The Royal Hotel
The Royal Hotel descritpion
This historic hotel has first-class food, friendly service and a great location close to North Devon's sights, including Clovelly village and the picturesque Tarka Trail for walkers and cyclists.
The Royal Hotel is at the eastern end of ancient Bideford Bridge and close to public transportation. It is easy to explore the center of Bideford and the quayside, where you can catch a boat to Lundy Island.
The hotel is associated with the 17th-century Court of Assize and the author, Sir Charles Kingsley, who wrote parts of 'The Water Babies' and 'Westward Ho!' while staying here.
At The Royal Hotel, rooms are clean, comfortable and have 24-hour room service. One of the hotel's famous features is the oak-paneled Kingsley Room, with its ornate, sculpted ceiling.
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Facilities of The Royal Hotel
Pets ：Pets are allowed on request. Charges may apply.
Food & Drink ：Restaurant | Bar | Special Diet Meals (upon request)
Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.
Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).
Services ：Room Service | 24-Hour Front Desk
General ：Non-smoking Rooms | Elevator | Heating | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)
Reviews for The Royal Hotel
Review 1：Room smelt n was very outdated.as was the bathroom,& you could not lock the window,
Review 2：Staff were friendly & helpful, breakfast was so nice and dinning room was very clean & welcoming..
Review 3：I was made to feel most welcome by all the staff I encountered. Nothing was too much trouble - typical of a hotel run by the Brends, who know the meaning of that old fashioned term 'service'.
Review 4：Menu has too many meat offerings and not enough fish
Review 5：very helpful staff willing and able to assist with menu choices and the kitchen are prepared to adjust menu items to suit dietary concerns.. :Lovely location by the old bridge over the Torridge; short walk into town.
Review 6：Wi Fi not working but explained they were in the midst of introducing a new system on that day and had teething troubles. Not really a problem in this day and age.
Review 7：Location, Parking, Staff, Big room, Breakfast great. All good.
Review 8：Wanted to book in for dinner using deal offered by booking.com and couldn't! If/when you stay make sure you take up booking.coms offer as dinner looked great, but s very expensive to purchase at the hotel.
Review 9：Nice old fashioned clean hotel. Lovely carvery Sunday. Great access to cycling on the Tarka Trail. Enjoyed using the swimming pool at the sister hotel in Barnstaple.
Review 10：Reception staff could have been a little friendlier or at least spent more time. It felt like she was rushing to get rid of me! Was charged £10 more for late check out. Didn't think this was fair as most people are late checking out anyway but don't notify beforehand. Therefore felt like I was penalised for giving proper notice. Also, should have been refunded / discounted as I didn't avail of the breakfast.
Review 11：The bed was very comfortable. Room was very clean.
Review 12：Being woken at 1 am by people down the corridor arguing and slamming doors until 5 am. Didn't sleep hardly at all.
Review 13：The staff were very friendly and good food
Review 14：Nothing.
Review 15：I was staying with my daughter as she had a dance festival in Bidiford, I was really happy with our stay, staff were helpful, they even had gluten free bread for my breakfast, would stay again next time.
Review 16：Personal choice would have been a healthier choice of potato with meals as most were served with chips.
Review 17：Staff friendly and nothing too much trouble. Good location. Good food and service.
Review 18：Room I stayed in now showing its age. Would benefit for an update.
Review 19：Nice traditional English hotel with well trained staff and very good customer service.
Review 20：Very accommodating. I didn't arrive until midnight, and the night porter was lovely. He'd been expecting me and kindly showed me to my room door - I was too tired to work it out myself! The bed was comfortable, the room was warm even though it was cold outside. The view across the river was great. En suite bathroom had everything I needed. Plenty of space, handy refreshments available. I'll definitely be staying here again.
Review 21：My window had a view of the old building at the back.
Review 22：Well maintained & comfortable hotel - especially the comfy bed! Pleasant bar and dining areas. Prompt and friendly staff. Enjoyed my tasty & freshly prepared bar snack Ideal location
Review 23：Good fish dish with lovely light sauce totally spoilt by the same veg being served for roast dinners - albeit all well cooked - not what you'd expect from a hotel with aspirations. Limitted bar-menu. Bath not cleaned.
Review 24：Warm, comfortable & fairly good-sized room. Excellent bed. Efficient staff on the whole.
