Visited there last month for the first time; really pleasant surroundings and very dog friendly. Excellent food and decent selection of wines on offer. Staff especially pleasant and v.helpful. Not exactly cheap but, considering it's location, worth the visit.
Went for a Sunday roast and everything was excellent! Warm friendly, very attentive service. The roasts were delicious - huge portions, really well cooked and generous meat. The beef especially was beautiful. Unlimited Yorkies, potatoes a lovely touch. Good value for money.
We don’t live nearby but will definitely be back!
First visit and it's nice to have this on our doorstep. Staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was excellent, especially the trout, the bream, the green veg was perfectly cooked with a bit of crunch and the sticky toffee pudding was superb. Good range of alcoholic drinks. Not cheap but good value for money considering the quality and surroundings.
I have not stayed in the hotel, only visited the restaurant and bar. The decor is lovely and the space is huge, with lovely toilets. The staff need a bit more training and some of the food tastes a bit average, especially for the price. Breakfast was good but service was slow. I can't once mid morning and find the fact you can't order anything to eat between set mealtimes is a real shame as there are a few forest visitor weekend walk-ins who would benefit from a shortened offering like sandwiches etc.
We visited The Royal Forest for Sunday lunch to celebrate a family birthday, eager to experience the newly refurbished pub. The renovation has been done tastefully, striking a balance between a modern aesthetic and the charm of a traditional British pub.
The menu featured classic roast options, and overall, the food was of good quality, well-cooked, and nicely presented. However, one notable disappointment was the gravy. The portions provided were far too small, and when we requested extra, it arrived in tiny jugs that were barely enough for one person, yet they were expected to be shared among the table. A hearty roast deserves a generous serving of gravy, so this was frustrating.
Another issue we encountered was the lack of attentiveness from the staff. While they were polite and courteous, they seemed stretched thin or not fully attentive to customer's needs. We had read on the website that it was possible to order extra trimmings to accompany our roast, which we were keen to try. However, getting the attention of staff proved difficult, and by the time we were able to place the order, our food had already gone cold—making the extras feel somewhat redundant.
Despite these setbacks, we enjoyed the overall experience. The ambience and quality of food were good, and the pub has great potential. Hopefully, with time, they will refine their service and address the minor but important issues that affect the dining experience. I would be happy to give it another chance in the future, as I believe small improvements could make this a truly excellent place for Sunday lunch.