The George At Alstonefield

Biggin Hall

➤ Biggin-by-Hartington I-SK17 0DH, United Kingdom

Carte • Cakes • British • Breakfast • Vegetarian

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"My husband and I stayed here for 2 nights last weekend. Booked on the Thursday night. We took our 2 dogs and stayed in the dog friendly room in the lodge. Nice comfortable room with fantastic dog walks on the door step. We stayed on a dinner/b and b basis. The food was fabulous. The home grown pork award winning sausages where fantastic. Complimentary wine at dinner was a very nice surprise. House red was great. Hoping to go back and book the whole hotel for our 21st wedding anniversary. Great location for touring the peak district. Close to Bakewell, Buxton and Ashbourne. Chatsworth was amazing but also visited Ilam Park near Ashbourne, well worth a visit, beautiful house and wonderful grounds. Staff were brilliant and couldn't do enough for us. Can't wait to go back."

Charles Cotton

➤ Market Place, Hartington I-SK17 0AL, United Kingdom

Carte • Pub • Cakes • British • Breakfast

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"Our room faced the front of the hotel, and while the village was quiet with only two pubs and a small corner store, it seemed to be a shortcut for heavy vehicles speeding downhill at night, with headlights constantly illuminating our room. We also found out that the hotel closes in the evening if it's not busy, and the front door may be locked as early as 10 PM, requiring a code for re-entry. The internet service was poor; even standing just outside the front door, I had no reception and couldn't call the emergency numbers posted there. It appears that the quality of the rooms varies significantly, with some having been upgraded while others are less desirable, including our own. When we questioned our bill because we didn't think the room was worth £140, we were told that since we had booked through Charming Escapes, we should take it up with them, as the hotel receives only a fraction of what we paid. This made us feel like second-class guests, especially since it seemed we were stuck in a low-quality room. The standard rate for a double room is £90, and if I were to rate our experience like on the TV show "Four in a Bed," I would say £50 a night would have been generous. Previous reviews also mentioned an issue with the door handle and the ability to lock the room, which had not been fixed. If you’re just looking for a place to dry off your hiking boots, this hotel might suffice, but I wouldn't recommend staying here again. It has a lot of potential, and thankfully, we had a wonderful evening at The Devonshire Arms just across the street—it felt like a whole different experience. It seems the staff at Charles Cotton have simply given up."

Watts Russell Arms

➤ Hopedale, DE6 2GD, Staffordshire Moorlands, United Kingdom

Carte • Pub • Wine • Cakes • British

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"This pub is a real find. Bruce and Chris were lovely hosts, and (their son)? The lads who were doing the music. No food served here, but don't let that put you off... The gardens are so lovely and to have a drink on the terrace around early evening is a must. Great wine too, we can recommend the Pinot Grigio! Also we left an item of clothing behind and Bruce kindly offered to send it on to our home address. Really thoughtful and caring folk. We just wished we could have spent more time there. I'd love to go back in the winter when the fire is on and experience the ambience from the inside. Parking: We actually walked, but there is parking."

The Tea Junction

➤ Hulme End, Staffordshire Moorlands, United Kingdom, SK17 0EX

Carte • Cafe • Soup • British • Breakfast

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"Stopped for a coffee and cake only to find a very basic and unimpressive cafe offering hot/cold drinks and cake and little else. Only 3 tables were available to sit at, due to the reorganisation of the building in the COVID 19 situation. One of the tables was taken by the owner and a friend, instead of offering it to customers. A lot more space was available in the building which was also partly a visitors centre for the Manifold trail, a path running along the river of the same name, plus a former industrial railway used for the mining of copper. It just appeared as though this was no longer relevant, and therefore not used to its full potential. The building next door was far more interesting a former station converted into a toilet block!"

Hulme End Tea Junction

➤ Hulme End, Fawfieldhead, United Kingdom, SK17 0EX

Carte • Tea • Soup • Coffee • British

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"I received a recommendation from a shopkeeper in Hartington that instead of paying for parking at the NP carpark, I could enjoy tea and cakes at the tearoom and park for free. Sure enough, there was a sign that said "spend a penny with me and park for free"! I bought a takeaway cup of tea for my thermos and headed off along the Manifold Trail, knowing I was welcome to park for as long as I liked. After three hours of walking, I treated myself to a delicious slice of Banana and Pistachio cake and a hot chocolate (from a machine, but still good). There was also a small gift shop with postcards and local crafts to browse through. The service was friendly, and I found it to be a great deal to be able to park for free in exchange for a drink and snack that I would have bought anyway. Note: Parking is free with purchase from the tearoom."