The Croft Hotel

The Croft Hotel descritpion

The Croft Hotel sells fast on our site. Originally built in 1835, The Croft is in the historic village of Croft On Tees, overlooking the River Tees. It has a health center, a bar/lounge and a restaurant.
The Croft hotel is in a quiet area, only 10 minutes from the center of Darlington, 5 minutes from the A1 and 15 minutes from Teesside International Airport. Parking is free at the hotel.
Each room has a private bathroom, as well as tea/coffee making facilities. Some rooms have beautiful views of Croft Bridge and the Tees River.
Raffles Restaurant serves traditional dishes from an exciting menu and the bar/lounge can accommodate up to 100 guests.
Best Western The Croft has a health center with a gym, a sauna and a steam room.

Recommand

Low rates——Best price for 2 guests: $84+ • No booking fees • Save money!Best price guarantee — enter dates to see these prices!
21 properties in Darlington——Including hotels, apartments, villas and more.
Manage your bookings online——Sign up for a FREE account·View a single booking.
333 independent reviews——We verify all reviews from guests who've stayed at The Croft Hotel. Find out more about Booking.com Reviews.
The staff speaks English——The Croft Hotel's staff speaks:English
Booking is safe——When you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection.

Facilities of The Croft Hotel

Outdoors ：Terrace

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Food & Drink ：Restaurant | Bar

Internet ：Free!Wireless Internet Hotspot is available in public areas and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).

General ：Newspapers | Safe | Non-smoking Rooms | Heating | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

Reviews for The Croft Hotel

Review 1：the room was dark and you needed the full lights on. even with an extra bedside lamp it made little difference to the room the bed was okay but the pillows were too thin and past their best for giving any decent support. Also there was no hedhead and a gap between the bed and the wall which meant that you could not sit up in bed and read the worst thing was lask of sleep. the radiators clanked and kept me awake. when I did sleep I was woken early with someone walking along the corridor before 7am and then banging with roof repairs from 8am. also there was a lot of disturbing noise from showers and taps from a nearby room though the bath was good the shower had little pressure and was too high up to try and alter it. also stiff to turn on

Review 2：the staff were very friendly and responded promptly to my request for decaf coffee and an extra lamp. Very approachable and attentive the bath was good and hot water in it great breakfast was okay and the manager was efficient in serving it decor was acceptable

Review 3：Want to return once the rooms have been refurbed, as the room was very tired and old. But this is not a complaint - It is plain to see what will be, once they're done!! Only niggly thing, I understand we were the only couple in the building. But when it came to breakfast, there was a distinct lack of attentiveness.

Review 4：The sweeping grande staircase. The entire ground floor, having been refurbished, to an exceptional level - The breakfast was amazing! Look forward to staying again when the refurb complete =)

Review 5：Poor choice of lager and what was on offer was very expensive.

Review 6：The staff were very pleasant and helpful. Good sized room.Breakfast was of good quality ....would have liked the milk to be cold and not left in bottle on serving table.

Review 7：The room was cold, shabby with stains all over the carpets. No shower, only a bath with a hand held spray, but not shower curtain or screen! Public areas are uninviting and lifeless. With the A1 closed at night, the road outside the hotel is one of the main routes North. This means there is a constant stream of trucks outside the bedroom windows revving to get over the hump back bridge just outside. It was a good job there were hardly any other guests - when asked to take any table in the restaurant I had to search to find one that was clean.

Review 8：Staff were friendly, without being 'over the top' The hotel is actively being refurbished, so perhaps there's hope for the future. It is a good location.

Review 9：Rundown hotel in need of cleaning and updating. Inept staff. Characterless public areas. Noise from main road and corridor. Definitely not the 'luxury' hotel it advertises itself as being. Massively over-priced.

Review 10：Pretty little village with an excellent pub just across the bridge from the hotel. Breakfast is good.

Review 11：Rooms just needed some TLC, a bit shabby, but the hotel had just been taken over and was being renovated.

Review 12：Staff were really friendly. Rooms were large and all of ours had individual decor. Close to Croft circuit.

