Booked this location for our annual golf/spa weekend. Three golf players and three wives. On arrival the covered walkway, gardens and general appearance was good, walking into e hotel we were greeted by friendly staff. Booked in and walked down to our hotel room, which was surprisingly large. Bathroom pleasant ( some dotting of mildew on the ceiling ) the bed despite being very comfy was two singles ( dipping in the middle ) whilst the pillows were outstanding and incredibly comfy. View was pleasant and the addition of a bottle of bubbly waiting for us was a nice touch. No mini fridge, just a void where one used to be with the usual tea and coffee making facilities available. Decor was clean and no faults or damage to anything in the room. The only issue was lack of plug sockets near the bed side of the room. Mobile phones were charged on the other side of the room which wasn’t conducive for alarm clocks and a snooze. The bar had a temporary issue with payment options, but the was easily resolved. Mind bogglingly expensive drinks Dinner and breakfast were included and on arrival in the evening we were shown to our tables and a waiter was attentive, however after 25mins we still hadn’t been seen to order our food. It was very obvious that the restaurant runs with young staff, who are obviously not inducted into the ways of service and for one member is was very apparent that he had been thrown into the deep end, after some reassuring words from us - deep breath you’ve got this - he seems to find his mojo. This needs addressing as the is unfair on the staff that have not been show/ supported and mentored by senior leaders/ managers. Breakfast in the morning at 8.15 was undercooked and Luke warm at best. The cold breakfast of fruit and yogurt however was plentiful and varied. The hot breakfast was poor and the tea /coffee was shamefully weak. The spa itself is not a spa but a leisure centre. The actual spa treatments are on par with a spa hotel but the pool, and other areas like steam room/sauna etc need radically improving / redecorating before being classed as a spa. The hotel is 10mins from a local village of Eaton where a G&T isn’t going to cost you £18 and a bottle of wine £30+, Uber is about £7 The grounds were very lovely and well tended, no litter or signs of misuse.
Surrounded by tranquil Cheshire countryside, Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa is a fabulous resort that boasts two of the very finest courses in the North West.
The Championship Course is the headline act, designed by the legendary Donald Steel, it remains one of the best hidden gems in the country. Alongside the 18-hole Premier Course and 9-hole Arderne Course, Portal is completed by the largest indoor golf academy in Europe.
Terrific resort facilities match the courses to provide one of the most sought-after golf break destinations in England. Following the completion of a ₤11 million investment, the hotel at Portal is a real delight and is a golf break destination where you can truly relax and unwind. Some of the best features include the state-of-the-art spa and the delightful Ranulf Restaurant.
With a choice of three great golf courses, and facilities including the largest indoors-golfing academy in Europe, and a fantastically well stocked pro-shop, The Portal Hotel has established itself as a world-class championship venue, ideal for all standard of player.