Standard Double Room, Ensuite, Garden View (The Chinese Room) | Bathroom

Reviews of Rectory Manor Hotel

5 out of 5
Rectory Manor Hotel
Rectory Manor, Rectory Road, Sudbury, England

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 61 out of 88 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 88 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 88 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 88 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 88 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Hayley

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A lovely experience
Beautiful Manor House , balcony was a massive plus for star gazing. Friendly owners, Cute pets…What more could I ask for ?!
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cassie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Idyllic setting for a relaxing break
The setting is beautiful as are the grounds. The room was very spacious and the breakfast plentiful and tasty. The shower in the bath was not easy to negotiate and the room did get very hot in the sun.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

John

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anne Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fabulous place. Wonderful food, friendly and exceptional service. A very special place.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Shaun

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Simon

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The grounds are amazing and as we deove up the driveway it took our breath away. Then the welcome we recieved from the owner and staff was first class. The property and the guest house were incredible, the eye to detail was excellent and we had a most lovely stay.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Alison

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Deborah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous stay in very special hotel
Fabulous stay at this very special hotel . Beautiful grounds and gardens , and so peaceful. The bedroom was spacious and very comfortable, with everything we needed for a relaxing break . We stayed in the stables which felt very private and it was lovely to wake up to birdsong . The owner was very friendly and nothing too much trouble . Would definitely recommend and hope to return . Well situated for visiting Lavenham and Long Melford and only 30 mins from the Suffolk coast .
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful B&B
What a lovely find! Lovely staff and a great room - will definitely stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quiet, quality, would like to come back again.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

6/10 Okay

Anne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Charming country house hotel
We had a lovely warm welcome from the owner, Frank, and were greeted with a roaring fire and the lovely Honey the dog. Great service and beautiful building with lots of interesting pieces of art etc. Lovely attention to detail to provide a comfortable and enjoyable country house feel. Would highly recommend the hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022

8/10 Good

Louise

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed our stay , lovely room and breakfast. Close to Lavenham, lots of recommendations for dinner. Staff very helpful, they even posted a jumper I’d left behind back to me
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Keith

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

ray

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Vicky

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely stay
Fabulous stay and super comfortable beds. Very homely, especially as the family live there and Honey the dog has a little amble around! Beautiful part of the country and great for exploring Lavenham and other parts of Suffolk
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Rectory Manor is a beautiful country house situated in the picturesque village of Great Waldingfield, and only a few miles outside of the picture postcard village of Lavenham. The service throughout was exceptional, with email updates and details of how to get there provide by the owner, Frank Lawrenson, well in advance of our visit, to a terrific and warm reception from the property manager Joanne Cooke, when we arrived. The entire house is wonderfully presented with stunning art and lovely old photos of the Family history on display. The room we had was nothing short of incredible and would easily rival that of a Fairmont or St. Regis, it was that good. A lovely bedroom, with a four poster bed that was incredibly comfortable, and a bathroom fit for royalty. The breakfast was fantastic and very generous, using local produce. Frank, Joanne and the team were very friendly and genuine. They all seemed to enjoy what they do. Given the pandemic, and the additional rules that need to be followed, they made everything look effortless and you almost forget that we are still on the midst of a pandemic. It was true escapism. I noticed an article in the lounge that the Rectory Manor was a finalist in 2019 for best Bed and Breakfast place, and from what my Wife and I experienced, that is no surprise. It is a wonderful place and for me one for the finest places I have ever stayed in the world, and I am very well travelled. I could not recommend this place enough. Wonderful memories!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Calum M.
Everything we could have expected! Beautiful and stunning house , it was truly exceptional, Would wholeheartedly recommend, Cannot fault a thing , and cannot wait to return ! Thank you so much 😊
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Dec 19, 2019
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much look forward to welcoming you back:)) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A special place to stay with very attentive service from Tom the butler. My kids particularly appreciated the swimming pool and tennis court.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Jul 31, 2019
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are delighted that you all enjoyed your stay with us and very much hope that you will visit us again. Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

david

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great house, location and butler
Great old house with character and fascinating history including family photos and memorabilia. Welcome from Tom the butler (and later the owner) set the scene for a highly enjoyable, relaxing and comfortable stay. Tom was helpful and knowledgeable but unobtrusive and there when needed. Liked the honesty bar and breakfast. Will look to returning.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019
Response from Georgina -Guest Relations Manager on Jun 5, 2019
Thank you so much for your lovely review:)) We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and very much look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Apr 11, 2019
Thank you so much:) We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us; please do visit us again soon:)) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Darren

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Tom the Butler was fantastic
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Mar 25, 2019
Thank you so much. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and very much hope you will visit us again:) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
excellent stay at Rectory Manor, staff very helpful .recommend breakfast. good places eat supper locally.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Dec 18, 2018
Thank you so much for your review:) We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much hope you will visit us again soon! Best Wishes,

