Croydon Park Hotel - The restaurant

Hotel's own photo

There is something silently reassuring to know that a town that you love so much has a hang out where you can go with friends and visitors from other towns to have a drink, or a meal.

The Croydon Park hotel has such facilities. I have visited the hotel many times before for conferences and meetings but had not had the time to seat and take in the décors and customers service. Having recently been there as a client of the restaurant, I would recommend it and would invite mostly people based North of the river to come check it out.

Usually, people who speak badly of an area have never visited the area. I love Croydon and have leaved there for the past 13 years… I am continuously discovering great things about my area and have many times found myself defending it in front of people who have never crossed the river southward.

Well to you misery guts, Let me tell you about the Croydon Park hotel where I had dinner few days ago. The hotel is literally situated 2 minutes from East Croydon and 5 minutes from the town centre where all the night clubs and restaurants are concentrated.

Upon entering the hotel, the visitor is bathed with an impression of gold lights and, a comfortable reception area with modern soft furnishings and abstract giant art deco objects. At the left, is a reception desk and to the right, is are the lifts and corridor leading to the Brasserie and the restaurant.


The buffet area and ceiling

On the evening of our visit, the restaurant was full and buzzing; as far as I could see, the guests were a mix of hotel guests but mainly locals making the most of this beautiful space. The menu this particular night was a 3-course buffet with drink at £22.95 per person.

The well displayed buffet has offers for all tastes from vegetarian to pescetarian and a very large choice for the carnivores as usual. No matter your palate preferences, you would find something to eat at this beautiful buffet displayed on a giant hexagonal hotplate which, seems to have been carved out of the Ceiling. The latter is covered with tiled mirrors and is reflecting the food on display just below.

The starters buffet was by far the side I had decided to settle in as it offered Salmon, artichokes mozzarella, melon, Parma ham, eggs, king prawns etc… I was spoilt for choice and having taken a quick tour of the mains and having seen the tired green vegetables, wrinkly roast potatoes & colourless broccoli. I was reassured that there was enough salad combos to make my outing worthwhile.

No thank you

For dessert I tried the Tarte aux Pommes which would have been overly sweet had I not chose to have it with double cream. All the other cakes were oversized and full of cream… not to forget the ugliest dessert in the world the crumble… I don’t think the latter has a place in a restaurant unless it is baked in individual ramekins…

If the food was to be marked on 10, I would mark it here at 4. But the atmosphere and service would be marked at 7/10.

In my opinion going out to eat is as much about the atmosphere as it is about the service and food… I loved the atmosphere at the Croydon Park Hotel and will go again. I may not have enjoyed the food here, but for my dinner companions, they seem to love it. Mind you Brits are not too fussed about what they eat and I flippin’ Frenchie seem to be the one to complain every time we go out.

Well dear friends, if I am paying, it gives me the right to express my likes and dislikes freely and I refuse to let go of that right.

See you soon!

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