preserved country house steeped in history, and it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular wedding venue. The aesthetics and atmosphere exude charm and elegance, particularly in the main building, where we stayed. The rooms in the main house were well-kept, tidy, and comfortable, adding to the luxurious feel of the stay.

That said, the lodge-style accommodations situated on the grounds seemed incongruous with the historical vibe of the manor. While I didn’t stay in these, their appearance felt out of place, so I’d recommend paying extra for a room in the main building if possible.

Service Shortcomings

Unfortunately, the service let the experience down. One recurring issue was the absence of bar staff in the lounge bar. Each time I wanted to order a drink, I found myself heading to reception to find someone to serve me—a tiresome inconvenience for what should be a seamless experience.

During the murder mystery dinner, the lack of table service was a missed opportunity for the hotel. Drinks were not served directly to guests, forcing you to leave your table and risk missing parts of the show. A simple solution, such as offering table service via a QR code for easy orders, could have significantly enhanced the experience while boosting the hotel’s revenue.

The serving staff also fell short of expectations. Many appeared to be teenagers lacking professional development, with little understanding of efficiency or the etiquette required for polished service. However, the older staff members were no better. One short, stout waiter—sporting a comical moustache and a sour expression—clumsily bumped into me while clearing plates, causing me to stumble forward. To make matters worse, he didn’t offer an apology, leaving me feeling obliged to apologize instead. This lack of basic courtesy and attentiveness was a glaring issue throughout the evening.

Mediocre Dining Experience

The food was adequate but far from memorable. While I consumed everything on my plate out of sheer hunger (dinner was served at 8 p.m.), the dishes lacked imagination and flair. For an event designed to immerse guests in a lively dinner show, the culinary offerings felt lacklustre and uninspired.

Final Thoughts

Hartsfield Manor has the potential to offer an outstanding experience, especially with its stunning location, historical charm, and comfortable main house accommodations. However, the subpar service and uninspired dining detracted from the overall enjoyment of our stay.

The murder mystery evening was fun, but the lack of table service, inattentive staff, and lacklustre food were significant shortcomings. I’d recommend the manor for its location and aesthetic appeal but would encourage management to focus on professional development for staff and consider creative ways to improve the guest experience during events.

My son got married here in August & what a most wonderful day it was. I couldn't fault or change anything. The venue itself is beautiful with lovely grounds & quiet. We were blessed with sunshine so the ceremony was held outside - so special. The food (canapés, wedding breakfast & BBQ) was very good as said by all guests too.
Everything ran smoothly - thanks to Bethany (wedding coordinator) & all staff who were very attentive, polite & helpful.
The bedrooms were comfortable & clean & breakfast in the morning was plentiful.
It was a truly amazing and special day enjoyed by everyone.
I would most certainly recommend Hartsfield Manor for a wedding venue.

We had our wedding here on the 28/11/24. From our first meeting with Bethany , our wonderful wedding coordinator, everything went so well.
It was a perfect day in a wonderful venue.
Staff so attentive, wedding breakfast was amazing and nothing was too much trouble. Please have your wedding / celebration here. You won’t regret it.

I had my wedding day here on the 26/10/24
Honestly could not find a fault, my day was made so special by the help of Helen who was amazing through out my whole experience. The setting was simply stunning and we were very lucky to catch a beautiful autumn sunset. The food and wine was perfect and all of our guests have complimented how much they enjoyed their day. Thank you once again to everyone at the Hartsfield manor for helping us have the dream wedding day!