The Old Railway Station

Having previously stayed at the Old Petworth Railway Station several times and seeing the Princess Ena under restoration, we were keen to try it out once opened, so booked to go as a party of 5 for my father in law's birthday. We had such a lovely evening. The carriage has been beautifully restored. We were taken to our seats and the two servers were professional and friendly throughout the evening. The food was amazing. Classy, but not overly fussy, which is just what we like. They were very accommodating, fitting us onto a table for 5 and providing a separate small table for his presents. We would definitely recommend it and will be back. Thank you very much.

We know The Old Railway Station from years ago so we thought we’d introduce our friends to West Sussex by staying a couple if nights here- big on quirky value and the promise of fine dining on a newly renovated dining car. Overall it was a pleasant stay- we opted to stay in the main house as the railway carriages themselves, while unique, looked rather small, and we would sample the railway carriage experience with an evening meal on Princess Ena. The rooms were cheerful enough and perfectly comfortable except for the lack of blackout curtains which would have stopped the early morning light from seeping through the shutters. The hospitality tray, while perfectly adequate, lacked the little touches that usually make a luxury b&b stand out. We seemed to receive several reminders pre-arrival re strict check-in and check-out times, stressing we couldn’t arrive early or leave later which I found a little off-putting, as if guests were a minor inconvenience they could do without. Princess Ena is a jewel in their crown, beautifully restored with exquisite attention to detail, and we thoroughly enjoyed the setting. However, food was slightly disappointing. At £59 per person for three courses (a £5 supplement for beef wellington) we were expecting bells and whistles; instead we were informed that they’d run out of baba ghanouch for the duck breast, which when served was actually half a duck breast. The rare beef wellington I requested came in two thick slices, one rare, one not at all. The temperature of all the dishes was lukewarm despite being brought from the kitchen under cloches. Three of us ordered sticky toffee pudding which was, in reality, a very small slice of sponge with no sticky toffee sauce at all. We felt similarly disappointed with breakfasts. In other upscale b&bs, breakfasts are usually superb, with bowls of yoghurt served with homemade granolas, berry compotes… I always look forward to the selection of pastries and different breads, in addition to a variety of fresh fruits. And the full English and other hot dishes are usually a highlight. Here we were served one mini croissant or pain au raisin at the table with some rather unimaginative brown or white toast, and the ordinary selection of Kellogg's individually boxed cereals which I could have every day at home. We weren’t able to make up our own breakfast hot dish; it was the full English or nothing. Once again, food from the kitchen wasn’t hot, and on our second morning two dishes arrived a good five minutes before the others, a real pet peeve. If you can’t serve everyone at once, hold everything until you can. No-one likes the “Please do start otherwise yours will get cold” scenario. The biggest gripe was the drinks service before dinner. We had imagined the waiting room would be made up for evening drinks before we took our table in the dining car. Not so. We arrived at 6.30 for a 7pm table to find the room in darkness and all tables made up ready for breakfast. When we a

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, although I have to say that the evening meal was not 'fine dining', the Beef Wellington (which we paid a premium for) was like a shop-bought meal. It was dry and not rare as proposed. The service was superb, however. The accommodation was different, being the primary motivation for folk to book, it was fun to stay in a carriage although the windows were condensated so you couldn't really tell where you were, coupled with having privacy blinds of course. The bathroom was with Bath and Shower, although the Shower door fell off in the morning, which I had to report to reception. The highlight was the 'Waiting Room' where we ate Breakfast; an open fire greeted us along with juices, cereal and superb Full English. Once again, the service was first class. When we add up the cost of the accommodation combined with a £240 food and wine bill, it's a costly experience. Must also mention the 'Badger' Pub, a 2 min stroll, very nice pub with great staff and a friendly atmosphere, menu looked very good too!

Absolutely fantastic stay. The 5 star rating is fully deserved. The staff were all very pleasant and courteous. We stayed two nights in Flora 2 - it was beautifully decorated and wonderfully comfortable whilst keeping the ambience. The bathroom was beautifully clean and well equipped - lovely powerful shower. We had afternoon tea on arrival which was delicious. We were allowed to take the cakes we couldn't manage back to our room for later! We had full English breakfast one morning and continental the other - both were delicious - the continental particularly was extremely varied - ham, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, honey and a boiled egg! On our last evening we had a fantastic dinner in the Pullman car. The food was delicious and the ambience was very gentile and relaxed. When my husband asked for an irish coffee they went out of their way to make one, even though it wasn't on the menu. One of the nicest places we have stayed - we would love to come back.

We stayed here overnight last week to celebrate my husband's birthday and had a wonderful time. The room was spacious, beautifully decorated and furnished and very comfortable, and ambling down the platform to the dining carriage for a delicious meal was a wonderful way to spend the evening. Would highly recommend.

The old railway station is truly a hidden gem. We dined on their beautifully restored carriage, and the hostess left no stone unturned! Great service. We had a really lovely evening. Food was delicious! We will definitely be back soon, thank you very much.