The Gunton Arms Reviews Summary

Category: Gastropub

Address: Norwich, NR11 8TZ, United Kingdom

Phone: +441263832010

Rating: 4.7
based on 363 reviews.

Atmosphere & Setting

Pros:

  • "One of the most atmospheric pubs I've ever been to."
  • "The grounds are beautiful, the food was delicious (special mention to the roast chicken for 2), chef was lovely, bedroom was cute but small, and obviously loved the deers and the modern art."
  • "The restaurant and bar are atmospheric with open fires throughout."
  • "The walls are decorated with various art, some from well known contemporary artists."
  • "The setting is just gorgeous - relaxing, great decor and relaxed."
  • "The location is superb and had a lovely atmosphere."
  • "The surroundings are wonderful, in a park full of deers."

Cons:

  • "Told we had to perch on hard stools in a cold & empty Bar."
  • "We moved to the hallway to sit on comfy seats - it was even colder, if possible!"
  • "The only negative point was the very cold reception / welcome. The staff were not particularly friendly."
  • "However the image was shattered when we walked through the door and were greeted by the sound of a bunch of older men playing pool, shouting and jeering loudly from the bar area."
  • "The decor is now looking a bit tired."
  • "The pub seems trapped between a desire to keep up its 'trendy' reputation and, at the same time, to be a cozy country hideaway."
  • "However, there was nowhere to put a toilet bag; the mirror lighting was too far away to be of any use; the shower gel dispenser was ineffective; light switches in the bedroom inconveniently placed and the rain on the roof very noisy."

Food & Dining Experience

Pros:

  • "The food was superb."
  • "Great food, especially the steak and roast potatoes, obviously."
  • "The beef we had was excellent, cooked to perfection!"
  • "Everything was perfectly cooked and balanced and the quality of the ingredients spoke for itself."
  • "The food!! The menu is just such a good mix from small bites to the most delicious fish and open fire cooked meats."
  • "The venison stew was first rate."
  • "The food was good quality but I have to be honest not that imaginative."

Cons:

  • "The food is nothing special and very bland."
  • "Presentation was really disappointing and could have been so much better."
  • "The roast potatoes were over cooked and difficult to cut, plenty of carrots which were ok, but the cabbage was awful, could have done with another veg too."
  • "The crackling is tooth breakingly hard and the cofta was very strongly spiced which didn't suit my personal taste."
  • "The food and service let it down though sadly."
  • "The food was abit disappointing though. Meat and veg in the side tasted under seasoned."
  • "The dish was very bland, lacking in seasoning and any flavour."

Service & Staff

Pros:

  • "The staff were young and helpful but not very well trained."
  • "Staff were very helpful and friendly."
  • "The staff are all very good at giving you information on the availability of food and the history about the place."
  • "A very warm welcome was extended by the friendly team."
  • "The service was excellent, friendly and knowledgable."
  • "Good friendly service."
  • "The staff were highly courteous and professional; our every need was catered for."

Cons:

  • "The manager especially made us feel unwelcome and frequently appeared exasperated or aggravated by simple requests e.g. for amenities."
  • "Service was poor always."
  • "After initial service we felt forgotten. Staff seemed stressed due to work load."
  • "The waitress made us feel rather uncomfortable really, not sure we saw her smile once."
  • "It was also a bit of a shame that a few staff were a bit rude."
  • "No one checked on us during the meal, when we would have shared we were disappointed."
  • "Poor service and was disdainful of any guest requests."

Value & Pricing

Pros:

  • "An absolute dream of an afternoon! Very high quality food and service which very much justified the cost."
  • "The food is locally sourced, nicely prepared and at a fair price."
  • "Reasonable value for money for top end experience."
  • "It's not Michelin food, however it's pretty good & value for money."
  • "The food was delicious, perfect from start to finish & well worth the money."
  • "The food is not cheap but quality costs. And it's worth every penny."
  • "Best steak I've had in a very long time, potatoes and greens delicious."

Cons:

  • "This place is an absolute rip off. Vastly over priced."
  • "I think the room is very expensive for a rather basic room."
  • "Room was OK, bit over priced."
  • "Lovely setting... All in all very overpriced average food."
  • "We had sirloin steak from the menu which we found overpriced and average quality."
  • "The prices were more than I'd expect today for this level of food."
  • "Dining was bad way over priced for what you get, lighting is so bad can hardly see your food or menu."

Accommodation & Amenities

Pros:

  • "Our room (Langtry) was splendid (and the bath was wonderful)."
  • "We’ve been here a few times now and it is most definitely our favourite place to stay."
  • "The room 'Martin' was lovely, very spacious, views of the deer park to die for, and a wonderful roll top bath."
  • "All rooms with ensuite, ours was only one with separate bath and shower."
  • "Had a very quiet and comfortable sleep in the 6 foot bed."
  • "Enjoyed a wonderful night stay here, we were greeted by friendly staff and nothing was too much trouble."
  • "The room was charming and was very comfortable."

Cons:

  • "Breakfast over an hour late."
  • "The only downfall was the flys there were loads of them, we were told due to the time of year and area thats why theres so many, but I still think they could put somthing in place to reduce them."
  • "Arrived after getting a little lost in the car park to find a large pile of empty beer kegs by the front door. Interesting."
  • "The breakfast was lovely, but a little limited as my wife's allergies had not been passed on from the night before."
  • "Our rooms was away from the main building and on a dark and wet and windy night getting from car park to the room, then from the room to the restaurant was not pleasant."
  • "There was no TV in the room."
  • "My only issue was that the bed was VERY soft which meant I didn't get a great sleep."

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