Opulence - Derby

We stopped for a snack and found this well established old firm of Birds do a great cake and cuppa. Friendly staff too. read more We stopped for a snack and found this well established old firm of Birds do a great cake and cuppa. Friendly staff too.

Stark hall, pub food, no wine list, untrained (though friendly) staff. It seems that the Michelin listing claimed on the website is long gone. read more Stark hall, pub food, no wine list, untrained (though friendly) staff. It seems that the Michelin listing claimed on the website is long gone.

Went for dinner last night. The restaurant...and the hotel...is a shadow of its former self with skeleton staff and the staff who did attend were the dedicated... read more Went for dinner last night. The restaurant...and the hotel...is a shadow of its former self with skeleton staff and the staff who did attend were the dedicated few. Basically, this place is being run down by its owner which is a crying shame as it has a wonderful history and is in a prime location in historic Derby city centre. A real disappointment. Hope it can be turned around. Well done to Gemma and Tyrone who were on duty last night, who did their best for us under difficult circumstances. Don't know who the chef was but she did not meet our expectations, sorry.

The negatives were numerous. Firstly, there was only one person serving in the bar who was very slow and didn't even know what a Lime Soda was - a glass of soda... read more The negatives were numerous. Firstly, there was only one person serving in the bar who was very slow and didn't even know what a Lime Soda was - a glass of soda arrived with lime juice in it instead of cordial. Secondly, the lack of atmosphere due to the quietness and absence of Christmas decorations in the large, brightly lit restaurant was disappointing. Furthermore, only one person served our table all night and there was no proactive offering of more drinks or a wine list. The restaurant manager occasionally helped out but seemed to disappear towards the end of the meal, leaving the lone server overwhelmed. Additionally, no bread was offered and those who ordered soup had to request it, resulting in it arriving after everyone had finished their soup. The duck was served too pink and tough, while the rest of the food, though tasty, was not hot enough. The plates also needed to be warmer. Lastly, when desserts were about to be served, the waitress had to inform us that the sorbet was not available, leaving us to choose alternative options on the spot. Overall, we were disappointed by the experience at this supposedly high-standard hotel restaurant and do not plan on returning anytime soon.

I was excited to celebrate my friend's birthday at this restaurant, but we were greatly disappointed. The staff were inattentive and lacked knowledge. The food... read more I was excited to celebrate my friend's birthday at this restaurant, but we were greatly disappointed. The staff were inattentive and lacked knowledge. The food was mediocre and overpriced for the small portions. On top of that, the manager was unprofessional, argued with us, and did not apologize for the poor service or food. We will not be returning and definitely do not recommend this place to anyone!