written by Mumofbride on 08/12/2021
No help when we arrived. Unloaded ourselves.Eventually shown dress room. Floor and walls in sitting area very bad.Meal good. Stayed in room 1, cost £255 a night! End of bed cracked when sat on, which appeared to have been repaired before as was nailed at ends, shower not fit for purpose, water sprayed over door as shower head could not point down and bracket seemed not to be fitted correctly.Taps on spar came off when used.Bed canopy faded and dusty.Curtains dusty and torn linings. Carpet stained.Where unable to find staff in the morning to open post box with wedding cards, after wandering around whole venue, had to carry it to breakfast, where a very kind man found us with key. Sadly this lovely building is in need of a reverb and some t l c .Luckily the bride and groom had better accommodation, which is the most important.More staff needed, and overpriced.
written by agMadden294 on 26/08/2021
We booked room one. The cost was £190. Check in was at 12pm, we arrived on time, but there was no-one around to greet us or show us to our room. So, we found it ourselves. Imagine our shock when we opened the door to find the grooms party getting ready!!! There was food, drinks, clothes, bags everywhere. And it stunk!! We were not amused at all. We eventually found a staff member, who said, we always use that room for the grooms party. We were not told this when we booked. So we were given a smaller room to get ready in. Which was not ideal. Room 1 was eventually cleaned and our bags taken in whilst the ceremony went ahead. The reason we're concerned was we paid for that room, we requested the room to be sanitised as my husband was recovery from sepsis. He needed to rest. He couldn't. Generally, the staff were lazy, unprofessional and c didn't seemed bothered. We would NOT recommend this place.
written by on 09/02/2017
Attended a wedding with over night stay in "cottages" with breakfast. Pros - nice surrounds - some room are lovely Cons - Staff could have done more in assisting overall - poor signage around the venue - civil ceremony room is bland - Bridal Suite room with mirrors is small - no phone reception/Wifi which made it very hard to co-ordinate throughout the day - Cabs refuse to collect guests that are staying in nearby hotels -Road once entering gates to main building is pot- holed -Tiny "cottage" rooms with pathetic showers - No hot water - we were told the reason for this is because "we've not had anyone stay for 3 weeks - Despite my point above we were not allowed early check in - Check out is at 9 a.m! Any later than that the room key doesnt work and it's "tough" according to staff if you can't get back in to room. - Breakfast was not very nice - no fruit and no pastries - and no vegetarian option other than beans. Overall for the cost of venue
written by Julissa123 on 14/10/2016
Attended a wedding in August. The service was terrible! When questioned the wedding planner said "We are short staffed, it is the holiday season you know!". Well it wasn't like you didn't know a wedding was happening, you should have organised staff leave better! Food was ok as were the bedrooms. But the venue and service did not warrant the cost charged.
written by Jennylburns on 23/09/2016
From the moment I had a show round at Parklands, to the minute we left after the morning of our wedding, I have had the best experience ever! I literally cant fault a thing! The sales team were so friendly, and our Wedding planner on the day was FANTASTIC. Everything ran so smoothly, the food was delicious, and lots of people said it was the best food they have ever had at a wedding. The DJ was amazing, and played everything we wanted him to play. And the honeymoon cottage in the deer park is gorgeous. WE woke up with Deer literally just outside our window. I will never forget our amazing day here x
written by eiWelch334 on 28/01/2016
My wife and I were guests at a family wedding in December 2015. On arrival the first impression of this hotel is very good, it stands in magnificent grounds.We had been delayed on the journey so booked in,took our bags to the room in one of the cottages and quickly changed and dashed to the main house(Hotel)for the wedding ceremony. Afterwards the reception was held in a well heated excellent marquee and we all had a very enjoyable evening.We returned to our room after mid-night very happy and very tired(senior citizens) then we discovered the horrors: The toilet was heavily soiled,at such a late hour my wife decided to clean it herself.She then checked the duvet cover and found (the previous occupants had left their marks)the bed had not been changed.We turned the duvet over dirty side to the outside,we didn't sleep well.In the morning we left quickly to go directly home(instead of spending an enjoyable day in Cambridge) to immediately shower and put our night clothes in the washing machine. I have e-mailed the hotel manager but have had no response. I will not be going anywhere near this establishment again and will certainly not be recommending it to anyone.
