The Saracens Head Inn

I’ve had time to balance the pros and cons of this old inn. It’s certainly old and quirky, but sometimes the quirkiness wears thin and it seems just old and worn. Can’t fault the helpful friendly staff, and the breakfast was excellent, served in the lovely old bar. Not the most restful stay but it did the job.

Disappointed with the room, we stayed in room No 8 there was mould on the bathroom ceiling, mould on the outside base of the shower, the sink had no plug and the water only trickled out of the tap. When you opened the vanity unit the pipes were black In the room the window would not close, which we notified the receptionist, but nothing was done , on top of the four poster bed there was thick dust , it was the same with the wardrobe. There was no mattress protector , the mattress itself was 4” away from the headboard , there were cobwebs in the corner s of the room Overall we would not stop there again

The condition of the rooms is unacceptable, with mould and dampness covering the walls and ceilings in the bedroom, bathroom, and around the windows. Despite our request, the heating was not turned on (November) even though the owner had promised it would be. We had to argue to receive additional duvets, and the owner made us feel uncomfortable for asking for anything at all. The rooms had a strong smell of dampness, which also affected our clothing after being in the room. If we had had options we would have stayed elsewhere, the rooms really should be removed from sale as they are surely breaking health and safety regulations.

Don't be fooled by the first impression from outside which looked good with some beautiful floral baskets etc. The first room allocated in the main pub was room 9. I appreciate that the building itself is 16th century but did not expect 16th century dust on all of the stairwell. The toilet seat was broken and the macerator after a flush kept going intermittently and the toilet did not refill. The whole room was grubby with furniture I'm not sure Oxfam would take. The gentleman we spoke to was friendly and moved us to a courtyard room which was better but then it could not have been worse. The blind in the bathroom had mould on it as did the bathroom ceiling and whilst the furniture and furnishings were better they were all very dated. The breakfast experience was like faulty towers. Again a very amicable gentleman but as he was cleaning rooms and changing bed linen and then coming across I did wonder at the hygiene of it all. We were cordially asked if we wished for tea or coffee and that was it. Eventually saw orange juice on the bar and then the breakfast appeared. All pre cooked and possibly microwaved or left in a warming oven. One and a half pieces of toast (small loaf slices each). No option on white or brown and just brown arrived. No choice of egg. A greasy fried egg swum on the plate with a sausage and two pieces of bacon which might have said a passing hello to the frying pan and a few baked beans. Dreadful. Such a shame as Amersham was pleasant and we were off to a concert at the O2 so ideally located for Amersham on the Hill tube station

I had a very enjoyable stay, made welcome by the staff and the locals. The room and bathroom could be better considering the cost of the room. As a retired caterer I would say the food and service was very good. I would happily stay again. Would recommend.

Zero attention to cleanliness. This place is disgusting and if we had alternative options would never have stayed here and will never use again. Previous guest body hair on bedding and in bathroom in numerous places. Bedding old and revolting. Mattress very old with springs digging into you and told by staff there were no complaints before us, which we did not believe. Carpet covered in bits, showing that it was not vacuumed before our stay. Filth gathered in corners and along edges of room. Could not shower first day as no water coming from hot tap. Second day struggled to make it work as was told we must run another tap to get water. Hated using bathroom as it was so dirty. A large bright green light above your head all night, apparently a fire requirement which we have never seen in any other establishment, this was very invasive during sleeping time. Breakfast not worth eating. Never asked how we would like our eggs, food under cooked and sausage and bacon microwaved, coffee the worst I have ever tasted in fact it had no resemblance to coffee at all. No cereal, no fruit, no non gluten options. Staff not interested in making it nice for you, they just want you up and to eat as fast as possible, hence not offering you anything. Complaints were highly justified and carried out politely yet they were met with a defensive attitude justifying that the issues were acceptable because certain staff did things this way. Ridiculous way to respond when you are the guest paying £130 a night for this revolting experience. Saracen's Head is run with zero customer care or interest showing maximum profit for the least amount of effort. Offered a free drink for the issues raised which we found insulting. Attached a photo of the toilet brush holder once we arrived in room one, I think it says it all regarding the conditions they expect their guests to stay in.