Frequently asked Questions
If you've got a question about Classic British Hotels or making a booking, take a look at the list below. We've tried to answer all the frequently asked questions and a few others besides, and it could save you a telephone call...
INFORMATION ABOUT CLASSIC BRITISH HOTELS
What is Classic British Hotels?
Classic British Hotels is a unique organisation, not just another collection of hotels. Each member hotel is exclusive to Classic. It is a recognised hallmark for quality independent hotels that you can depend on with confidence, giving you an assurance that you will experience the same high standards and personal service, wherever you choose to stay.
Where in the UK can I find a Classic British Hotel?
There are over 50 Classic British Hotels throughout Great Britain, from the Channel Islands and the South Coast of England to the Highlands of Scotland, and everywhere in between. Map of Classic British Hotel locations.
How are Classic British Hotels rated?
All hotels are inspected at least once a year by two independent organisations, from which Classic British Hotels determines the star rating and the appropriate quality grading for the property. A combination of service, facilities, maintenance, housekeeping and ambience is assessed. Ongoing Mystery Guest audits are also carried out at regular intervals to help monitor and improve quality standards.
What level of quality and service can I expect when I stay at a Classic British Hotel?
Classic British Hotels are top 3, 4 and 5-star hotels, ranging from First Class to Deluxe. Every hotel prides itself on providing and maintaining high standards and professional service. Many Classic British Hotels are the proud recipients of various awards for quality, service, standards, facilities and cuisine.
MAKING A RESERVATION
What do the prices include?
Prices may be Room Only, Bed & Breakfast or Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. When you make a booking you also have the option of adding extras (such as dinner, champagne or golf) at an additional cost. Special offers and packages will state any extras or upgrades that may already be included. All prices are inclusive of tax (VAT at 17.5%).
Can I buy the same accommodation or break cheaper elsewhere?
Classic British Hotels guarantee the cheapest online prices for our hotels. If you do happen to find the same hotel cheaper elsewhere, for exactly the same stay, we will honour the lower rate. Take a look at our Best Price on the Internet Guarantee for full details.
How do I make a reservation online?
In just a few easy steps you can make a reservation using our online booking engine. Simply choose your hotel or destination from the Fast-track Booking box on the homepage and follow the guidelines that take you through the booking process. When your booking is complete you will be given a reference number and your confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address you have provided.
How can I upgrade from a standard bedroom to a superior or feature bedroom?
For extra luxury and comfort, most Classic British Hotels have superior bedrooms, feature bedrooms or suites. These rooms may offer additional space, facilities, luxurious features or all three. When you make a booking online you will be given the option to upgrade your room during the booking process – from as little as £10 per person per night (providing that the hotel has such rooms and they are available for the date(s) being booked).
How do I make a reservation by telephone?
To speak to one of our Reservations Advisors, and make a reservation by telephone, call 0845 0 70 70 90 (local rate call from anywhere within the UK).
Our Reservations Centre is open during these hours:
Monday-Friday: 8.00am-8.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am-5.00pm
Sunday: 10.00am-4.00pm.
From outside the UK you will need to call us on +44 1483 77 63 44
How much do you charge for children to stay?
Children are welcomed by Classic British Hotels. Up to two children, aged 16 or under, can stay free of charge when sharing a family room with two adults (applicable only where family rooms are available). Breakfast and dinner can be purchased in advance, as required, during the online booking process. Please note: some hotels that do not have family rooms bookable online may operate a different child policy.
Will I receive confirmation of my booking?
Yes, as soon as you complete your booking online a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you have provided. This email will contain your confirmation number, details of your booking and directions to the hotel. You should retain your booking confirmation email and we also advise that you print a copy to take with you to the hotel.
When do I pay for my reservation?
All bookings made via the Classic British Hotels website must be guaranteed using a credit or debit card. A deposit of 11.75% of the total booking value will automatically be deducted from your credit or debit card at the time of booking. The balance of the payment, including any extra costs incurred during your stay, must be made to the hotel when you check out. Full details can be seen by clicking the Terms & Conditions link during the booking process.