Review 13：The staff were often too busy chatting in the kitchen and not available for the customers. On my first morning after waiting over 5 minutes, I had to go into the kitchen to ask for some coffee as the waitress had not seen me arrive!?

Review 14：The location is great. Sadly the building is looking tired and in the need for updating.

Review 15：The dining room was a dismal on Sunday night when we arrived. Dim lighting and the overall size contributed to this since there were few guests eating.

Review 16：The staff were pleasant, polite and efficient. Although it took a little time to find someone at reception, once booked and settled in we were looked after well. The breakfast menu was good and food prepared and presented well.

Review 17：Fantastic staff. Arrived at midnight and had to leave before breakfast officially started but night staff managed to do us proud with everything bar full english!

Review 18：The fact that our room wasn't ready due to a wedding being held the day before, we went away for an hour and it still wasn't ready, we were given another room.

Review 19：The breakfast

Review 20：The hotel looks very dated compared with its photos. The bed was the most uncomfortable hotel bed we've ever had and a decent sleep was impossible. The shower took ages and only reached lukewarm.

Review 21：Cooked breakfast was fine.

Review 22：Hard bed, no water, no robes, grubby round the edges. Rubbish coffee at breakfast.

Review 23：Large room, big bed. Good WiFi, free parking. Superb cooked breakfast. Good value meals and drinks.

Review 24：Girl on reception very busy on the phone all the time. They gave me a room that wasn't made up. Lounge and bar area very dark and uninviting.

Review 25：Housemaid very helpful. Bar staff very pleasant, Restaurant staff very pleasant.

Review 26：I was every disappointed as I have been a house keeper before that there was no guide to the room/welcome pack. I had to search for the number for reception. Also as we arrived back at the hotel after midnight it took us 15 to actually get in to the hotel as we couldn't see the bell and was unsure which door at the back to stand at.

Review 27：We really enjoyed our stay at your hotel, we travel up to Darlington once a month for an event we attend. We enjoyed the breakfast in our room and loved the look of the room as it was!

Review 28：Rooms were very dated and nothing like shown on the website. Bathroom didn't feel very clean, there were cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, only noticed them on the morning of departure or we would have complained.

Review 29：Staff were really courteous and helpful. Breakfast menu was good and extensive, food cooked really nicely.

Review 30：Bedroom / Bathroom had low windows and were overlooked from roadway. Room and bathroom were large but but were bland and lacked any cosy features. Externally hotel needs a face lift.

Review 31：Breakfast very good and the location next to river and church was pleasant.

Review 32：Outside of the building looked tatty compared to the pictures on line. The reception and bar area were very dark and had a strange smell. The bedroom was looking a bit tired and dated.

Review 33：Breakfast was spot on.

Review 34：Lighting very poor. Bedside lamps almost impossible to read by. Bathroom. Nowhere to hang towels. No soap dishes or similar in bath or shower. Plenty of room for larger shower in that sized room, & flexible shower head. Cheap flooring.

Review 35：Staff were all very pleasant, helpful and attentive. Evening meals generally well cooked and presented and menus interesting. Breakfast tasty & good choice.

Review 36：Arrived late and roused night staff by having to knock on practically all the ground floor windows. There was no answer to the intercom or hotel telephone line

Review 37：Location, breakfast clean and comfortable room with ensuite bath and wi-fi

Review 38：Bathroom decor appalling. No towel rail. No hairdryer. No chair. No stand for suitcase. Loose plug socket on wall. No croissant/pastry when ordered, although offered by waitress. No duty manager when requested.

Review 39：The evening meal was excellent and the staff were lovely.

Review 40：We were given a warm welcome but no help with luggage up two flights of steps. There was no information in the room about the hotel's facilities, room service, dining hours or wi-fi and we had to ask at the bar for water glasses. The bedroom window was jammed and had two positions, wide open or closed. The whole hotel is in need of refurbishment and has a run down and gloomy atmosphere especially in the bar area. The choice for breakfast was mediocre but in the evening the vegetarian option was inedible. A burnt cauliflower steak served with vegetables including caulifllower! We complained and weren't charged. The two glasses of wine we were served were stale from bottles obviously left standing and had to be returned and replaced from a fresh bottle. My duck, however, was very good. For a Saturday night the hotel was very quiet. On checkout the staff were sympathetic to our concerns but gave no indication anything would change.

