Ruthin Castle Hotel Reviews 50

Recently went for afternoon tea after receiving a voucher for afternoon tea for 2. It was very disappointing, the worst afternoon tea I have had. The cakes were all very dry including the scones. Drinks were very expensive. On the website it says ‘one of the best afternoon teas in the UK’ but this is a blatant lie. It was very dark and dingy inside. We had booked over the phone and they didn’t even have our booking down. Very poor all round.

Yesterday my husband and I called into the castle for a drink with the view to book in again for a break.
We were shocked by the dilapidated surroundings in the bar, but the biggest shock was still to come !
My husband ordered a double Tanqueray gin and tonic for both of us, they only had Tanqueray Ten which surprised us, and 1 packet of crisps.
My husband brought them over to me and asked me to guess how much ? I nearly dropped when he told me it had cost £41 !
He had questioned the price but I thought they must have made a mistake , so I asked the barman. He confirmed that it was £9 for a single gin, therefore 4 gins had cost £36.
We would have given them back if that was possible. I went and asked the manager of the hotel how they could justify this daylight robbery. He just told me that was the price and it was set by head office.
Obviously , we didn’t book for a break there . It is so sad to see the place being run down, the bar area was just downright scruffy with all mismatched chairs and sofas and the grounds around the hotel and bar look neglected .
No wonder the bar was virtually empty.
There are pubs in Ruthin within walking distance who would be pleased for the custom and would not charge such outrageous prices.

We stayed at Ruthin castle for a two night stay. Our room was beautiful (Jennie Suite) and was clean and well appointed with lovely views. There were signs of wear and tear (cracked wood on windows and around the taps on the bath) but this caused no issue and I expected this in a castle of this age.

I had a number of spa treatments which were absolutely wonderful and the staff at the spa and across the hotel were extremely helpful and friendly. The hot tubs/sauna and steam room were also great however the changing rooms are in definite need of modernisation.

We dined at the hotel on both nights. The hotel has limited gluten free options and my husband was told they had no gluten free bread, cereal or sausages for breakfast on both mornings. Our evening meal on the first night was not great and not what we expected from a 4 star hotel. The food on the second night was much better and we wondered if the quality on the first night was impacted by the fact there was a wedding at the venue.

We ordered a single gin and tonic and a large glass of red wine at the bar and this cost over £20! Again there were no gluten free beer options which was disappointing.

We were woken up at 1am by knocking at our door. Not by one of the castles notorious ghosts but by a drunken wedding guest who had clearly lost their way.

It is a shame that many of the best rooms in this hotel are no longer available for people who stay to spend time in and are reserved for weddings.

We were also disappointed that after our room was cleaned after the first night toilet roll and water in the room was not replenished and there was a general feel of cost cutting throughout the hotel.

We would not recommend a stay here if you have coeliac disease or any other dietary restriction. We visited the town itself on Monday to have lunch and no where was able to accommodate our requests for gluten free food options and we ended up going to Tesco after walking around the town in search of food for over an hour.

The saving grace of this hotel is the building itself which is fantastic, the peacocks, wonderful staff and spa treatments. Sadly this would not be enough to make us want to visit again.

How very sad to see that Ruthin castle has been run into the ground by the new owners. Having stayed here many times before I was so embarrassed to bring my guests having gushed about it. The staff are really lovely and it is clean -but the once fabulous & grand Bertie's restaurant is now moved to the cold dark shabby part of the hotel- The now tiny lounge bar (half stocked with no atmosphere, no cocktails & 3 lifeless sad & scruffy lounges felt more like a waiting room in a youth hostel) was pitiful for guests. But the worst was the food -not only is the menu & food awful -the breakfast was the saddest I have ever experienced in my life and any hotel (I've stayed at 100's) there was no pastries(just a croissant) no fruit bar but an apple and no fresh bread -just tinned food (cold)-I don't think I have ever seen a more pitiful breakfast display ever at a hotel- AND we (and 3 other guests) were all over charged on the evening meals. There is not a 'spa' but a few hot tubs in the tired unkempt gardens -It is clearly being run to squeeze as much money out of it while spending as little as possible - Sadly AMAZE Hotel group appears to be running Shrigley Hall the same way -Once lovely but now neglected by the greedy owners -don't waste your time going. It has gone from 4 star to 1 star sadly.

We have just got back from a three night stay at the Castle and it was wonderful. It's located in the most beautiful grounds with trees dating back hundreds of years. The location is quiet, peaceful and home to Peacocks and all manner of wildlife. The Italian gardens are just like the ones I've visited abroad and the Peacock Terrace is just the place for a peaceful coffee and a chill out/
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Our room was spotless, as usual, and the few requests we made, had all been done. Perfect!

It's a fair price for what is included. We had breakfast in the Dragon Tavern. It was tasty with a lot of choice. All the staff are fantastic but a heads up goes to Diane. I am very disabled and and she went out of her way to help me. The Tavern serves great food from noon till 9 and the Tavern Bar is well stocked.

