The Clock Tower - Swale

After being unable to get a meal at Playa, we decided to go to the Abbey instead. We were seated right away, our drinks were taken promptly, and we were given m... read more After being unable to get a meal at Playa, we decided to go to the Abbey instead. We were seated right away, our drinks were taken promptly, and we were given menus to peruse immediately. Despite the restaurant being busy, our food arrived quickly and was incredibly tasty.

We had a wonderful Christmas Day meal at this restaurant. The food was delicious, the staff and management team were extremely attentive, and the singer added t... read more We had a wonderful Christmas Day meal at this restaurant. The food was delicious, the staff and management team were extremely attentive, and the singer added to the festive atmosphere. We can't wait to return next Christmas. Absolutely fantastic experience.

Good from start, ample starters, delicious. Main course very well cooked, also tasty, roast beef excellent. Deserts were also very tasty.. Waiting staff at thei... read more Good from start, ample starters, delicious. Main course very well cooked, also tasty, roast beef excellent. Deserts were also very tasty.. Waiting staff at their best, attentative, polite, friendly Tables dressed lovely.

Myself and my other family members were really excited to be spending Christmas Day at the Abbey Hotel but were left feeling quite disappointed. Although there... read more Myself and my other family members were really excited to be spending Christmas Day at the Abbey Hotel but were left feeling quite disappointed. Although there were quite nice parts of our meal/experience I feel as though the Abbey had let us down. We were warmly welcomed with a glass of champagne on entrance. We waited in the bar area with our drink then was shown our table after a short while. The tables were decorated with crackers and Christmas hats which was a nice touch. I did feel that our group of 11 was squeezed onto our table. I felt quite uncomfortable throughout the course of the meal, especially whilst trying to eat. They soon brought out the starters, I had French onion soup which was delicious. Our second course was sorbet which was half melted as they brought them out! For mains the majority of our party had traditional Christmas turkey or beef roast. This was really disappointing! They brought out a plate to myself with the beef, Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes. I had 3 roast potatoes and 1 tiny new potatoes! The roast potatoes were seriously over done, I could not eat the outside of these they were so hard, so I scooped out the potato from inside the shell! I'm not really sure why I had a tiny new potato on my plate?! The waitresses then came out with the vegetables, which they served to us. They only served us carrots and Brussels! I was quite shocked that these were the only vegetables on offer, considering a few of our party do not even eat Brussels so they were left with just carrots!? Where was the peas, the seasonal parsnips etc?! The gravy was already on the plate which I personally would have preferred self service on the table. To top it off when one member of our party asked for more veg the waitress was quite rude and gave attitude. To be honest most of the waitresses were struggling to crack a smile on their faces throughout the whole of the meal. I know it was Christmas Day and I understand it probably is the last thing they want to be doing is to be working but they did come across as rude at times. We also had to ask 3 times for our table to be cleared of rubbish as they continued serve us with rubbish from the crackers etc, there was barely a space to put our drinks down. We then had our dessert and that was lovely. We was also offered a drink on the house which was a nice touch. After our meal we were offered tea and coffee in the bar area where a musician sang and played the guitar which was nice. I have rated the Abbey as a 2 star as I feel the main meal was a complete let down. Considering we all paid £65, I do feel we were all pretty ripped off! I had a roast for £6.99 all you can eat at a carvery and it was miles better than what I had that day! The atmosphere was nice and the other courses were good but I have had better Christmas Day dinners and for a lot less money as well! We really did not get the standard we had paid for and for this reason we will not be booking again.

This restaurant is a welcoming spot to enjoy a meal. The staff was very attentive, and the menu offered a diverse selection of dishes. The food was served pipin... read more This restaurant is a welcoming spot to enjoy a meal. The staff was very attentive, and the menu offered a diverse selection of dishes. The food was served piping hot and was reasonably priced. It's a great place to stop in for a bite to eat.