Review 41：Nice location with walks by the river. Friendly staff.

Review 42：Liked the welcome, even though I arrived late due to the length of journey. I was made to feel comfortable as soon as I walked through the door, a good atmosphere here. A great deal of money has been invested in this former Best Western hotel, now once again an independent business. The refurbishment has been both thoughtfull and tasteful paying attention to detail.

Review 43：Public areas were very nice, Room 2 was a little tired. Dinner was Harvester standard, not Gastro-Pub standard. The bed was uncomfortably (not soft, just unsupportive), no double glazing in the room (I certainly wouldn't book for a winter stay). Road noise was an issue at the front.

Review 44：The staff were extremely helpful. Wifi in the room was excellent. The beer was good.

Review 45：Lovely hotel but had noisy toilet/plumbing which kept us up most of night - staff were aware as they told us its going to be fixed but didn't help our nights sleep!

Review 46：Great staff, nice hotel and location

Review 47：Problem with bath we had to move room and despite the fact manageress was aware of this at check-out and the fact we were moved to a smaller room charged for original

Review 48：friendliness of staff particularly on duty night staff and waiter waitresses

Review 49：The room was ok but what you would expect from a £30 a night hotel. Basic not very modern shower was poor.

Review 50：The breakfast was nice and the downstairs area was modernised

Review 51：Advertised as rooms recently refurbished but didn't look that way apart from some new wallpaper. Shower full of mildew and holes in the wall from an old towel rail.

Review 52：Comfy bed and no noise

Review 53：The shower thermostat was faulty and the tiling needed a re grout.

Review 54：Good location for breaking long journey from Scotland The staff were attentive and friendly especially the receptionist when I reported the shower was faulty upon check-out.The room was comfortable and quiet Breakfast was substantial and provided a good start to the day.

Review 55：1. Water was not warm enough for either shower or wash. 2. Bathroom was enormous. But sink was on one wall with mirror on the opposite wall behind you at least 10 feet away.

Review 56：Menu and quality of food

Review 57：The building itself would have been quite impressive in its heyday but was a little "tired" looking now. Service in the dining room was diabolical. We waited just over 2 hours for evening meal and 1 hour for breakfast.

Review 58：The hotel is in a lovely location near the church and river in Croft. Nice big room with king size bed, clean, free toiletries and big fluffy towels. When our evening meal eventually came it was really lovely. We were offered a reduction due to major delays in restaurant.

Review 59：45 minute wait for a burger and chips on Saturday evening and 50 minute wait for over cooked scrambled egg on Sunday morning. Staff very apologetic but I think the chef may have been shot

Review 60：Nice hotel, very convenient for Croft Circuit, room good and staff very nice

Review 61：Arrived and they were unaware of our booking. Waited over an hour in the restaurant for our meal as a group walked in before us and there were only 2 serving. No hairdryer in the room and only 1 glass in a double room.

Review 62：bar prices could have a singer on at a weekend - most of tables were set for people to eat so hardly anywhere to sit just for a drink

Review 63：stayed in room 7 which had the biggest bed I've ever seen Staff here very good Easy parking Relaxed atmosphere

Review 64：The room felt a little like it was one which stored all the old furniture, functional but a bit basic - it was the last one on the corridor. Could have done with a teaspoon for my tea.

Review 65：The people were all very friendly and welcoming. Restaurant obviously newly upgraded. Food wholesome. Weel kept beer.

Review 66：The bed was not comfortable. Bathroom was a bit strange with a sloping floor and a raised bath, and a bath panel that moved in a draught from somewhere. No shaver plug in the bathroom.

Review 67：Location. Breakfast waitress was friendly.

Review 68：Poor checking in , we were given a key card to a room , on entering the room there was a male still sleeping in the bed ! Nobody know who or where the male had came from !