written by cjParrish226 on 27/11/2015
Great welcome at the door for last nights awards hosted hear. Then it went down hill, only information given was a drinks order for table. Then left to it to find where to put coats ect ourselves. Sat on a table in the marquee with a very bad draft blowing through which was not good for any of my guests and especially my elderly parents who had come to support me and my business . Food service was very slow and would of been acceptable had the dinner not been so disappointing (lamb very chewy and food cold) you also had to help yourself to tea and coffee. Had a long dress on and will just say that as the toilet floors were not very clean this was a real challenge. This was an awards night for wedding businesses, at a cost of over £80 per head, a really disappointing night and although i hate to give poor ratings I'm sorry Quendon hall i think improvements need to be made.
written by on 05/10/2015
Parklands Quendon not impressed. Room £90 a night... tatty showeroom with a shower head that didn't fit the holder so actually fell off onto my partners head whilst showering! Veiw of sewage tank and scruffy garden to cottages out of window. At the wedding, wasn't given the bucks fizz that everyone shoukd be handed, had to ask if there was any left at the bar. After dinner coffee was self service...they ran out of cups so my other half and many others didn't get coffee.The reason they ran out of cups.... there was at least 20 used ones left on the table in the room we were all sitting in, not one member of staff came in to clear them away or check every body had coffee if they wanted. We had to be out of room at 9am!£90 for a basic room that you have to be up by 8 after a wedding party... Very unprofessional and lacking in standard for the price people pay for their big day. I certainly wouldn't recommend here even though the place is lovely, also the Bride and bridal parties entry through the naff noisey curtains was cringe worthy.
written by CarlBender249 on 26/07/2015
Looking at the gardens and grounds, I expected a lot from this hotel. Our room was £190 per night which is a high end rate. For this, I would expect a fantastic room and Quendon's rooms are far from this. Completely lack lustre. Tacky furnishings which don't fit in with the period of the house, creaky bed, uncomfortable mattress poor fixtures and fittings... I don't have anything to say which is positive about the room which is quite rare for me. The final straw is the breakfast. Paying the price above, you would expect some choice and flexibility but it is checkout by 9am with breakfast at 9am to 9:30. I don't think I have ever stayed in a hotel where breakfast is only 30 minutes. There is a limited choice of cereals, our toast was burnt and the full English is the only hot option- you can't even choose how you would like your eggs. The person who is in charge of the gardens needs a pay rise as this is the only redeeming feature and the person who is in charge of the rooms and structure of the day needs a serious talking to. Separately, the wifi code should be in the booklet in the room or handed on a piece of paper when you checkin. Basic things that a far cheaper hotel gets right. I would not stay again. Room 5 is a small twin, I would opt for another room.
written by on 18/12/2014
The setting is absolutely amazing, ....... I recently attended a companies dinner dance which started off superbly. This didn't last long, as we were guided to the banquet area in the marquee, we were hit by temperatures of, I guess somewhere around15 degrees centigrade. It was beyond belief, and the temperature never changed all night. Our starter arrived 15 minutes after everyone else's on the table, but was a nice hot bowl of soup. The main meal was ok but the accompanying vegetables also very cold. Hardly any gravy, when I asked for more actually received it some ten minutes later after I had finished. The worst was yet to come. This was having to be out of the room by 9am and as breakfast was some 25metres away across the car park just added to the frustration. No choice of breakfast offered, full English or full English. Make sure you read the small print, I didn't. All in all a poor evening.
written by on 02/11/2014
Had an amazing time at a wedding. Great venue. Stayed the night. Most uncomfortable bed I have ever slept in. Could feel the springs. At £150 a night I would hsve expected a good night sleep. Nice breakfast.