8/10 Good

David, Roehampton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great comfort but breakfast choices a bit limited.
Room was very spacious and comfortable with excellent facilities and all you could wish for, down to a jug of milk in the fridge for our tea. Service almost too attentive. Breakfast at a communal table with family portraits and military medals looking down on us seemed intended to simulate a country house party but the choice was a bit disappointing and more limited than we are used to in a quality hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Sep 17, 2018
Many thanks for your kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay. For three years consecutively, we have been awarded a Gold Star award by the Tourist Board for Breakfast excellence. That said, we are definitely not ones to rest upon our laurels and are always keen to hear from our guests about how we could improve and complement the offerings of our current Suffolk cooked and Continental spreads. Please do drop us a line at bookings@rectorymanorhotel.co.uk , we' be delighted to hear from you:) Best Wishes, Georgina PS- Re our portraits and family memorabilia, they are just that; authentic and long standing additions to our traditional and historic Country House and all with personal provenance- definitely not bought in/put up for show!

8/10 Good

Edward A.

View from Brussels
Well preserved manor house in lovely isolated hamlet. Spacious, comfortable Nicely decorated lodging in thee Old Stables. Welcoming staff and a fulsome Breakfast
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Sep 1, 2018
Many thanks for your very kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much hope to see you again:)

6/10 Okay

Gary/Sue., London

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Cleanliness
Pure luxury,and Tom is a pure Gentleman. Don't miss this opportunity to experience how the Riffs live.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Sep 1, 2018
Many thanks for your very kind review. Not sure who the Riffs are but clearly they do it in style!!:)

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018
Response from Georgina-Guest Relations Manager on Aug 15, 2018
Many thanks for your review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us:) Best Wishes,

8/10 Good

Damien

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018
Response from Georgina-Guest Relations Manager on Aug 15, 2018
Thank you very much for your review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us:) Best wishes,

10/10 Excellent

George, Aarhus

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic
Exactly what we needed.Relaxing,quiet and Fun.Easy access to areas of interest.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2018
Response from Georgina -Guest Relations Manager on Aug 15, 2018
Thank you so much for your very kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us:)) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Stuart

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to base yourself for seeing Suffolk
Lovely location and a very nicely presented room with all the amenities you would expect. Staff were very friendly and helpful with lots of information about the local area.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Jul 9, 2018
Many thanks for your kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much hope to see you again:) Best Wishes

8/10 Good

Wally, SE

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Tantalising! So close to perfect!
The setting, rooms, furniture and welcome were all beyond great! The picture perfect country visit to an old Rectory ! Unfortunately, there were (on closer inspection) distinctly dusty surfaces in the bedroom and (saddest of all) the pool was full of dead insects, making it unuseable. A defunct insect collector floated in the pool to add insult to injury. The vast well-cut lawn cried out for a the missing croquet set! It was tantalising- so much promise, so much disappointment. The reason? The property is run by a caretaker, not the owners, and it feels like they really haven't checked it for a while now. I am certain that were they the guests, they would not be too impressed.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Jul 13, 2018
Many thanks for your constructive review; we are delighted that you enjoyed the majority of what we have to offer! With regards to those few facets with which you felt underwhelmed, I do hope that the following may help:- 1) Rectory Manor has been awarded a 5* Gold award by the Tourist Board. The stipulations of this highest accolade include recognition of our attention to cleanliness. However, not ones to rest upon our laurels, we have duly informed the housekeeping staff that even more diligence/vigilance may be required in certain areas in order to uphold those high standards of which we are so proud. 2)The croquet set is, as advertised, ALWAYS available upon request. The sole reason for its non-permanent status at certain verdant times of the year is to save our lovely groundsman from having to negotiate myriad hoops via his ride on;)) 3)The pool is constantly filtered on an automated system. Obviously there is always the possibility that leaves or insects may fall in during the day when the cover is open; a price one sadly pays for open air 28C dips! However, our staff would have been more than willing, had it been brought to their attention, to help remove the odd winged intruder! 4) Profuse apologies for the 'noisy guests'; a valued staff member was celebrating a milestone birthday; for which appropriate cover had been arranged (and a midnight curfew imposed;) We do not envisage occurrence of a similar incident for another decade!! I hope this helps:) We always value feedback and very much hope that you will visit us again in the future. Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Lee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Jul 9, 2018
Thank you! We very much hope to see you again:) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Robbie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful and charming Hotel
Enjoyed my time there and would definitely go back.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on May 21, 2018
Thank you so much for your review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much look forward to welcoming you back to Rectory Manor soon :)) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
What a find a most comfortable and clean hotel set in beautiful grounds. The staff were friendly and polite nothing was to much trouble for them to make you feel welcomed will definitely stay again.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on May 20, 2018
Thank you so much; we are thrilled that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much look forward to welcoming you back to Rectory Manor soon:)