Review 69：Breakfast was beautiful , tasty and nice and hot

Review 70：After reading on the website about a full refurbishment programme, it was difficult to find any improvements since our last stay. Beds are quite hard. Shower pressure very weak if you require the water to be hot. No breakfast at weekends until 8am, so we missed out on Saturday. Sunday the kitchen ran out of bacon.

Review 71：location is good. Staff were all very friendly and helpful.

Review 72：We weren't too impressed with the standard of food for evening meals, very average and slightly overpriced for what it was

Review 73：The staff at the Croft are so friendly and helpful, they went out of their way to make sure we had a lovely break.

Review 74：the fact that the kitchen extractor is too low if you open the window in room 18. Could do with raising above roof line.

Review 75：easy place to find, good location if you wanted to see other places around Darlington. Nice place to just chill away from work.

Review 76：Absolutely nothing

Review 77：The Hotel was full of history and atmosphere but up todate with all mod cons.Our room was large and so was the bathroom,with roll top bath!! Decor was very good and clean.Food was very well presented and well cooked.The staff were excellent and so friendly and nothing was to much trouble for them.Hotel is well situated to tour both North Yorkshire and Durham.Can't wait to book again.

Review 78：As older people with some mobility problems,the room was at the far end of the building,resulting in climbing 2 sets of stairs. Wardrobe facilities were poor,other than for a single traveller there for one night,and a larger bed would have been most welcome.The Croft Hotel

Review 79：The quietness of the rear room,requested at the time of arrival. The breakfast menu was excellent,but the toast on the first day was a bit underdone.

Review 80：Wonderful setting next to a beautiful church where Lewis Carrol wrote Alice in Wondrland . The hotel staff were friendly and ensured that we had a lovely stay.

Review 81：No complaints at all.

Review 82：Everything was excellent, room 7 loved the beautiful bedroom with the great big bed! We had a fabulous steak meal. Staff couldn't help more.

Review 83：The room was far too hot, a lot of heat rising from floor. Turned off radiators but it was difficult to sleep. The sash window would not stay open.

Review 84：A very nice bar area and restaurant. Comfortable en suite room.

Review 85：Some staff could do with understanding just asking If everything okay isn't customer service - they have to listen tot he answer and act accordingly. thick dust on bathroom fans - no excuse for and need to re mastic the bathrooms evident

Review 86：Cooking from dinner to breakfast was lovely this time. Some staff friendly and working extremely hard this hotel has the potential to be lovely with some finer tweaks

Review 87：no one at reception on check in so had to hunt for someone, even then i was still left waiting, also very complex shower controls even receptionist at check out said they were difficult to use

Review 88：Great food and nice room apart from could not use shower

Review 89：I slipped on the waxed floor in the bar/restaurant and fell to the floor, considering that I am pregnant It ruined my stay. I was wearing Chelsea boots (the flat kind) so I would suggest if you are not wearing a rubber sole to be careful. The hotel is listed as being refurbished however there are areas that could still be improved including the bathroom which was dated and also had holes on the wall. Some finer details need reviewing like the fact that there were 2 of us staying in the room yet only one mug was left at the tea making facility.

Review 90：The location is nice with a short drive into Darlington approx 4 miles. Everyone in and around the area is particularly friendly. One member of staff that worked in the tea room and breakfast service was very helpful and accommodating.

Review 91：Not many hotel facilities. General Housekeeping needs to be improved i.e basic duties not carried out unless you requested them to be attended to even then some still not carried out.

Review 92：Nice Breakfasts

Review 93：This is not a criticism the hotel is a listed building with no lift facilities. This can be difficult for disabled visitors with wheelchairs the stairs are not too steep.

Review 94：The staff were very helpful + friendly and the food was excellent especially the suasage & mash with onion gravy. The room was very comfortable and the price was just right.

Review 95：Nothing!