Review 25：The convenience of the hotel and a very pleasant room with a view and a. large comfortable bed. The breakfasts were excellent and had gluten free bread which i had requested
Review 26：Shower was very weak and hard to get correct temperature, window was broken slightly so meant not much sleep with it banging in the wind
Review 27：Location, breakfast, free parking
Review 28：Very tired: façade, interior, rooms etc. Took me back to working in a similar hotel in the 70's
Review 29：Close to restaurant that I had reserved a table in.
Review 30：Situated on a very busy corner of a crossroads, making it a little difficult to cross the road to the car park with a blind corner and a bridge obstructing the view.
Review 31：The friendliness of the staff, the cleanliness of all the rooms and most certainly the decor. Quite stunning
Review 32：Super location - arrived very late, but they were particularly accommodating and I even managed to get a glass of red before the bar closed! Excellent breakfast - food was super - but the breakfast waiting staff could have smiled and tried to be a bit more attentive!
Review 33：Main qualms. The water in my bathroom wasn't really that hot, although the other room we booked was fine. Although, I didn't complain at the time, so didn't give them a chance to address the situation. This place did also seem not as great value as some of the other places we stayed on our trip. But I think if we were to stay in Bideford again, I would come back here given the location, and everything else was generally good.
Review 34：Great location for those doing the coast-to-coast bike ride, very close to the cycle route as you come in to Bideford. Also, a really nice spot just next to the old bridge.
Review 35：The Royal Hotel is locked in a time warp, and whilst accomodating, the whole fabric of the hotel needs serious money spent. The staff at breakfast are surly and almost rude, no pleases or thank yous. Bedrooms are dated and bathrooms are grubby. They have a sign asking you to turn off the tv on stand by but the only way to keep the room slightly cool is to run an electric fan at full power, how inconsistent is that! The window frame in the room I was in this time was full of wet rot.
Review 36：Convenience to the business appointment
Review 37：The ensuite shower room was so small I had to slide in sideways to get onto the toilet.If my husband had been with me he would not have been able to use the toilet or shower.He is not large and only 5'11.I had no room to dry myself after a shower (I'm only 5'4) and had to step out into the bedroom..the toilet was also a macerator and these are quite noisy. I asked about bringing my dog with me if I ever returned ( not the same room). However although they say dog friendly you may only have the animal in your bedroom and nowhere else. I appreciate that the restaurant is out of bounds but the bar as well?. If you have your dog with you it then surely it would be pleasant to have a glass of wine in the bar after a day of sightseeing etc. with your dog. This is not a really dog friendly hotel. It is also sensible not to upgrade to Dinner .Bed and Breakfast as several items on the evening menu were still subject to an additional charge. Better to stay with Bed and Breakfast.
Review 38：Spotlessly clean. Comfortable bed. Quiet room overlooking the rear of the hotel.
Review 39：Minor observation is that the staff tended to be very formal. Maybe the English reserve.
Review 40：My score based on a three star hotel and at this level it was better than expected.
Review 41：No leisure facilities (admittedly, available for free in sister hotel in Barnstaple), no aircon. The room got pretty warm, the sash windows were prevented from opening very far by the security locks, and the electric fan was only just adequate.
Review 42：A great base for exploring North Devon. At around 200 years old, the hotel shows its age in places, but is clean and comfortable throughout. Well-maintained, you won't find a blown light bulb anywhere! Fantastic staff and very good food from breakfast to dinner.
Review 43：It was a shame the location was not quite what we expected. On the web site it looked as though the hotel was on the river frontage rather than behind some derelict buildings. Also, it was difficult to get across the main road to the car park. We realise that these factors were out of your control.
Review 44：We were impressed by the fact that the hotel offered a good variety of food throughout the day and at reasonable prices. The car parking facility was good and near to the hotel.
Review 45：Upgraded to quite a large room. Reception very kindly added dinner at the room booking rate. I got more for my £15 than I expected. She also later rung me to check if I wanted breakfast in the morning which I thought was a lovely gesture. Overall hospitality was excellent. Will be returning and recommending.
Review 46：The room was lovely. Very clean and neat and tidy. Great location for Bideford and surrounding towns. Lovely breakfast! Would highly recommend!
Review 47：Small bath, electric toilet racket, smell from basin, poor & tired decor, dirty windows, decomposing window sills, difficult window to open, smelt a bit 'hoovery'
Review 48：Comfortable bed, very good breakfast & table service
Review 49：Our room was located on the corner of the hotel, just above the mini-roundabout, and proved to be very noisy, both from passing pedestrians and cars. Bideford must have more boy-racers, with cars sporting blown exhausts, than anywhere we've been.