written by Sophia73 on 31/08/2014
It really is an odd place. The grounds and gardens are wonderful - like something from a Merchant Ivory film. But the inside of the house - plastic flowers and plants, Lino on the bathroom floor, cheap light fittings and lamps - there was a framed poster of Monet's water lilies on the bedroom wall which was so faded there was no colour left in it at all! It's like someone decided to decorate it in a country house style with a very small budget and even less taste. Also they are very welcoming the day you arrive but they want you out the next day as soon as possible - breakfast is from 09.00-09.30 - half an hour! What a pity that the inside of the house does not live up to the outside which is truly beautiful.
written by ofHuber122 on 01/08/2014
An overly-zealous member of your bar staff and a smirking companion made it their business to humiliate, embarrass and thoroughly mortify the father of the bride during the evening reception in an unforgivable and totally unnecessary manner. Due to incompetence, miscommunication or poor organisation his bar tab had not been correctly set up meaning when he tried to order a round of drinks charged to his room, he was literally chased across the room and grabbed by the shoulder by your barman, loudly demanding payment. This is a 70 year old man, very obviously part of the bridal party in his tails etc, staying at the venue overnight and footing the bill for the whole thing – the vigilante pursuit of him over a £40 bill was totally inappropriate and made the poor man too embarrassed and anxious to use the bar again all night. It was not his fault his earlier request to have a tab set up had not been completed by your staff, to then treat him as the person in the wrong is appalling customer service – moreover, he should have been the proudest man in the room watching his little girl at her dream wedding, instead of being pursued like a criminal, manhandled, and completely humiliated in front of many guests. To say I am disappointed for him would be an enormous understatement – while many of your staff were lovely, the venue was beautiful and I’m sure the bride and groom had a fantastic day, this incident has left a permanent stain on our memories which can never be put right, this once in a lifetime opportunity has now been and gone. I hope your two nasty little boys who pour drinks for a living are very proud of themselves for spoiling one man’s evening and tarnishing the reputation of an otherwise nice venue. Otherwise, beautiful venue but food very average (and incredibly slowly served during wedding breakfast, most people had given up and left the rom before desserts were eventually brought out). Would not recommend.
written by KarliHarrington on 31/05/2014
I had a very similar experience. We booked a wedding 6 weeks from the date. We paid a deposit. Several of our family members let us down, and would not be able to attend. We asked Quendon if we could move it back to another date, as we had our hearts set on the venue. We just wanted a slightly later date. They refused. We asked could we have a credit so we could come back at a later date, as we were desperate to be married there, again no. I was told the deposit had to be used in the same financial year... who has ever heard of that at a wedding venue. Most people book there wedding years in advance. I would never recommend this place to anyone, very underhand.
written by on 14/01/2012
WE PAID THE DEPOSIT OF £500 AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS WERE NEVER SENT TO US! WHEN THE NEXT PAYMENT WAS DUE WE HAD CHANGED OUR MINDS AND WE WERE ONE DAY LATE PAYING THEM THEIR FIRST INSTALLMENT. WE HAD SENT A CANCELLATION LETTER IN THE POST WHICH THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE NEVER RECIEVED. HENCE, THEY SAID THAT WE NOW CANNOT CANCEL THE VENUE AND NOW AUTOMATICALLY OWE THEM £6000. WE EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD NOT SIGNED ANY TERMS AND CONDITIONS WITH THEM AND THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WOULD LOSE THE £500 DEPOSIT. THEY STATED THAT BY US PAYING THE £500 DEPOSIT WE WERE WILLINGLY ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT WITH THEM AND AGREEING TO THEIR TERMS AND CONDITIONS, THEREFORE WE OWED THEM £6000 AND THEY THREATENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO TAKE US TO COURT. THIS BECAME A VERY STRESSFULL MATTER INDEED AND TOOK OVER OUR LIVES. WE ENDED UP PAYING UP A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO SETTLE THE CLAIM AS WE DID NOT WANT TO BE TAKE TO COURT. PLZ DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING WITH THEM BEFORE YOU PAY A DEPOSIT!!!
