Merchants Grill - Preston

I visited this restaurant as part of a large group, and they were very organized and provided table service. They offered a selection of three starters, mains, and desserts, all of which looked delicious. The food choices made by me and my group were all excellent. The service throughout the meal was great.

The hostess greeted me quickly and politely. The restaurant is relaxed, and has a comfortable environment. The menu selection was good, and the food was delicious. Service was quite slow. It took a very long time to place my order, and quite some time for it to arrive. No one asked if I wanted another drink when mine was empty, and I couldn't seem to get anyone's attention. It was only after ordering dessert that I finally managed to order a second beverage, and that was after the waitress initially walked away after taking the food part of the dessert order. After travelling through the UK for several weeks, I found the prices to be considerably higher than other locations with similar food and better service. Even if staying at the hotel, I would find another location for my meal.

We visited the Samlesbury Hotel for afternoon tea and really enjoyed it. It was part of the Groupon deal which included prosecco. The cakes were very small but enjoyable. It came with scones and a selection of sandwiches. We have visited before and the cakes were larger on the previous occasion. For the price we paid and the quality of the food though I still have to give it a 5 out of 5. I will definitely return here again and would recommend it to others.

(firstly it was hard to find where to leave a review as searches for samlesbury don't bring anything up! We had been given a Travelzoo voucher for afternoon tea for two with a glass of champagne each. We rang on the off chance and managed to book in for 30 minutes time, they asked about the voucher and any dietary requirements. Welcomed on arrival and directed to the restaurant. Offered a choice of table and also if we wanted tea or coffee with the champagne or later. There were four finger sandwiches each and also four hot samosas with dipping sauce. A lovely warm scone and three cakes each too. We each also had a pot of coffee giving three cups each. The staff were friendly and attentive and the afternoon tea was delicious. We will return and wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Thanks.

Nothing outstanding on the menu, standard hotel food, breakfast is buffet style with coffee from a machine I think coffee at least should be served in a pot as more and more establishments try to do it at less cost?