It's even dog friendly and we always meet some lovely dogs.

The Castle is steeped in history and has an Olde Worlde charm It's so different to the usual hotels on offer. It reminds me of the Palazzo Marziale in Sorrento. That's a converted Palace with a great history..

Ruthin Town is full of quirky shops. It has a Craft Centre, Victorian Goal. If you make it to Denbigh, just beyond is a 1950's Museum where you could spend all day. It's massive and brings back a lot of warm memories. Mold has a good shopping centre.

There's a lot more I could say but don't want to bore anyone. We've stayed in some fabulous 5 star hotels in Athens and Rome. They had some great facilities but we got very odd looks with me being on a mobility scooter.. lol. I can whizz round in the Castle and everyone lets on. It does have good disabled access and accessible rooms...I am impressed.

If you are looking for a warm reception in very pleasant surroundings, Ruthin Castle is the place for you.

We will be booking again in May or June.

Jan and Fred Robinson

We have just had 2 nights at the hotel with our german shepherd. I cannot say enough good things. The room was lovely. bed comfortable. The staff were fantastic. couldn’t do enough. They were friendly. welcoming and so helpful.
As for the food. we ate in both nights, the standard was amazing. Will definitely be going back. Thank you everyone at the Castle

Recently stayed in the Lillie Feature Room at Ruthin Castle, and it was nothing short of fantastic. The room itself felt like stepping into a romantic period drama .... a stunning four‑poster bed, a large freestanding bath in the room, a cosy sofa, and a beautiful window seating area that made the whole space feel luxurious and unique.

Our dinner in the castle’s dining room was excellent, with great service and beautifully prepared food. Breakfast the next morning was just as impressive..... generous, delicious, and a perfect start to the day.

What really makes Ruthin Castle special is the building itself. Staying in such an old, atmospheric castle is an experience in its own right. The history, the character, and the sense of place make it feel like a true escape.

A fantastic stay from start to finish ....highly recommended for anyone wanting something memorable, comfortable, and full of charm.

If you want to stay in old Castle lovely.. needs some tlc in places. SPA id give no stars couldn't book app no answer on phone went directly told be reception to go via stairs down several flights stairs waited 20 mins no one at reception .
Staff at Ruthin Hotel very helpful and pleasant. We only ate once in evening food ok . Breakfast little dissapointing welsh breakfast was sausage having tinned tomatoes and fried eggs if your vegetarian you can order veggie sausages.. on a plus very dog friendly and great location 👍

Advertised as 4 star. Place was filthy. I’ve stayed in better premier lnn’s Beautiful potential but really run down.

Quirky castle, beautiful grounds. Breakfast room was so dark you couldn’t see what you were eating. Room was quirky but very very dusty , pity we couldn’t share photos of the year old writing in the dust on top of the wardrobe, people had written dates in the dust.

The worst afternoon tea we have ever experienced !!!

The cakes were obviously frozen bought in cakes, which had been out for some time.
Scones rock hard, no butter or cream.

Only enough tea for 1 cup asked for more, they only topped up the pot with water.

Noticed the other table had left 70% of their afternoon tea behind, which did not bode well for ours, I can see now why they left it.

Will never go here again

Attended the Ruthin castle starry night…
Attended the Ruthin castle starry night spa overnight stay. Two disabled people( mobility) . Contacted Ruthin and was able to change room for a disabled room, no problem whatsoever and £30 refund too, first I the room, very clean spacious, all amenities needed for overnight stay , bed very comfy,only we had trouble using the toilet in room as even with grab bar etc the actual toilet bowl was very low compared even to normal ones, that could be re assessed by Ruthin, ( room 130) , the hotel has no lifts so I suggest anyone with any disabilities let the hotel know , they are happy to help , had a pleasant afternoon tea,where you can have inside or outside ,serenaded by peacocks who cover the grounds, wonderful sight, the views are astonishing of the hills etc. the spa however, now this is important for mobility suffering guests ,it’s either a long walk down a gravel path or accessed via winding stairs from castle, not easy if disabled so think b4 you book a spa break or use the spa. The spa itself inside is wonderful I drifted off in the quiet room, dark, calming with an amaizing aroma. The staff in spa very very nice and helpful. There’s another suggestion to Ruthin about the spa , very hard for mobility patrons to get in and out of the outdoor spas , my partner struggled a lot and risked falling , maybe grab rails etc could be fitted as it was very disappointing and did spoil the relaxing experence.evening meal was very nice had garlic flatbreads and a nice spicy tomatoe hummus while waiting for our order.the rump steak was very nice and cooked exactly as requested, the other parts of the meal, starter , desert were also nice.the staff in all parts of the castle were so happy , helpful and friendly. All giving happy smiles which seemed honest and like it seemed a nice place to work and happy to help guests any way they needed.this was the 2nd time we had attended Ruthin castle 2day stay and overnight stay, it’s an old castle that has lots of charm, don’t expect it to be perfect but they’ve kept the charm of it being an
Old castle but improved it where it was needed ( mostly rooms),even though on night of our stay there was a large engagement party event it was very quiet in bedrooms.theres a quaint charm to this place, if you want a quiet getaway overnight or longer this is the place , plenty of grounds to wander around ,sit outside in a number of locations and relax, feed the beautyful and sometimes noisy peacocks (don’t forget to buy some seed at reception to feed them) all money goes to charity.on the hole, a good place to relax , chill. We will certainly be going again, (but not use spa) ,as it was too much of a walk etc as explained.give this place a try, overnight, for a meal or just a pleasant afternoon tea, you won’t be dissapointed, oh and it’s dog friendly but must be kept or leads due to the roaming peacocks who by the way arnt owned by Ruthin it’s just they have decided that’s the place for them so they have stayed. Thank you to all the staff , from reception, waiting staff, spa staff. Etc who all helped make our stay memorable .

