I rest my case, after lugging it in myself.

Another special weekend away for the birthday of the one I love. This year, to out do all other years we took a trip down to Amberley Castle http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/. A top notch hotel by all reports. But I always have a problem with these places. High prices leave me with high expectations and they are rarely lived up to. It is a firm belief of mine that most hotels are poor, not because of any major financial reason, but just lack of care about what they are doing. The above hotel had a long sweeping drive ending in the entrance tower into the castle complete with portcullis. I had imagined that a place of this calibre would have some obvious things like porters and valet parking. Nope. We dumped the car outside reception (a 20m walk from the drive) where I was greeted by.... Nobody. So lugged the multiple bags and suit bags etc into the reception to be surprised by a grumpy girl. And this is my biggest bugbear of all. Hotel reception. The place where first impressions are made and yet often the worst service in the hotel. I have had arguments when they do not have your room as per arrangement, they are disinterested in helping and manage to get the 'can I help you?' with the same feeling as the Americans (bless em) get in the 'have a nice day' when you can clearly hear that they would not care if you walked out and died. Maybe I am old fashioned but the whole mood of the weekend in a hotel is set in those first few minutes. If it is poor then the hotel is already playing catch up when you come across the good service. I am glad to say that the remainder of the staff at the hotel were friendly, warm and welcoming. The food was excellent and the atmosphere worthy of the reputation as one of the most romantic hotels in the country. Needless to say, the exit was the same. grumpy bloke at reception and no help offered with the extensive luggage one always ends up taking to these places. Small things that cost nothing to sort, a kind word, a smile to show they actually care, an offer of help with the bags.

Picky, absolutely. At prices like that one expects the best.