Review 50：A good 3 star hotel with a very comfortable bed. Our refurbished room was beautifully furnished. Excellent breakfast with fast, efficient service.
Review 51：We were put in a room on the front of the hotel with a main crossroads right alongside. The double decker bus users could easily see us in our room and the noise the buses made, particularly at 6am, was annoying. In addition, the large sash windows were the only way of letting fresh air into the room - very necessary in summer - but the noise from the roads came too. Parking is across busy road or up the hill - no place to unload at entrance level. Not helpful!
Review 52：The fact that the hotel was a 2-minute drive from the Lundy Island boarding quay
Review 53：It felt slightly overpriced. Also, too hot in the room. Wifi was slow.
Review 54：A fine, old-fashioned English hotel very centrally located by the river in Bideford. The full English breakfast was great.
Review 55：I stayed with my 3yr old grandson and if I wanted him to have breakfast it would have cost me £5 per day extra. I provided his. However if the hotel had said we will add £1 per day to your bed and breakfast and please feel free to share your breakfast with your little one I would have been perfectly happy. I think maybe charging for 6+ year olds would be more acceptable.
Review 56：All the staff are friendly and welcoming
Review 57：Room small and overpriced. Paid for bed and full English breakfast. We were catching the early ferry to Lundy and although breakfast started at 7am we were told that full English was not served till 7.30 and only continental was available which was no good to us as we had to be at the ferry terminal for 7.30am. Left feeling ripped off and won't be returning.
Review 58：Not a lot.
Review 59：The room we were allocated had a macerator toilet which was very noisy and as there was no air conditioning either we could not sleep since it was the second hottest day of the year. We left a day early because of this with no refund and will not be going back.
Review 60：The evening meal was lovely
Review 61：Staff very friendly and helpful. Stayed to attend friends golden wedding party in hotel which was excellent. Breakfast was cooked to order which was really good
Review 62：I'd like a better choice of paintings in the bedrooms!! Otherwise - it was all perfect!
Review 63：The Royal Hotel provided a completely comfortable stay in a perfect setting, laced with elegance, good food and helpful staff.
Review 64：We asked for a quiet room, but was put above the kitchen .we could hear all the kitchen noises. Staff were so lovely didn't ask to be moved.
Review 65：Very clean, a little bit tired but food was excellent .
Review 66：Didn't really understand why we had to pay half as much again to eat in the restaurant when there were no adequate tables available to eat in the bar. We didn't find the waitresses in the restaurant at all friendly apart from one at breakfast time - a smile would have gone a long way.
Review 67：We were lucky to have an upgrade for the bedroom which was very spacious and sunny. Bathroom was adequate.
Review 68：We had s room on the front near the road It's was a lot of traffic going past But have stayed in a room out the back and very quite
Review 69：Room was comfortable and clean
Review 70：Sadly the staff seem to be unaware of the importance of happiness, cheerfulness and interactivity. This prevented the stay from being positively memorable
Review 71：The hotel was nice and well located, clean with good facilities
Review 72：We had a digital TV, but the subtitles function seemed to be disabled; I'm hard of hearing and like to have subtitles. In this day and age the hotel group should check that the necessary reasonable adjustments are made. Breakfast choices were good, but would have preferred to see a proper continental plate i.e. cold ham and cheese with breadrolls rather than bread and croissants with jam!
Review 73：This was a good comfortable hotel, clean and in close proximity to the town across the river. Staff were very friendly and helpful so no complaints there!
Review 74：Hot water in the early evening was in short supply.
Review 75：Beautiful Victorian building. Evening meal booked in advance was great value. The staff were all excellent. Rooms were a nice size, we were given complimetary upgrades. My daughter had room 204 (front corner turret) which was amazing with great views of the bridge.
Review 76：I really loved it thankyou
Review 77：Lovley receptionist early check in nearby parking excellent service comfortable bed to had comprehensive range of channels nice deep bath and able to catch up.with soaps also gluten free menus
Review 78：Disappointed with the room - no view from the window so was very claustrophobic and dark , our view was a roof which was such a disappointment given the hotel was opposite the estuary!!! The bed seemed small even though it was supposed to be a double. Breakfast was ok but not of a particularly high standard compared to other hotels we have stayed in.
