Retreat East

From what we had seen on social media to actual reality was not at all the same. All in all a very disappointing stay, one that we were so looking forward to. A cold welcome, no logs for the log burner, poor service in the restaurant, a dirty bunged up sink full of black hair, not worth the money at all. Will not be returning. Such a shame as could be wonderful if more attention to detail.

Stayed in the farmhouse as a group of six girls in October as a long weekend together and whilst we enjoyed our weekend together we were a little bit disappointed with the accommodation. The farmhouse is lovely and understand it’s a very old building but several aspects of the house are completely filthy and need a clean. I emailed customer care when I got home over a month ago and haven’t heard anything back. Horrible cobwebs everywhere (which I understand could happen in an old building but this just clearly hasn’t been cleaned properly in a long time), cigarette bits outside the patio door, filthy remote control, water marks over all walls in the bathrooms and mould in the freezer. Sofas are also quite marked which doesn’t really scream the luxury retreat this is meant to be. There is a window smashed in one of the bedrooms as well and a huge crack in the floor in one of the bedrooms/ ceiling of the kitchen so you can hear everything in one room from below. I would say six adults is probably the max you can fit comfortably without being too cramped. We paid £15 each for breakfast each night of our stay which is not worth it for the continental option!!! The plates aren’t even big enough to fit a slice of toast on and there are very limited options and doesn’t even include a ‘proper coffee’ from the menu. Asked the staff several time to replenish the yogurts and everything was so slow. Some of the group ordered hot food for an additional cost which took 45 minutes to come and it wasn’t busy. Also ordered smoothies which took 30 mins to come as the bar staff had ‘lost the ticket’. So after already paying £15 for breakfast + £4 + £5 smoothie + hot food I noticed on check out they added 13.5% service charge when we received less than average service. I’m not surprised I didn’t hear back via email as when anything was raised to staff it didn’t seem urgent or looking to provide good customer service unfortunately. I would also advise not to come just for a spa day especially in colder months. There is no where to sit and wait apart from the restaurant when a group is in the sauna and steam room area you have to be quiet due to being right next to the treatment rooms.

My wife and I had heard so many positive things about Retreat East that we decided to have a long post valentine weekend stay, even though it was a mere 15 mins away. When we arrived we had a lovely lunch before checking in. The self catering lodge we stayed in was beautiful and spacious and the four poster bed was exceptionally comfortable. The lodge was more than warm enough, but we lit the log burner at night to add to the cosy ambience. On one day we went on a local hike. There is an abundance of well maintained footpaths, so plenty of options for a distance to suit your needs, and everywhere was so picturesesque. We also made good use of the spa, undergoing treatments and used the steam room, sauna and hot tub. The friendliness, thoroughness and helpfulness of the staff is one of my residing memories, whether that was at reception, or in the spa or restaurant. We shall return.

Lovingly converted barns & outbuildings, make for a private & secluded retreat. Extensive walking trails, bikes on hand & even a small spa space, make staying on the grounds easy but near enough to good golf & the Ipswich towns nightlife & restaurants, to make this an ideal base for a holiday, mini break or event. The restaurant, The Great Barn is outstanding. We went back for a second dinner after a phenomenal first. The vegetable consume was the best i’ve ever had. Nice piece of Hake for my main & duck for my partner, perfectly matching sides, with the potato hey (which we had as a starter) standing out. Everyone very friendly.

Another fantastic stay at Retreat East, the staff and service were second to none. We stayed in one of the elements barns which had a lovely outdoor bath, ideal for sitting out and watching the stars. We love Retreat East and wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to our friends and families. Keep up the good work. 5 stars from us.

We had high hopes for Retreat East as a venue for a significant family event, given our previous stays. However, our experience with their service has been nothing short of appalling. We arranged an in-person visit to discuss hosting our event and made a considerable effort to get there, bringing my partner and our newborn along. Retreat East isn’t exactly somewhere you just “pop in”—it involved time off work and a three-hour round trip for us. Upon arrival, we were told that the events manager, Caitlyn, wasn’t there—she had simply forgotten about the meeting. No apology, no explanation, no attempt to rectify the situation. Thinking this must be a one-off mistake, I followed up with Leyton, their commercial director, expecting at least some form of acknowledgment. Instead, I was completely ignored. No response, no accountability—just silence. Retreat East is undeniably a beautiful venue, and we’ve enjoyed staying there before. But while the accommodation might be 4-star, the service is firmly in the 1-star category. Their brand promises a premium experience, yet their actual service is completely misaligned with that image. No doubt they’ll respond to this review with a generic insincere “We’re sorry you feel this way” message, but if you look at other negative reviews—both here and elsewhere—you’ll notice a consistent theme: poor service, lack of accountability, and an unwillingness to improve. Unfortunately, our experience was just another example of that. Very disappointing, and I’d strongly caution anyone considering them for an event.