Blazing Donkey Country Hotel Reviews

Horrible disorganised wedding venue. Food was appalling and cold. Timings did not run smoothly and the management have many hidden charges. Most bad reviews are removed for some reason?! I see many many bad reviews online but seems only the good ones remain on tripadvisor. Very suspect. Beware

We cannot rave about this place highly enough. Our wedding planner, Sandra was just amazing and Bruce the chef is a fantastic human being. Credit where it’s due those two made the day as perfect as could be. We wanted to take them home with us! In fact all the staff working our wedding absolutely grafted all day and all evening. Nothing was too much trouble and the day ran like clockwork. Special thanks to Lucas, John, Bali, Billy, Shannon and all the housekeepers for making the rooms fabulously clean (we loved the little touches) and the girls who worked tirelessly at breakfast both mornings with a smile - thank you to them for putting up with the hungover guests! Would have been lost without Sandra, she made stuff happen and waved her magic wand. I don’t know what Bruce puts in his food but it tasted and looked like heaven. All our guests loved their vibe and complimented on how great they were. Really enjoyed the local gin and vodka at the bar even though our party drank most of it dry! The dance floor was full all night - DJ was ace. If we could do it all again next week with that team then we 100% would.

We have just had a lovely meal in the restaurant. The food was delicious, local produce used wherever possible, great value for money. We left feeling well fed and very well looked after by John. Would highly recommend and we will be returning.

We had the privilege of getting married at the Blazing donkey venue on the 1st June 2024. We were helped through every step of the way by the amazing team, especially Sandra who coordinated the whole event and it run perfectly! We couldn't recommend them enough and are very grateful for all the hard work the team put in. The whole day was just magical.

My son and I booked the Blazing Donkey has our base for a three day golfing trip. We couldn't have made a better choice. Rooms spacious and comfortable but most importantly the staff were simply amazing. The chef, Bruce, in particular was outstanding. We arrived late on a Sunday afternoon, where a wedding was in full swing. We booked a evening meal for 7.45 , but unfortunately nobody informed Bruce !! He was just about to serve a buffet for 150 people when he found out!!. He came to see us... no fuss... no complaints...no hissy fits.. we asked for a couple of steaks, 20 minutes later we were sitting down to two perfectly cooked and presented steaks !! The next night,Monday, the hotel is normally closed and its Bruce's day off. We, of course didn't realise and had booked an evening meal. He actually came in on his day off and cooked for just for the two of us. Above and beyond is how I can only describe it. The meal was again delicious. The interactions we had with the rest of the staff were also very good, they were helpful and chatty . The Blazing Donkey will certainly be our first choice of hotel when we return to this oart of Kent.

I would like to start by saying it shouldn’t always be negative when people write these things. We had our daughter’s wedding at the blazing donkey Saturday 20th April 2024 Sandra the manager dealing with us was exceptionally excellent. We can’t sing her praises enough. Richard has a good one there. She was professional, accommodating and ensured that we and all our guests were happy, no query was to much trouble. Thank you Sandra and of course your team that made our special day run smoothly and trouble and stress free From mum and dad of the bride. Thank you.

I have been to a couple of events at the Blazing Donkey over the last few months and I must rate it as a five star venue. I attended a Drag Event which was hilarious and definitely an eye-opener! Also, I attended a recent wedding which was memorable for the flash hailstorm just after the ceremony as much as for the very moving ceremony! The food is was superb although very different at both events, the staff were super friendly and helpful and the accommodation was both very original and comfortable. I would highly recommend this Country Hotel as an excellent wedding or Events venue for any occasion

From the first contact to the BD the communication was fantastic. As a group of Undergraduate students organising a ball for students and staff, Richard was accomodating to our needs and understood our situation and was able to meet our requirements. The night of the event came and everything was perfect - the venue looked stunning and the Sandra and the team made sure the evening was great. Food was served and everyone danced the night away. Some students and staff took the advantage of staying on site in one of their beautifully newly refurbished rooms - which were lovely and included breakfast - which was also tasty!. Cannot thank Richard, Sandra, Bruce and the rest of their team enough for allowing and accomodating to our ball. We are hoping due to the sucess it will be an anual event and I have no hesitation that the BD will be used again. Thanks Team!

Sandra and Bruce are a delightful couple and made our stay at the Blazing Donkey a most enjoyable and unforgettable experience. The service and customer skills they have are unrivalled. Bruce is an extremely accomplished chef delivering plate after plate of superb cuisine. Even though they were hosting wedding and gala ball events that weekend we did not hear any loud music and enjoyed a comfortable good night sleep.

If you are looking for a gorgeous country venue, with superb facilities, and staff who go above and beyond - The Blazing Donkey is the place for you! Myself and my Fiance enjoyed the most fabulous stay, we were met with a warm and welcoming greeting by Richard and his staff, who could not have made us feel more comfortable and special. We were blown away by the cosy, warm and luxurious setting, the stable block rooms are just stunning. The bed was comfortable, room beautifully furnished, all attention to detail has been thought of here and the staff went above and beyond to make our stay a truly superb experience. We slept well, surroundings are peaceful. The whole place was clean, very well presented, and the atmosphere was excellent - these people really care about their guests and their hotel and should be incredibly proud of not only the venue but also of the service and atmosphere that they themselves provide! A special mention must also be said for the food - outstanding! We felt right at home here, absolutely loved it, so much so we have now booked our wedding! A huge thank you Richard, and to the lovely staff who looked after us so well - we cannot wait to come back and get planning :)

It’s fine. They upsell loads like check in is the same time as wedding ceremony start times so you can’t leave bags anywhere or get ready unless you want to pay an extra £50. They also charge £50 to pull out a sofa bed. Drinks are more expensive than London and my room had no heating so I was freezing all night. Plus sides are the staff are absolutely lovely and couldn’t do more for us. They deserve real credit especially the manager. It’s not a terrible place but definitely overpriced for what it is.

We had a wonderful stay at Blazing Donkey made all the better by the friendly and professional staff. Very good communication beforehand followed by a friendly greeting from the Manager when we arrived. He showed us straight to our room and was happy to chat about the local area. A relaxing drink by the roaring fire was a welcome start to our evening. Having time to browse the varied menu then move to our table once our meal was ready. We had an amazing meal with a good choice of wines. Ending the evening with a liquor back by the fire, heaven. Our room was warm, cosy and very clean with a comfortable bed. Lovely views to wake up to on a bright sunday morning with the donkeys across the way. Plenty of choices for breakfast including home baked pastries and many cooked options. All in all a great find for a relaxing country break with superb food and fabulous staff. We highly recommend and will definitely be back.

We came as a large group to have lunch here and the food was amazing! Three courses and we were stuffed. Not many places you get great quality and quantity of food :) We also had several dietary needs and nothing was too much trouble. This in itself if worth its weight in gold. Honestly the staff and food are wonderful. Would recommend in a heart beat.

My husband and I got married at the Blazing Donkey at the end of Covid. We weren't even sure the wedding could go ahead until 2 days before! The Blazing Donkey were fabulous in dealing with Covid issues. Nothing was too much trouble. They listened to what I wanted and didn't push their own agenda. Last minute changes on the day were managed with no fuss. As a bride, I had a truly amazing and stress free day, exactly what every bride wants. We booked all of the rooms for our guests in advance. Several of the guests said it was the best wedding they had been too.