Review 79：Hotel was easy to find and conveniently located for visiting the beaches. Shower was lovely with decent water pressure. Hotel was beautifully decorated and the staff were friendly and very polite and efficient,
Review 80：We were on a road trip and stopover at this hotel to have a good sleep and nice dinner around but apart from location there wasn't anything good and this hotel shouldn't be 3 star. Very bad breakfast.
Review 81：location
Review 82：On arrival the reception and other public areas had strong food smells (although these did not extend to the room).
Review 83：Lots of original features and character. Room and en suite were clean and well appointed. The staff are friendly and helpful. The breakfast was very good, with freshly prepared hot food (not buffet).
Review 84：hotel was clean and staff couldn't do enough for you. we had to move rooms on sat morning as we originally only booked Saturday to Monday, but decided we would stay Friday as well which was really easy as housekeeping done it for us while we were out
Review 85：the location was excellent for us,easy to find with good parking,the room was beautiful bed very comfy, and a bit flat screen TV in the room,food,service,cleanliness staff all good no complaints at all.
Review 86：Location - very easy to find with lovely view across R Torridge. Adjacent, convenient parking. Un-crowded dining room for breakfast - which was excellent.
Review 87：The hotel is charming and the staff friendly. The meals were very good. I did like that on check in we were put in a tiny room with a very small bed but when we rang reception they immediately moved us to a far more spacious room and decent sized bed. It could have been a real disappoint but they went out of their way to correct it.
Review 88：Room dated, shower attached to bath taps so very difficult to get temperature right. Bed not very comfortable. Food average. Service at breakfast poor.
Review 89：3 attempts to get my bill right. Old fashioned storage heaters not working properly. breakfast staff slow, had to give up and leave.
Review 90：location and parking
Review 91：Slight hum in the room from extractor fan from kitchens but not disturbing.
Review 92：Made our family feel welcome with an extra bed in the room for our son. Use of the nearby swimming pool at their sister hotel added to the fun. The receptionist was absolutely lovely. Warm rooms and nearby parking with overflow area.
Review 93：1)Luke warm "cooked" breakfast - Unnecessary. 2)Bed mattress was not so comfy (almost feel out of either side). 3)Had to ask for complimentary soap/shower gel
Review 94：Location. Attention to my needs. Good staff.
Review 95：Didn't not like anything.
Review 96：Only stayed one night but everything was first class.. Comfy room, lovely building. Breakfast also top notch.. Excellent value. Should be 4 star at least. Staff top too.
Review 97：Room too hot- I had to leave window open all night due to temperature. Menu-requires seasonal products as same menu was on in October 2014
Review 98：Staff-very pleasant Rooms- very comfortable except for temperature (see didn't like)
Review 99：Old style traditional 'grand' hotel with all the comfort and convenience of the 21st Century. Smoked haddock for breakfast-what could be better!
Review 100：the service in the bar and restaurant was a bit slow the shower temperature varied as it was via a tap mixer rather than an electric shower
Review 101：I had a lovely single room overlooking the river the general ambience of the hotel was very relaxed and friendly the reception staff were helpful and efficient the room was lovely and warm
Review 102：Very dated and needs a refurb, nothing is tatty just quite old fashioned!
Review 103：Situated well in the town, very friendly helpful staff, convenient car park, nice breakfast. Very well kept and clean
Review 104：The publicity description of the hotel does not convey the very high quality of the service and food provided; the staff were attentive without being intrusive. This is excellent value for money.
Review 105：First night my room was between men's & disabled toilets & a cloakroom created in the next room for a formal dinner. Very noisy! First breakfast groups & couples were served ahead of me (sadly not unusual for single travellers!).
Review 106：Good clean, comfortable accommodation that felt safe. Tea etc in room & breakfasts very good. Service generally good & staff pleasant. Bar food very good & menu varied. Car parking just across the road, so quite convenient. Would I go back? Yes
Review 107：Decor in dining room dated Plastic flowers in same Music in dining room. Heating too variable seemed to have heating virtually unadjustible. Non opening windows Charge extra for cafetiere coffee Dangerous shower too hot too cold not able to adjust easily
Review 108：Bed comfortable Staff Helpful Located near town centre Comfortable bar.
Review 109：Didn't think it was value for money. We were in an attic room, wouldn't class it as 3 star accommodation. We left the room one morning at 10 when we arrived back in evening our room had been cleaned and room door left wide open rang down to reception to tell them they apologised and said have a look round and see if anything is missing. They didn't even ring us back to make sure everything was ok. We were not impressed.