Written on: 13/02/2012
I have found Parklands to be very fair and as stated on all invoices that the £500.00 is a non refundable deposit and is as far as I am aware a binding contract - also you have the invoice dates on the the first invoice sent which tells you when the next balance is due...if I was to cancel my wedding I would call put it in writing then following up with a phone call to make sure they had received my letter - I have to say that everyone has been so kind and make everything clear - I think it is unfortune that this one experience by one person could reflect on this stunning venue.
Written on: 29/05/2014
I had a very similar experience. We booked a wedding 6 weeks from the date. We paid a deposit. Several of our family members let us down, and would not be able to attend. We asked Quendon if we could move it back to another date, as we had our hearts set on the venue. We just wanted a slightly later date. They refused. We asked could we have a credit so we could come back at a later date, as we were desperate to be married there, again no. I was told the deposit had to be used in the same financial year... who has ever heard of that at a wedding venue. Most people book there wedding years in advance. I would never recommend this place to anyone, very underhand.
written by on 11/10/2011
ok let's start by saying I am fussy. I was not a bridezilla but I am picky and notice things. I was also on a budget. I'll start at the start: the Parklands, Quendon Hall sales team on the phone were brilliant, I got a good price then made them include the bridal pavilion and teas and coffees in the quote (saved me about £150-£200 on tea and coffee and also £100 for my bridal suite) I got the rooms discounted for guests to be £100 per room per night. I got to choose who had what room. I viewed the venue and staff were personable, professional, friendly etc. I was very impressed. It is hard not to be, it is large but not too big that you feel like you have lost your guests (I had 50 to the day and about 70 in evening) It is exclusive use. So no weirdo's can walk in. My wedding planner laura was brilliant. I can't fault her. I asked a lot and she delivered. She was professional but friendly. I put my complete trust in her and she didn't fail me. I changed my mind about things a lot which she kept up with and didn't mind. The food was lovely. I had the basic package but the presentation was fab, the quality was very good. The basic evening Buffet was incredible, there was plenty of it, the pates and bread and salamis etc looked brilliant, I didn't eat them but lots of people told me how good they were. The staff were brilliant (I asked my guests how they found them as obviously they will be nice to the bride and groom but they sang their praises too. Also the wedding car driver told me they were really nice to him and offered him a coffee which was the first time he has ever been offered one at a wedding venue. When they treat outside staff well I think it says a lot. The bedrooms are all modern, some are better than others - that's life. Some are very impressive some are small. But it is your choice if u want to stay. It is a wedding venue, not a hotel. If you want a hotel, go to one, there is nothing stopping you! Some venues don't have guest bedrooms, this one has 21 and some are a 2 min walk away in a separate house so noise is not an issue either. All our guests and family were made to feel welcome and the friendly staff worked hard and did their job well. The setting is incredible. Having been to and rung round a LOT of venues if u are looking for a mid week wedding you will not fund either better OR cheaper. I think their business concept is to have a wedding everyday of the week, and to discount the mon-thur ones to get them booked up as they will have still made about £6-7k out of my midweek wedding, including guests paying for extra drinks and accommodation. They seem to have about 26 weddings a month. They have it down to a fine art. There is no aircraft noise at all and you would never know you were that close to stansted.
written by Ashleylewis on 20/09/2011
No particular problems with the venue or the event, even though you do get the feeling that you are in a wedding transit station, where staff want to rush you out so that they can get the next function in. However, there is a major problem with the accommodation, where the pricing is completely at odds with the poor quality offered. Do not, under any circumstances, take the lazy option of accepting their overpriced rooms as part of your package. Even allowing for the price of a taxi to the many alternative hotels or b&b's available in the vicinity, you will save yourselves or your guests a good deal of money, and they will enjoy much better quality rooms than the tired examples on display at this venue. Also, this is not a hotel, but a wedding venue, so there are literally no facilities - no safe, no trouser press, no full length mirror, and definitely no leisure facilities or relaxation area. Breakfast is strictly between 9:00 and 9:30 and you must bring your luggage down before breakfast so that they can churn the next guests through.
