Hafton Castle

When looking for our holiday we were looking for somewhere that the whole clan would be able to fit into and enjoy. We really wanted somewhere with character, plenty to do both onsite and nearby and it did not disappoint. From the moment we arrived (a few weeks ago now) we were made to feel welcome. The castle is very very spacious and has fantastic facilities. The swimming pool was just what we needed to keep the young ones happy. There is a table football, table tennis and a full size snooker table available. The grounds are also huge, plenty of space to wander about in and explore or even play outdoor games. The kitchen has everything you need and there is also enough space for everyone to sit down comfortably for meals. The bedrooms are all en-suite, clean and tidy and there are also two on the ground floor for those in our party that couldn’t manage the stairs. While we were there we also got to meet Peter and Yvonne who own the castle, they were really nice and friendly. This place was so great we have booked to go back again next year. .Moreexpand_more

I have just spent a fantastic Easter weekend with my family at Hafton Castle. But unfortunately I feel I need to flag up a few snags about the castle. There is a large entrance hall and grand staircase which has a very dark carpet and poor lighting. On several occasion family members stumbled due to a combination of the above. I fell off one of the steps as I couldn't distinguish between the step and landing due to poor lighting and dark carpet resulting in a very bruised twisted and very painful ankle. Which put a damper on my easter break as I was unable to join in fully. I would suggest " PLEASE MIND THE STAIRS" signage and some extra lighting in the appropriate areas.

We attended a large family reunion over Easter weekend at Hafton Castle and initially were delighted with the space as it suited our requirements to a tee. On closer inspection, the place is fairly run down and needs a bit of TLC however we’re not fussy and something as minor as this absolutely wouldn’t have put us off returning in future. On our first morning we realised that our shower was not draining properly, however we just allowed time between showers for this to drain and felt this may just be normal for an old building. The bathroom uses a saniflow system and also makes an incredibly loud noise periodically throughout the day and night however we also put this down to the building being older. On day two, I attended at our room and found that the toilet, shower and sink had overflowed with a thick brown liquid which had spilled onto the floor and made its way through to the bedroom, soaking the carpet. We immediately contacted the three ‘emergency’ telephone numbers for the owners of the castle however none of these numbers were answered for in excess of 30 minutes. On answering, the female owner apologised as she had been attending local stables and her phone was in her pocket. Again, as reasonable people, we were accepting of this. Both owners attended at our room a short time later in the company of a maid who they had contacted on her day off to attend. We all made our way to our room and on arrival, the male owner immediately began to insinuate that this was our fault and that we had put something down the toilet which had caused a blockage. There are clear signs in the bathroom stating that nothing must go in the toilet except from toilet roll and this was all that we put in the toilet. Instantly, both owners attitudes were incredibly poor. We were made to feel like we were the problem. I lost count during the ordeal of how many times I was reminded that the castle was their house. The blockage was rectified and carpet cleaned in the area which sewage had leaked onto. The carpet was not cleaned in it’s entirety despite numerous people having tramped sewage over the whole carpet. The shower was not cleaned and still had remnants of sewage within it. In light of this, I recontacted the owners by phone and when there was no reply I sent a text explaining that we were not satisfied with the cleanliness of the room and as we have young children, could we please be moved rooms. The female owner attended a short time later and we made our way again to our room. Instantly her attitude was disgusting. She inspected the bathroom again and instructed the poor maid who was meant to be on her day off to clean it. Too ‘posh’ to stick on a pair of marigolds and do the dirty work herself. I kindly explained the situation again and requested a room move. The female owner took complete umbrage to this and stated that there was no room to move us to. I explained that we had been offered the use of more rooms for additional payment on booking, in the event that additional parties wished to join us. She stated that these rooms were unavailable as they had no staff to make them up. I asked her to clarify her position that she would rather our family stayed in a room filled with human excrement than make up another room herself and she replied “at least it’s only your poo”. I was speechless. She then went on to patronise me and state to my mother-in-law, who she had insisted was present as the lead guest, “I mean do you see anything in here which could poison or contaminate a child?” I politely requested her to direct her questions to me as it was my complaint and not my mother-in-law’s. I explained that in my opinion the room was unsanitary and not fit for purpose. The female owner at this point felt it appropriate to correct my grammar. I was informed that ‘unsanitary’ was not a word and that what I actually meant was ‘insanitary’. This condescending woman believes that she is better than other people and makes that clear when she speaks to you like a peasant. She told me that she was not used to being spoken to in the way I spoke to her and that my attitude was poor. I literally watched our shower overflow with human excrement and was refused a room move. I was not the unreasonable party in this situation. At this point I was at the end of my tether and informed her that both she and her husband had a disgusting attitude and that I would be leaving a negative review. Her reply was “well I hope that makes you feel good about yourself”. Shortly afterwards, she obviously came to her senses and realised that her behaviour was nothing short of atrocious. She apologised for correcting my grammar, stating that it was a habit as she does this to her grandchildren (god help them). I am not a stupid woman. I have perfectly good command of the English language and I do not require to be educated by a woman so incompetent that she cannot even differentiate between her grandchildren and paying guests. She then tried to make small talk as we watched the cleaner wash the sink and shower with the same cloth that she used to clean the toilet. During this time, she shared anecdote about a recent stay of hers at an establishment where she had a noisy radiator in her room and how the staff at this establishment had facilitated a move for her. Obviously a much more serious problem than faecal matter on the bedroom carpet. She then entered the bathroom and had a full discussion with the maid about how the floor was saturated under the linoleum and how this would have to be lifted and disposed of. In summary, the owners of this establishment are condescending, arrogant individuals who have a false sense of superiority. They were happy to take our money and offer an abysmal service. If you don’t want to share your room with human waste and want to be treated with humanity then this castle is not for you!Moreexpand_more

We have just spent the most fabulous long weekend at Hafton. It really is a brilliant venue with so many facilities, not least the marvellous swimming pool which was just great for the children in our party. The outside area is also great for children with the swings, slides and so on. There is so much space indoors that a rainy day passed easily with plenty of room for everyone to make themselves comfortable, some socialising and some finding a quiet corner to read. This is a very fine Victorian house with many grand features. Contact with owners and management was cordial and helpful at all times. All in all I would not hesitate to recommend this place for large family parties.

We held our wedding at Hafton Castle this month and couldn't have been happier. The castle was comfortable and we were made most welcome, Peter and Yvonne were very helpful. It was wonderful being able to arrange the wedding just as we wanted, bringing our flowers, wine etc and our guests just loved staying for longer and becoming friends. It was very homely and we felt as if we were entertaining our guests in our own home…. We wish! The pool was fabulous for the children and to find 19 en-suite bedrooms in one building was a bonus. Keith Coutts February 2015.

I held my wedding at Hafton recently. We hired the venue for 4 nights and had all our family and friends staying with us or nearby (lots of reasonably priced B&B's). We had the freedom to do as we pleased, we purchased our own alcohol, hired fantastic local caterers (Delicate Essence), chair covers, screens. I could not compare our weekend to any I have been on, I know all brides say that but in truth it was the most amazing of weekends with a wedding thrown in. The owners are very accommodating and Elizabeth, with whom you book the property, is with you at every stage offering advice and help. I could not have been happier. You really must visit the venue to capture what happiness you could have here.

I was asked along with other therapists to carry out treatment on a wedding party who were staying at Hafton House. After talking to the bride, bridesmaid family members and friends it was apparent the venue they had choose was suitable for them. Being local to the area all four therapists involved including myself raved about the facilities on offer and have already spoken to many other locals about Hafton.