Parliament - Colchester

We had a lovely pre Christmas afternoon tea. The cakes were amazing the only slight downside was the sandwiches were a bit dry. We were made to feel really welcome by the gentleman who served us, he was extremely polite , helpful and easy to talk to and he made the experience more special for my 6year old daughter by making her feel grown up and including her in our conversations, he was amazing at his job. Lovely surroundings with a warm and cozy feel, perfect for this time of year. Will definitely return.

I had planned a two-day gathering for former colleagues who are experienced in high-end accommodations and fine dining. The schedule included a rich exploration of Colchester's history, with the Red Lion selected as the perfect venue for our evening meal in a charming historical building. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the worst choice I could have made. It was ironic to take food enthusiasts to dinner and serve them a disappointing meal! At the time, it wasn't amusing, but our group eventually found the humor in the situation, leading to many laughs throughout the rest of the weekend. Is this the kind of reputation Colchester wants? Our guests came from various parts of the country and have connections in the service industry, but I doubt they will choose to organize anything at a Brook hotel again. We dined not in the Parliament Restaurant but in the Tudor room, which was a lovely setting. The manager was notified of our dissatisfaction and kindly adjusted our bill as a goodwill gesture.

On the previous visit, everything was perfect with no issues at all, so I believe this was just bad luck on our part. The food was excellent during both visits, although I had an issue with the mushrooms in the mushroom sauce — they were quite tough and I had to leave them behind. My other comment about the meal is that the menu hasn't changed this year and may feel somewhat limited. The service was good, though there was only one staff member managing both front-of-house duties and reception. When we sat down for our 7:00 PM reservation, we were the only ones in the restaurant, but the staff member was often called away to help others at the hotel, leading to some delays of 10-15 minutes for drinks. I suspect there would have been more diners if it were busier. The staff member was new to the job this time and understandably a bit slow, although during my previous visit, there was no waiting despite the server being alone. The entire building dates back to the 13th century, with artifacts spanning the last 450 years. There’s even a skeleton that supports the bar in the bar area! Despite that, it’s remarkable how well-preserved everything is. Last year, the receptionist gave us a guided tour and provided fascinating insights about the history of the place, but we had forgotten much of it. This time, the staff member had been working there for only four weeks and didn't have as much information. Overall, while it may be slightly overpriced, I plan to return next year.

We visited for afternoon tea, and while the cakes were all quite enjoyable, they didn't quite meet our expectations for a traditional afternoon tea experience. The service was pleasant and friendly, although the atmosphere became noticeably louder when a nearby table with small children was seated. Overall, it's a beautiful venue with great service.

A great experience! they must order all 3 courses at the beginning, as the cook goes home around 20.20 clock and will not wait until they are finished. my man pork was overcooked and my laugh was covered with sauce that I had to scrape off, didn't feel like we could say something, how it was made very clear to us that the cook was waiting for us to finish our dinner so that he could go home. due to the construction work there are limited alcohol without wine menu, so we end up with a warm beer, why is it not in the refrigerator? and a glass red wine for which they have charged £8.50 a glass, this is more expensive than london! there was no wine menu offered, and we said it was the only wein they had, mmmm. the waitress is also in front of the house so that the chaos can be expected tomorrow! office head must use another team to get any kind of customer service in this restaurant. defined would not return, no atmosphere at all.