The Potters Heron - Test Valley

Had dinner here recently on a mid-week night. The atmosphere was soulless as there were maybe only around ten people in the whole place. The food, while just about being ok, was crazy expensive and not good value for money. Example a simple plate of beef stew with three crispy roast potatoes was £18. Then a dry chocolate fondant with a tiny scoop of ice cream £9. I wouldn’t recommend it or return for these reasons, which is a real shame as I’m local and it could do so much better…

I stopped by for some drinks and found the place to be clean and orderly. The staff were friendly and quick in serving us. There was ample free parking in the front which made it convenient.

A beautiful place (no doubt) in 2007, tired now but staff were friendly, bright and helpful. Evening meal was dire with the chef clearly on their way out the door at the end of a long day. Breakfast was delicious with the chef clearly starting a new shift revived! Still better than a souless Premier/Holiday inn but it’ll need more than a lick of paint soon.

We decided to have our Christmas Day lunch at the Potters Heron because we had previously attended a wedding there and had enjoyed lunch there a couple of times. The setting is lovely and there were 8 of us in our group. We had a wonderful time, as the food was delicious and plentiful, and the staff were very friendly. We were seated in the garden room with a beautiful table setting. We would definitely choose to dine here again for Christmas. The only suggestion we have is to have some Christmas music playing in the background to add to the festive atmosphere. Overall, we had a great time and thank you to the staff for a wonderful experience.

We stayed overnight before our cruise and were pleased to find parking available for the duration of our trip. The room was very comfortable with a perfect bed and lovely pillows. We had a great meal in the restaurant, with the steak cooked just how we liked it and a good selection of wines. The staff were exceptionally helpful and friendly, particularly Kerry who was working the bar during our stay. The receptionist was very professional and accommodating, and the breakfast staff were lovely as well. If we decide to cruise again, we will definitely stay here. The port is only 20 minutes away, making it a convenient choice for cruisers.