Review 96：Staff were very friendly, room was immaculate could not fault this hotel at all. If we ever visit Darlington again we will not hesitate to stay at the croft!!! 10/10

Review 97：On arrival was given my room but on entering the room it hadn't been cleaned, and with only one room left available that had been closed off due to a dodgy tap, I had no choice but to take it. Staff were very apologetic about it. Breakfast was slow. Waited 40 mins but my colleagues and myself had to go without in the end as we had run out of time.

Review 98：Evening meal was good.

Review 99：Freezing cold day, no heating on in room on arrival Mold around bath 2 and a half hours in be served 2 courses in restaurant No bread served with pate!?

Review 100：Location

Review 101：Room allocated was next to main road which was a little noisy early evening and first thing in the morning.

Review 102：Quiet hotel next to,the river tees. Grade 2 building that gave it character. The food is excellent and the best I have had at a hotel in a long time. All staff are pleasant and serve with a smile and have pride in their work. Will definitely stay here again but ask for a room away from the main road.

Review 103：I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. Staff were all friendly and efficient and the food I had for evening meal was lovely. There appears to be an excellent chef in the kitchen. Slept well and made good use of the free Wi-Fi. Would certainly be very happy to stay here again.

Review 104：The management seem to run the hotel on a shoestring with the barman doubling as receptionist even at 6 pm - hardly late, which means a delay for either the very dry at the bar or the weary traveller The food has in some respects gone down in quality - the soufflé was dry and the prawns very tough after being over microwaved The bedroom was very large and comfortable but the bathroom, whilst very large was disappointing There was no shower and the corner bath was up two narrow steps and the down into the bath with no grab rail. You had to sit on the side of the bath to use a hand shower The mastic around the bath was mouldy and had shrunk away from the wall and the edging on the steps had had an attempt to stick it back (unsuccessfully) with mastic A pity

Review 105：The staff are very helpful The food is varied The location by the river is good

Review 106：Some form of working radiators in room 1 would be nice. Resorted to electric heater &judging by previous reviews, this is not an isolated incident. Please sort the rads out

Review 107：Food was fabulous. I've stayed here before and it makes a change from the usual 3663 food at chains. Great real ales and staff were fine. Shame about the heating...

Review 108：The most noisy plumbing I have ever encountered. Problems sleeping due to the above. No cups with tea making facilities.

Review 109：Staff were polite and helpful. Great food and range of ales in bar. Convenient location. Characterful building.

Review 110：We upgraded to a feature room, the feature was that the bed was at a 45 degree angle barely standing up, dirty unwashed bedsheets, dirty bathroom with another person's body hairs in the bath! Dirty tea and coffee facilities! Me and my partner had to sleep top to tail in fear that the bed would break, not the most romantic night of our lives. We were unable ro take our baby out of hos pram due to fear of what germs or bugs he may get from the dirty bed linen. Was just absolutely awful. We got to the hotel after a 7 hour drive from the highlands and after dinner was late once we got to our room. My mum was staying in the other room and when I went to collect her in the morning she burst in to tears after also spending the worst night of her life!!!! Just horrible! I did complain but have yet to receive a response!

Review 111：The dinner time meal in the restaurant was good and the new girl at reception in the morning was nice and very sympathetic of how awful our experience was!

Review 112：Could suggest soap in bathroom.

Review 113：Hotel facilities, restaurant facilities and quality of food. Staff were amazingly helpful, efficient and pleasant. Brilliant value for money.

Review 114：A very loud fan had been left running which could be heard clearly in our room. May I suggest you link it to a timer so that you don't depend on the kitchen staff to switch it off in good time. The bed was very squeaky.

Review 115：Staff were great and flexible as we stayed following a meeting which over ran. I ordered our evening meal which was cooked as soon as we arrived but sometime after the deadline

Review 116：The bathroom of my room (9), strange to have to go up two steps to get in the bath/shower.Then when there very little headroom between you and the ceiling/shower head!

Review 117：The pleasant and friendly staff, there seemed to be nothing that fazed them.

Review 118：Our 2 booked rooms were unequal in quality. First room was cold as was the corridor. We were moved to a smaller room poorly stocked eg one towel. Receptionist re-calculated our bill three times - worrying.