Do the prices include tax?
Yes, all prices quoted include Value Added Tax (VAT) at the prevailing rate, currently 17.5%. There are no hidden extras.
Which credit/debit cards can be used to guarantee my reservation?
You can guarantee your reservation using all the major credit and debit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Switch, Maestro and Delta.
Is the Classic British Hotels website secure?
The sensitive information you provide when making your booking is handled securely. Before you are asked to enter your credit/debit card details you will be transferred to a secure server where your booking can be processed safely. The details you submit cannot be read in transit by a third party.
I've tried to make a reservation online but it isn't working. What should I do?
If you have tried to make a reservation online, but seem to be experiencing difficulties, you can always contact one of our Reservations Advisors on 0845 0 70 70 90. They will be more than happy to help and the call is charged at local rate, wherever you happen to be in the UK. (See Reservations opening times above.)
I think I have made a reservation online but I have not received a confirmation email. What should I do?
If you have made a reservation online but have not received a confirmation email, you should call our Reservations Centre as soon as possible. We can then check that your reservation has been confirmed and we can resend the details of your booking to you.
I've lost my confirmation number/confirmation email, what should I do?
Call our Reservations Centre on 0845 0 70 70 90 and we will be able to provide you with your confirmation number. In order to do this we will need to know the hotel you are staying at and the month in which your stay commences.
How do I amend my reservation?
If you want to make changes to a confirmed reservation you will need to cancel the existing booking and rebook. You can cancel the existing booking by clicking on the cancellation link in the confirmation email that was sent to you. A cancellation email will be sent to you confirming that your booking has been cancelled.
CANCELLING A RESERVATION
How do I cancel my reservation?
If you originally made your reservation via the Classic British Hotels website, you can cancel your reservation by clicking on the cancellation link in the confirmation email that was sent to you. A cancellation email will be sent to you to confirm that your booking has been cancelled.
Will I be charged if I cancel a reservation?
Should you wish to cancel your booking within the cancellation period, your total deposit will be refunded in full. You can cancel your booking by using the link provided in your booking confirmation email. A cancellation confirmation will be sent back to you at the same email address.
Our Cancellation Policy for any booking of up to 3 rooms is 24 hours prior to 4.00pm on your scheduled day of arrival. This excludes the following hotels where a longer Cancellation Policy applies:
- The Lamb Hotel, Burford, is up to 2.00pm, 2 days prior to arrival;
- Elstead Hotel, Bournemouth; Fosse Manor, Stow-on-the-Wold; Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, Snowdonia; and Royal Marine Hotel, Brora are all up to 4.00pm, 2 days prior to arrival;
- Inver Lodge Hotel, Lochinver, is 7 days prior to arrival.
On all confirmed bookings cancelled outside the specified cancellation period, there is a Cancellation Charge equivalent to the total cost of the first night's booking value. This includes non-arrivals or instances where you cannot provide proof of cancellation (a cancellation confirmation or reference number) if requested to do so. Your credit or debit card will be charged a Cancellation Charge, equivalent to the total cost of the first night's booking value, less the deposit charged at the time of booking.
Getting to the hotel:
Can you provide directions to the hotel I'm visiting?
If you booked online, directions will have been provided in your booking confirmation. Detailed directions, including a full colour interactive map and a detailed routeplanner is available for every hotel on the Classic British Hotels website by selecting the 'Routeplanner' button on the when viewing any hotel page.
Checking-in/Checking-out:
Do I need a confirmation number or ID to check-in?
To make your check in as straightforward as possible we strongly advise that you print out the confirmation sent to you by email (or by post if you do not have an email address) and take it with you to the hotel. Your confirmation contains your confirmation number.
Can I check-in early?