I have visited the Ruthin Castle with my partner on several occasions, at different times of the year. The building itself is very quirky, full of history, with parts built and added throughout the best part of a millennium. Rooms can vary considerably, depending on the part of the building you are in, and the building is huge! You can easily lose yourself in its history (beautifully displayed throughout, with old photos and drawings). The grounds are beautiful, with peacocks and livestock wandering free. It has a wonderful, authentic country feel to it. If you are after marble, glass and corporate service, don't bother.

The air does get a little damp and chilly in the winter, it is a castle in rural Wales after all! It is a gorgeous place if you are after real character and a respite from a city. Staff are very friendly and helpful, treat you like a visiting family member. We have met and befriended some local people too. During our most recent visit the food was actually exquisite! Whomever the chefs are, please keep them! The tavern is pet friendly, there are several separate rooms there, where we could sit and work remotely without being disturbed. We will definitely be going back!

Apart from the waiting staff, who were lovely, I wasted far too much money on poorly cooked average food. The wine list is ridiculously priced. The whole establishment needs kicking into shape and updating. Borderline ripoff, I’d say.

Very cold! Room mouldy! No mattress cover! In need of updating. Wont stay again!

Got to the hotel around 11:45 as we had booked the spa experience however we had no room till 3 o’clock, this caused a big issue with being wet and not having anywhere to place our wet costumes or to have a shower after. Once in the room we were quickly disappointed as there were cob-webs in every corner of the room and hanging from the ceiling. I understand old buildings create dust and cobwebs but this was as if it hadn’t been cleaned at all. The dust was so bad we couldn’t stop sneezing from the minute we entered the room. Cleanliness was very disappointing as there were dirty glasses in the bathroom and tissues behind the bed. Heating is run by the front desk so you have to ring in order for it to be turned on and off. You have wifi in your rooms however it doesn’t work, we would only connect when near the bathroom. Food was very expensive for what you got, 3 small scoops of ice cream for 8.50, steak was extremely tough, even the steak knife couldn’t cut it. Overall very disappointing. However the grounds are lovely and a rich history. Town centre is very close and has lots of shops to explore , we spent more time in the local Wetherspoons than the hotel as it was warmer and had better food.

experience was marred by poor organisation and subpar facilities. While the cream tea was delightful and the treatments themselves were enjoyable, the overall experience left much to be desired. The lack of clear communication about the itinerary, inadequate changing facilities, and unclean amenities detracted significantly from the visit. The advertised services not being available and the absence of promised gestures, like a tour or herbal tea, added to the disappointment.

Although the staff conducting the treatments were friendly and skilled, the rest of the experience felt disorganised and poorly managed. Improvements in cleanliness, organisation, and customer communication are essential for this spa to live up to expectations.

It has the potential to be lovely, but sadly it was a disappointing evening for us.

Absolutely shocking customer service. I booked a stay through Groupon, checked availability on their website, and was assured dates were available. After booking, I was informed the hotel was fully booked for December! They even emailed to confirm a date that they later claimed wasn't available. The spa phone line is constantly busy, and getting any help is impossible. False hope, unprofessional communication, and a complete waste of time. Avoid at all costs!

Staff are wonderful and cope with a difficult building which evidences poor maintenance and dowdy decor.
The grounds, town and wildlife were delightful.
We would return but not for 3 nights as dinner menu did not change and breakfast very basic. Spa and service 100% and that is what made this wonderful place & stay worthwhile. The staff keep this place a pleasure

If I could give tho place zero stars I would
Complaint has been sent to the director as well as a health and safety complaint to the local council

This place is absolutely disgusting!!
Take the parts out that shall we say give it the “medieval” vibe orange and blue walls,perhaps the 30 year old blankets in the quiet room, the blankets are filthy and stink.

This place definitely dos not have a cleaner.
There is flaking skin partials flooding in the hot tub
The filter is black yes genuinely black
I could write my name in the scum around the hot tub aswell as on every surface in the place,
The mud room stinks of sewage and mould the walls are full of mould and the shower is that thick in grime and dirty I didn’t want to turn it on

I will be leaving this same review on there Facebook page with photos