Monkey Island Estate

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Reviews

1. Mark Johnson ★★★★★

   Monkey Island Estate in Bray is a beautifully restored luxury retreat set on its own private island on the River Thames. Blending centuries of history with contemporary elegance, it offers a tranquil escape that feels both exclusive and deeply relaxing. The location is one of its greatest strengths: just outside London yet wonderfully peaceful, with manicured gardens, riverside pathways and idyllic views in every direction. The estate’s buildings — including the famous Monkey Room with its ornate 18th-century ceiling — give the property a unique sense of character and heritage. Rooms and suites are stylish, comfortable and thoughtfully designed. Some of the more affordable rooms can feel compact, but all are finished to a high standard, and suites such as the Wedgwood Suite provide a memorable, indulgent experience. The dining is excellent. The Monkey Island Brasserie offers refined British cuisine in a relaxed setting, and afternoon tea is a particular highlight. The Monkey Bar provides an elegant spot for a pre-dinner drink, with creative cocktails and attentive service. One of the estate’s standout features is the Floating Spa — a serene, softly rocking wellness space moored on the river. Treatments feel immersive and restorative, making it one of the most distinctive spa experiences in the area. Service throughout the hotel is warm, polished and genuinely hospitable, with many thoughtful touches that elevate the stay. While a few guests report minor inconsistencies, the overall standard is very high.

   almost 2 months ago
2. DJP ★★★★★

   Private (Christmas) lunch function for 12 people. We had a private room off the main bar area that had a lovely ambience. Table was dressed beautifully. Service was of a very high standard, the staff were friendly and professional and the food was first class. So often when you have a pre-selected Christmas menu the resultant quality is poor, not at Monkey Island. Hopefully, we'll be heading back next Christmas.

   almost 2 months ago
3. Gary Young ★★★★★

   We recently stayed at Sundial Cottage at Monkey Island Estate, and it was absolutely fantastic. The cottage itself is a beautiful three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath retreat with a spacious garden — truly perfect for a peaceful getaway. From the moment we arrived at the hotel, the staff were incredible. Their warmth, professionalism, and genuine kindness reminded us of how hotels used to be 25 years ago. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and every interaction was pleasant, making our stay feel truly special. A delightful bonus was discovering that the cottage was originally owned by Sylvia Anderson, co-creator of Thunderbirds. That show was a favourite of mine as a child, so staying there added an unexpected and wonderful bit of nostalgia. The hotel’s restaurant and bar were lovely, offering a relaxing atmosphere and great service, and the surrounding grounds were beautiful — ideal for unwinding or exploring. We stayed for six nights while visiting family and had a wonderful time from start to finish. We will definitely be back. Highly recommended!

   almost 2 months ago

1. Star “G” G ★★★★★

   We came for afternoon tea today with my girlfriends. This was my second visit for afternoon tea. The food is delicious! The sandwiches are filled well and very tasty, The scones were fluffy and light. The desserts delectable. This really is a hidden gem for afternoon tea. I often have afternoon tea in London and this is definitely at that standard or better! Fabulous service. The staff are polite, helpful and really make this a 5 star experience. We will definitely be visiting more, especially as I now know that I can bring my dog in the Bar area and have afternoon tea or a meal there. Full of praise for a well executed 5 star service.

   almost 3 months ago
2. Joe Stoker ★★★★★

   If your looking for a peaceful and relaxing break then look no further than here. Very quiet, beautiful place, really nice restaurant. A pleasant place to unwind and chillout. The floating spa was different and the treatments were of a good standard. Love how close it was to Bray village, as its in great proximity to alot of great restaurants. Good value for money and an enjoyable stay. Well worth a night away here!

   almost 3 months ago
3. Alejandro Sarco ★★★☆☆

   The estate is beautiful, actually set in a small island in the middle of the Thames, connected by a pedestrian bridge, so there are no cars. It's surrounded by a lot of green, and the place itself is like an oasis of tranquility, you can spend hours enjoying the nature and watching the river slowly flow. But then the hotel itself. Check in is actually out of the island, before crossing the bridge, but this is not well signed, and arriving at night is easily missed, like we did, and we spent quite a few minutes going from building to building, until someone (another guest) told us where to go. The rooms are very small, we barely had space around the bed, and there was no space where to put our cabin-size bags, so we had to put them on the floor, which limited space even more. Then on the first night, when we want to have a shower, there was no hot water. After a few phone calls with reception, someone came to our room to explain there was a problem with the boiler, and it wasn't going to be fixed until next morning. Indeed, next morning I was able to shower even though water was still not very hot; only got really hoy by noon. We had Valentine's dinner at the hotel restaurant. The place was nice, but nothing special. Service was good but not brilliant. We had steaks, which I had expected to be more tender, actually I had to ask for a different steak knife because it wasn't sharp enough, but the replacement was about the same. I don't think this dinner was good value for money. Then when it was time for checkout, they charged my card again by mistake, they said it's going to be reversed, and I hope they do it soon.

   almost 3 years ago

1. SimplyMaryam ★★★★★

   This place is beautiful. My company had a 2 day event here and the staff were AMAZING!!! From the booking process till the end of the event they were great... from the manager, to the kitchen staff to the reception. Everyone was great. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MONISH he was very helpful, kind and pro-active. He knew what he needed to do to help us before we even asked his manager to get someone to do it. I really cannot fault the staff members. The venue aswell was BEAUTIFUL, we were lucky to stay in the room and the BEDS oh lord have mercy I did not want to get up from bed to work - sooo comfyyy. Apart from our planning team loving the venue and how attentive the staff members were... our team and managers were happy too and so were our attendees. Super grateful to everyone there. Thank you thank you.

   almost 3 years ago
2. Marian Stevens ★★★★★

   The location is stunning and all the accommodation is first class. We celebrated our Golden Wedding Day here and all the staff without exception were so kind and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. The food is amazing and The bar and Brasserie was relaxing and calm. Thank you all so much.

   almost 3 years ago
3. Lynn Townsend ★☆☆☆☆

   We booked online in April for my husband’s retirement celebration dinner in June the hotel cancelled with less than 2 weeks notice leaving us desperately trying to find another venue, as it is the Jubilee weekend most restaurants are full. I am extremely disappointed with the hotel, they have spoilt what was supposed to be a special occasion We were contacted by the reservation team & rearranged our visit. We had a lovely evening the setting & atmosphere was wonderful & we were well looked after by all the staff. I will definitely like to return in the daytime so we can enjoy the lovely views

   almost 3 years ago

1. Alison Daniell ★★★★★

   A birthday lunch and first visit. Lovely dining room with river view. Food and service very good. We had mackerel and beetroot with goat's cheese starters followed by chicken and river trout mains. All really tasty and nicely presented. When having coffee a brownie with Happy Birthday iced onto plate was presented which was a lovely touch.

   almost 3 years ago

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