Written on: 11/10/2011
We paid £100 per room per night at this venue, local b&b's were £85 per room per night and the closest one is next to a primary school so u wake up at half 8 anyway. And you didn't need to pay a taxi each way. Breakfast was delicious.
Written on: 24/02/2013
hi im getting married here in june. did you get charged a fee per guest for breakfast options on top of the room rates? as it looks like we are getting charged for this as well
Written on: 26/02/2013
"INmyopinion" obviously stayed on a midweek night if her guests were being woken up by a primary school, and that would be a cheaper rate anyway. I suggested to Parklands that £100 would be a fair rate for a Saturday. I was asked to pay £184.50, being £205 less a 10% discount offered to the bride and groom, and this included breakfast. Unless there has been a major refurbishment since Sept 2011 the rooms are definitely not worth that much and I would definitely not stay there again.
written by Lottiettaq on 01/07/2011
The venue is fantastic, beautiful gardens with deer in the field the massvie downside to this place are the staff. They were all so utterly miserable, not a smile to be had from anyone. The lady on reception was certainly not welcoming and nor was she the next day. Breakfast was from 9am - 9.30 and you HAD to vacate your room before you had breakfast - don't expect to have a lie in after dancing the night away - it won't happen. We were not allowed scrambled egg for breakfast, just a fry up or continental. We were treated as a complete and utter inconvenience, desperate to shoe us all out and see the back of us. I really hope the bride didn't pick up on the miserablness of staff and how regimental it all was, if I had got married there I would have been so dissapointed. Cottage 2 was nice but small with nice bathroom products, but the room didn't have a full length mirror which was annoying when dressing up for a wedding and then not being able to see yourself. It is a lovely venue, with a beautiful terrance for drinks looking over the garden, it is just a complete shame that we were not made to feel welcome and also £25 for a standard bottle of red wine seemed a complete and utter rip-off.
written by on 21/04/2011
Beware this place is very expensive and the service is not matched to the price paid. I was so upset with the service that I cancelled the wedding. Look around at other venues.
Note that you have to pay on top for everything- no food taste either which is madness.
Lovely place- awful service.
A friend of mine got married here and was upset by not being told that the drive was closed so guests came from the back area. Also, the morning after a drill was working underneath the bedroom they were in. Nice touch!
Written on: 11/10/2011
This was the cheapest venue for a mid week wedding that i found - I tried golf clubs, wedding venues etc. I tried about 30 venues. (factoring in ALL COSTS)
I booked and got married in 3 months and they couldn't treated me better, they were quick to respond, professional and helpful. I asked a lot and planned more than people do with detail. They could not have been better.
I asked re repair works on booking and was gold there was none-which was right.
I missed the food tasting as it is once every few months, but the food was brilliant, quality was great, i wasnt expecting it to be as good as it was as I only booked the basic package.
Laura was my events planner and she was faultless - and I can almost always find a fault with anything and any one!
written by on 26/02/2011
we got married there two weeks ago well wat can i say amazing exellent fantastic day i felt like a true princess the staff there were a1 they were so helpful and the day went so smooth i would highly recommend it was a day i will never forget the only thing i would say is bypass the nerves and enjoy the day while it lasts as it goes so quick but truly amazing xxx
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Lizamariepage's Comment
Written on: 29/09/2016
The marquee has been completely replaced and renovated since this date and efficient heating has been installed as well as air-conditioning for summer weddings.
Chef has worked hard with his team to ensure the standard of food is of a very high standard and food tastings are offered on a planning evening prior to the booked wedding date to ensure couples are happy.