Review 119：Decor, warmth, food in the Gastropub.

Review 120：Put a middle aged couple in the room directly above the bar when 170 young farmers were in having a party. Chairs in room very uncomfortable Tired decoration Carpets could do with a good clean especially in the tea room Very noisy plumbing from room 11 that could be heard on all floors, at 7 on a sunday morning, not too happy Avoid room 8 if you want a good nights sleep

Review 121：Clean Staff very friendly. Good size room Food good

Review 122：The Croft Hotel was in a perfect location for Croft Race Circuit. Plenty of parking at front for cars or back car park for a few cars with trailer. Excellant value for a quality hotel. Room was clean, comfortable and very warm. Food was excellent 2 for 1 steak night :-)

Review 123：The noise from a gents dinner was so loud they were just below me in room 20, the noise never stopped all night with the pipe work from the water system kept me awake from 3 am, the bathroom was dirty with black mould on the tiles and the bath panel was hanging off.gastro pub, intimate , luxurious is the advert for this place. What a joke!!!!

Review 124：The shower had little pressure. The bathroom hadn't been cleaned. Doors slamming due to door closures not being effective. Food was poorly presented, expensive and bland.

Review 125：The entrance to the hotel

Review 126：Friendliness of staff. Quality of food. Comfort and size of bedroom. Proximity of hotel to the church and rectory where Lewis Carroll prayed and lived as a child.

Review 127：Poor internet coverage. No staff on arrival for at least fifteen minutes. Windows in room and on the landings can't have been cleaned for years. Waited thirty minutes for breakfast only one person in before us at eight o'clock

Review 128：The price. and the breakfast when it finally arrived.

Review 129：Myself and my partner are smokers and during the night there is no where to smoke and they lock the main door! You have to ring someone to unlock the main door and they wait for you while you smoke!! Makes you feel awkward! Also the breakfast you only get one sausage! !

Review 130：The room was gorgeous!!

Review 131：No lift to top floor

Review 132：The food at the restraint was fabulous the taste exploded in my mouth and with a 3 course meal for £14 it was very very good I will go back for the food even the eggs at breakfast were free range and tasted good great if you live in hotels with your job and get the same slosh everyday it was so enjoyable

Review 133：Booked in on my own as waiting for partner, was allocated the smallest room on top floor at end of corridor . No offer to carry luggage . Room was freezing ,small ,on request I was given an alternative room , twice as big twice as nice and warm. I don't inderstand ,there were very few guests ,why allocate the worst room. If the first room had been my only experience I would not consider returning

Review 134：Breakfast excellent , young staff member lovely friendly and nothing toouch trouble. Excellent value for money

Review 135：Very expensive drinks, headed to a pub a very short walk over the bridge which was also very nice & friendly & far better priced. One bit of wall paper hanging from ceiling & bathroom pullcord missing knob. Not a problem just odd considering how nice the rooms were & the rest of the hotel.

Review 136：Pleasant decor inside & out, easy parking & short drive to Darlington. Very large bedroom & our bathroom was huge with 2 basins, shower & stand alone bath all very clean & new looking.

Review 137：Only one criticism is the choice of real ales was very limiting which talking to the staff was about to be rectified.

Review 138：Fantastic location unfortunately it was too dark to take a river walk, staff were very accommodating with every request dealt with promptly. room was exceptionally spacious and an enormous bathroom. Food was to a high standard and very pleasant room to eat in, would have loved to stay longer and would consider one of the Xmas offers if it wasn't too far away.

Review 139：Nothing

Review 140：Staff who understand customer service. The kitchen had just closed when I arrived (about 10 pm) but there was none of the usual shrugging of shoulders - an excellent hot beef baguette and chips was rustled up before the kitchen was locked up. Very helpful in every other respect as well.

Review 141：Light in desk/seating area didn't work.

Review 142：We were in room 7 which is very large and spacious. Booked at booking.com for executive room and saved us over 50%. Food is to die for we had sausage n mash and the fish n chips. We will be back for the food.