The earliest check-in time for most hotels is 2.00pm. You may, however, leave your luggage with the hotel if you arrive early. Earliest check-in times are shown on the Accommodation page for each hotel. Under certain circumstances, and by advance request only, you may be able to check-in at an earlier time, but this is entirely at the discretion of the hotel. Please verify any such requests prior to travelling to the hotel.
What is the latest time I can check-in?
Once you have confirmed your booking, your reservation is guaranteed for late arrival. However, if you are due to arrive after 10.00pm we recommend that you advise the hotel in advance.
HOTEL FACILITIES
What facilities are available at the hotels?
Comprehensive information is displayed on this website for each Classic British Hotel. Simply select the hotel you are interested in from the list on the home page and you will be taken to the information pages for that hotel. Many of the hotels have a wide selection of room types, excellent restaurants, superb health and leisure facilities – some with beauty spas – golf courses and meeting facilities. If you have a specific query that the details on the website does not answer, you can always give us a call on 0845 0 70 70 90.
Do Classic British Hotels have suitable disabled facilities?
The majority of hotels have bedrooms equipped for disabled guests; many have additional facilities throughout the hotel, designed to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Hotels with rooms for disabled guests are shown on the Accommodation page for each individual hotel. If you have a specific requirement or request, please call us on 0845 0 70 70 90 and we'll be more than happy to help.
LEISURE BREAKS
How can I arrange a break for a special occasion?
To arrange a special break for an occasion or a treat, either select 'Special Occasions' from the main Leisure menu on the homepage, which will feature a variety of packages, or build your own special package using our flexible online booking facility – depending on your choice of hotel, you can include all sorts of luxurious treats from champagne, handmade chocolates and fresh flowers to beauty treatments, a couple of rounds of golf or a four-poster room upgrade. If you'd like help or suggestions, you can call us on 0845 0 70 70 90.
How can I find out about seasonal breaks?
Just visit our seasonal breaks section on the website. To ensure you receive information on the latest seasonal breaks, promotions and offers, register to receive our regular emails.
What kind of activities are available at Classic British Hotels?
Every hotel is different and every hotel offers different activities. These may include fully equipped leisure clubs with indoor pools, spa baths, saunas, steamrooms and gymnasiums; 18-hole golf courses; bicycle hire; tennis; squash; snooker; pool; croquet; watersports; horse riding; clay shooting; off-roading; fishing; archery; guided tours and much more. Take a look at our leisure section for more details.
SPECIAL OFFERS
Where can I find the latest Special Offers?
A selection of Special Offers is always featured on the Classic British Hotels homepage. For a full listing of all current offers, click here.
Can you keep me updated on Special Offers and Seasonal breaks?
Emails highlighting some of the best offers and seasonal breaks are regularly sent out to our registered subscribers. To receive these emails all you need to do is complete the Visitor Registration form. You can unsubscribe from this service at any time by using the link provided within the emails.
DINNER
Can I eat at the hotel?
All Classic British Hotels have at least one restaurant, many have two or more restaurants which will usually include a fine dining restaurant and an informal alternative. For the dining options available at each hotel, check the Dining section for the hotel that interests you. This section will detail the restaurants at the hotel, their opening hours and any special dress requirements if applicable.
Do Classic British Hotels offer fine dining?
Most Classic British Hotels are acknowledged for the exceptionally high standard of cuisine served in their restaurants. More than half the hotels have either one or two AA Rosettes in recognition of this fact, and The Club Hotel & Spa in Jersey has been awarded an impressive three AA Rosettes and a Michelin Star.
Should I make a reservation in advance for dinner?
Yes, it is definitely worth purchasing dinner in advance. If you add the dinner supplement to your online booking you can also enjoy a saving on the normal price in most cases. To ensure that you dine at your preferred time, it is also worth confirming with the hotel on check-in when you would like to eat.
PETS
Do Classic British Hotels welcome pets?
With the exception of guide dogs, most hotels will not accept dogs or any other pets inside the hotel. If you plan to bring a small dog, please check with Classic Reservations before booking your chosen hotel.