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really amazing and fabulous a great place and I will definitely go again
Stayed 1 night in May 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on May 16, 2018
Thank you so much! We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and very much look forward to welcoming you back soon:) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Brian, Combs Ford, Stowmarket

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
WEEKEND AWAY!!
The venue was quiet, secluded and the décor superb. The manager was attentive and helpful and genuinely interested in his guests. The room was equally superb in all aspects - the four poster bed to the very large bathroom. Easily 10 out of 10. Many thanks
Stayed 1 night in May 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on May 9, 2018
Gosh! We are all positively blushing here chez Rectory Manor..thank you so so much for your lovely review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much hope to welcome you back soon:) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

BARRY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay in fabulous location
wonderful hospitality in a lovely location- thoroughly recommend!
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on May 4, 2018
Thank you so much; we are thrilled that you enjoyed your stay at Rectory Manor and very much hope you will visit us again:) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place for a break
Very pleasant relaxed place. Beautiful quiet surroundings and friendly welcome from Tom the butler. If you want ultra-modern don't go here. If you want old world charm look no further.
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Apr 17, 2018
Many thanks for your very kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and our blend of new and old world charms:)) Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

N, Oxfordshire

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely boutique hotel
Lovely boutique hotel. Beautiful room in a restful location. Weather was out of anyone’s control but meant we didn’t get to enjoy the gardens apart from through the windows! We were offered a complimentary upgrade on arrival.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Apr 16, 2018
Delighted you enjoyed your stay with us; despite the inclement climes of normally 'Sunny Suffolk'! We very much look forward to welcoming you back again when hopefully you can explore further afield/at least venture into our three acres of grounds... wellies and umbrellas are always available upon request! Best Wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Apr 5, 2018
Many thanks for your very kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and very much hope to see you again. Best Wishes,

8/10 Good

Ian and Liz, Upminster

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lonely and peaceful hotel
Great couple of days with great food and friendly staff
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Response from Guest Relations Manager on Apr 3, 2018
Thank you for your lovely review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and very much look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Best Wishes Georgina

10/10 Excellent

Jim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great
An absolute Gem, great service, the rooms are
Response from Georgina- Guest Relations Manager on Mar 30, 2018
Thank you so much; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay. Best Wishes,

6/10 Okay

Josephine

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We were the only couple in hotel. It was very opulent but felt like it was someone's house and it was very expensive. We didn't enjoy the Butler experience as it stopped us relaxing.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018
Response from Guest Relations on Mar 14, 2018
Thank you for your review; we are so sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the tranquility, personal service and non-corporate feel upon which we pride ourselves at The Old Rectory! Best Wishes, Georgina - Guest Relations Manager

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Brilliant
This was a selection based upon previous reviews and it certainly did not disappoint. From the warm welcome from Tom to his relaxed, professional check out, the sty was a delight. We will certainly revisit this charming residence again. Thanks and Comgratulations to Tom, the Butler.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Thank you so much for your kind remarks...

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Liked it
Lovely home but expensive for what you are getting
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Response from frank on Jan 17, 2018
Many thanks for your kind remarks. We are the highest independently rated property in the area. i.e. 5 Stars with a Gold Award. Tatler has rated us one of the 12 best B&B's in the country. Our reviews across the board average 9/10. We also offer superior facilities such as a tennis court and a swimming pool (open from April to September). With the extra cost required to maintain these very high standards, we are always under pressure to increase our rates. Our marketing advisors tell us that our prices are too low as they fail to illustrate the quality we offer and that higher prices might in fact increase our occupancy levels. Every year we redecorate at least 30% of our rooms and this year we have invested substantially in "all" our rooms. Despite these pressures, our rates have not increased for three years to ensure that they are the lowest in the region for any comparable property. But in this regard, there really is only The Swan Hotel in Lavenham, which is lovely. However, their prices are 50-100% higher than ours. So whilst we appreciate that everyone's budget is different, we do believe that we offer exceptional value for money for anyone visiting Lavenham, Sudbury and the surrounding area. You may also consider coming out of season or on a weekday when you can enjoy the same benefits at a reduced price. Hope this helps. Very best.

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Peaceful and relaxing.
Very comfortable and relaxing. Would recommend for a quiet peaceful break.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017
Many thanks for your kind review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to see you again soon. Best Wishes Georgina Guest Relations Manager

10/10 Excellent

Tracey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
What a find!
We felt welcome from the moment we arrived. Tom the housekeeper is so lovely. Very attentive without being intrusive. Nothing was too much trouble. The house and gardens are superb and well located for walking and sightseeing. Local pubs within short walk and the nearest village of Lavenham has wonderful restaurants. A really relaxing few days in a wonderful country house B&B
Stayed 3 nights in May 2017
Many thanks for your very kind review; we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and were able to relax and unwind, both in the house and grounds and the picturesque local countryside. We very much hope you will visit us again soon. Best wishes Georgina Guest Relations Manager