The Speech House Hotel

Speech House used to be my local restaurant and these days I stay when visiting family who still live in the forest. Service is always friendly and of a traditional style with the Orangery being a favourite of my dog. Food always of good quality and they do not skimp on service or quantity. Great to see some new local staff and especially impressed with both Annie and Jayne who both excelled in their respective roles.

Typical 2 - 3 star UK hotel building, cheaply renovated, maintained to a basic standard, everywhere feels like things could be better, brighter, cleaner, as expected. Unlike most UK hotels, most staff were quite friendly, very helpful-tried hard to help-provide good service. Mostly an average menu in content/variety in open seating restaurant, never used fine dining. Often specials board empty. Food served was very good. Well cooked, presented, good quantities, always hot. Although menu was limited our family ate at the hotel for 3 days. Bit fed up with limited variety by day 3 but any other restaurants appear to be a drive away. Some family members had requests, assistance given cheerfully-politely by both waiting staff and chef. No complaints about the food, very good, the breakfast probably one of the best I ever came across in a mainland UK hotel. The bar was well stocked-kept going night & day. Nice gardens outside, of course the Forest of Dean outside the door. Location excellent. Seems to be about 40 rooms. About 17 main building rest in car park at rear of hotel. Seemed all family rooms with double bed-two singles were outside. One room had some sort of canopy above the bed, this was very dusty and dropped dust on bed regularly. A bit of the “UK - can’t be bothered” not far away as is usual. Parking not allocated to rooms, any event stopped guests parking, that’s just pitiful. But compared to other UK hotels,very good, I would recommend & definitely stay again.

Felt like it hadn’t been cleaned since it was built in the 1600s. Windows didn’t close so it was draughty and loud. Food options were terrible with very poor options for children. Service was only OK, made worse in our particular visit with the bar staff facilitating a particularly obnoxious group being allowed to treat the bar (and extended hotel area) like their own front room. Would not recommend, even if you were in the area