This should be scoring five stars across the board...

This should be scoring five stars across the board. The hotel is a lovely, late Victorian pastiche of Tudor / gothic architecture with some stunning interiors. We loved the Alhambra-inspired smoking room (ceiling pictured). We swam in the heated outdoor pool and then used the spa and indoor pool. All good, but be aware that the indoor pool is very small. The landscaped gardens are fabulous and our children enjoyed feeding the fish in the very large ornamental ponds.

The restaurant was the let down. We dined in the Conservatory and the experience was as close to Fawlty Towers as I ever want to get. It was barely a quarter full, yet a steady succession of guests were being curtly turned away due to a lack of staff. So I would recommend that you book ahead if you want to eat here. The waiter coped, just, but was clearly harassed. The Rhinefield bills itself as a luxury hotel, but our experience fell short this time.

The food was good.