The Hampshire Court - Basingstoke

An experience not to be repeated. We were only given one limited expensive menu, on which one dish was unavailable. When our main course arrived, it did not have the listed accompaniment and when requesting this we were told by a very abrupt waitress that we could have ketchup or mayonnaise instead.. Later when we requested a dessert we were offered a second menu offering many options for starters, main courses and desserts.

The staff are lovely and friendly. The food is satisfactory. Young staff really do their best but it is obvious they do not have the training required for a 4 star hotel restaurant. Knowledge was limited. Dinner options in the restaurant are limited and two items on the menu were unavailable on both nights.

Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed so we had to eat in the bar, which was satisfactory but not exceptional. I ordered the Katso burger, which consisted of a breaded chicken fillet with mustard mayo. The burger tasted decent but the chips were cold, although they were promptly replaced. Overall, the experience was just okay. It would have been better if the hotel had informed us in advance that the restaurant was not available when we booked.

The restaurant is extremely expensive and offers limited options. We were under the impression that a meal was included in our package with a value of £28, but the main course alone cost up to £26. Additionally, the restaurant replaced both the pasta filling and salad ingredients with different options. The wine glass had fingerprints on it and the cutlery seemed more appropriate for a canteen rather than a fine dining establishment, especially considering the high prices. We will not be returning.

The menu was not very exciting, but the food was enjoyable.