Review 110：Location good.
Review 111：Bathroom was a bit dated,taps on the sink were hard to turn off and on and the water took forever to drain away, the shower over the bath was a bit on the slow side and sometimes the shower head would drop and flood the room!!. Not the best view out of the window a wall about 10ft away.The room was over the kitchen which was very noisy from the extractor.
Review 112：Good size room with excellent heating it was very warm and comfy,the room was very clean and tidy.Good breakfast with plenty of choice.
Review 113：There was no temperature regulator on my shower - which required some pretty nifty footwork to avoid being alternately hit by very hot and freezing water.
Review 114：As a place to work from, in the main, this hotel serves its purpose well. The bed was very comfortable and the bar meals well priced and of good quality. Staff were helpful and friendly. Although certainly not speedy, there is enough wifi to get emails.
Review 115：Clean & comfortable room, excellent bathroom & shower. comfortable bed (single room) Good breakfast, pleasant breakfast room & friendly staff. Private car park
Review 116：Nothing
Review 117：We enjoyed all our stay. The staff were friendly. We got an upgrade free to a room overlooking the river, which was comfortable and clean. The food and service in the Restaurant were fine. We commented that it is good to see hotel food of good quality.
Review 118：Thank you so much for all you did to make my 60th birthday celebration a very special evening. We were just a small group of 5. The service, food and wine were excellent. We have stayed at the hotel several times over the last few years and the standard was as good as ever.
Review 119：A lovely sense of old-fashioned care, deserving the title "Royal". We had intended to go out to a restaurant but I am glad we didn't - the food was good and the service stylish.
Review 120：The view looking out on to a wall but not complaining as room was very good value for money
Review 121：Very comfortable beds very good menu selection for both breakfast and dinner
Review 122：Bathroom a bit smelly, toast like cardboard, fried egg like rubber, tomato no taste, not good quality food.
Review 123：Reasonable price, lovely old hotel, reception very friendly, good position. Fruit at breakfast very good.
Review 124：My husband has stayed in 5* before and said "this is the most clean hotel he has ever stayed in", and the bed was so comfy. Breakfast was soo filling everything you could possible want they had on offer and such good service cooked breakfast came out still hot and had just been cooked . I was really pleased with the high standards of this hotel and its staff.
Review 125：Some of the reviews I read before booking: none of the negatives were found in my experience
Review 126：Courteous service, excellent cleanliness, good food, exceptional interior. A well managed hotel with high standards
Review 127：The car park is across a busy road and that can be a bit risky! The hotel is situated on a busy roundabout which means that without double glazed windows rooms on the road are very noisy
Review 128：It's a very attractive hotel with a good level of accommodation.
Review 129：The car park was across a fairly busy road, so care is needed. It was fine for us, but anyone less mobile with heavy suitcases may struggle.
Review 130：Staff were all very professional - at breakfast, the waiting staff got on with things and didn't spend downtime gossiping. The receptionists smiled, made eye-contact and were efficient and helpful
Review 131：I am utterly disgusted with the service i received at the royal hotel on saturday evening 13th sept 1130 p.m. I returned to the hotel to find the main door closed. It was obvious that the doors were bolted from the inside.I rang the bell until 12:20 p.m.. I was very cold upset and did not know what to do to get into the hotel. Feeling desperate, i contacted the police.as i spoke to the police somebody arrived at the front door who i believed to be MR.Vicory the hotel manager of the evening. I was absolutely furious aboutbthis ,but was crying as i was exhausted bybthis time. when he said that i couldn't have been pressing the right bell,i was amazed as i has the police on the phone to prove this.i cannot believe that it took me so long to get into a hotel that i had to pay for the weekend..how desperate was i to have to contact the police to get into the hotel that evening.i have also found out that that this also happened to other people in our group on the same evening.this was my first time in bideford. Up until this point i was having a wonderful time with the mass band parade. This is a special event for me as it was my first time with the band. How did this occur not only to me but to members of the band with children .we have discussed that we will not be going to the hotel again for this special occasion. This is outrageous. I did hope to return to the royal hotel in october with my husband on our anniversary. Can you look into this for me as i felt my bill for the hotel stay did not reflect the service i received.please look into this matter as i would not want this to happen to anyone else in the future.Iawait a sp