The Casterbridge
The Casterbridge descritpion
In Dorchester, The Casterbridge offers comfortable accommodations a 20-minute drive from Weymouth coast. Hardy’s Cottage, where Thomas Hardy was born, is less than 3 miles from the building.
Rooms in the traditional Georgian building are spacious and airy, with TVs and tea and coffee-making facilities. There is free Wi-Fi available in public areas, and free private parking is available nearby.
Breakfast can be eaten in the dining room or the charming sun room. Full English breakfast is available, and there are vegetarian options. A buffet, fresh fruits, yogurt, and oatmeal are also served.
Just off highway A35, The Casterbridge is less than a mile from the center of Dorchester. Dorchester West Train Station is a 10-minute walk from the building.
Recommand
Low rates——No booking fees • Save money!Best price guarantee — enter dates to see these prices!
18 properties in Dorchester——Including hotels, apartments, villas and more.
Manage your bookings online——Sign up for a FREE account·View a single booking.
189 independent reviews——We verify all reviews from guests who've stayed at The Casterbridge. Find out more about Booking.com Reviews.
The staff speaks English——The Casterbridge's staff speaks:English
Booking is safe——When you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection.
Facilities of The Casterbridge
Outdoors ：Grounds
Pets ：Pets are not allowed.
Activities ：Bicycle Rental
Food & Drink ：Bar | Special Diet Meals (upon request)
Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.
Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available at a location nearby (reservation is not needed).
Services ：Packed Lunches | Baggage Storage | Fax/Photocopying | Honeymoon Suite
General ：Newspapers | Non-smoking Rooms | Heating | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private) | Designated Smoking Area
Reviews for The Casterbridge
Review 1：Would have expected for the price more up to date technology.
Review 2：The breakfast was amazing and catered for every diet and taste. The bedroom was extremely comfortable though I would have appreciated a bedside table as inconvenient to have to put water and clock on the floor.
Review 3：The hotel is lovely more like a Boutique hotel, very friendly staff. The owner is there at all times for anything. Breakfast each day was very nice and a good menu choice
Review 4：The lack of adjacent car parking. We arrived in heavy rain and we and our luggage go wet.
Review 5：Hosts were very friendly and we bumped into a MasterChef winner who runs a restaurant in the hotel.
Review 6：The proprietor made us most welcome. This is a small lovely hotel, lovely breakfast, lovely rooms, nice staff and very attentive. Centrally located. Couldn't fault it. Very relaxing. Would recommend.
Review 7：The shower in the en-suite could have been better.
Review 8：Staff were really friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. Everywhere was spotlessly clean. Really good selection of fruits and cereals at breakfast. The full English was really tasty with especially thick rashers of bacon. Afterwards we were asked if we wanted anything more and were quite happy to bring my husband more toast and coffee.
Review 9：Having no onsite parking was a nuisance as the public car parks were a bit too far away especially on such a wet weekend. Squashy 4 poster bed looked lovely but I didn't sleep well in it
Review 10：Very friendly staff and lovely breakfast. Central location for all of Dorchester and very convenient for where we wanted to go. Would like to return to try the restaurant one weekend.
Review 11：The shower wasn't terribly good as the head didn't stay uprightand flopped down, but it was manageable.Parking was a short walk away, which if you had a lot of luggage might be a problem.
Review 12：The staff were lovely and the breakfast was amazing. Great ingredientsand very well cooked. The room was very comfortable too, a good sizeand even though we were on the street, the secondary double glazingdid its job.
Review 13：missing the cooked breakfast !!
Review 14：this hotel strives for perfection and achieves it the owners were very obliging providing a packed excellent breakfast as we had an early start at the show.there was a delicious fruit selection and we aim to stay there again
Review 15：We were directed to a lovely walk along the stream behind the hotel and came upon the best preserved Roman ruins in Great Britian. The breakfast was delicious and the staff so helpful.
Review 16：Room in the attic had a low ceiling by the door - gave neck ache to my 6'2" husband
Review 17：Wonderfully helpful staff, very comprehensive and tasty breakfast
Review 18：The location is easy to find but parking facilities could be a little difficult although the hotel does have three free parking places nearby.
Review 19：Friendly and helpful staff. Excellent breakfast choice and well cooked breakfast.
Review 20：None although the ceiling height in one bedroom was a little low, but was to be expected in such an old building.
Review 21：Charming boutique small hotel with excellent decor and service. Breakfasts were great and Kate always remembered our preferences. Monica suggested places to visit e.g. Lulworth Cove and La Caverna Restaurant.This provided a meal to be remembered.
Review 22：On arrival staff were friendly, carried bags to room which was thoughtful. Twin room was nicely presented and clean. Breakfast was excellent with a wide choice. Ideal location for exploring the area and only a short walk along High Street to Dorchester, shops, restaurants and museums. Would certainly visit again when in the area
Review 23：Had difficulty using wi-fi in the bedroom.
Review 24：We liked the furniture situated around the hotel - antiques. Very comfortable bed. Excellent breakfast. Friendly and helpful staff.
Review 25：Very indifferent wifi connection. Stuffy with window shut but far too noisy to open it. Large damp patch in one wardrobe.
Review 26：Location very central, staff friendly and helpful.
Review 27：Bedroom was on the front of the property and was very noisy despite keeping the windows closed which then caused the room to be stuffy. Shower very poor. Bedroom very clean but decor looking tired.
Review 28：Very pleasant staff. Good breakfast and nicely decorated public areas.
Review 29：The room we had was at the front of the hotel was quite noisy with passing traffic. We had to keep the window closed at night but it made the room stuffy and hot.
Review 30：The staff were very friendly and helpful. The room was spotlessly clean.The breakfast was particularly nice. The location of the hotel was excellent for our travels.
Review 31：bathroom ventilation too loud and strong; tobacco smell through bathroom ventilation; shower week
Review 32：spacious room, comfortable bed, thoughtful staff, also spacious bathtub
Review 33：Dorchester has Historical and Literary connections. Thomas Hardy- Country. I have many military links with Dorchester and Dorset ."Casterbridge" No wonder Casterbridge was my first choice.
Review 34：The spider infestation covering the entire sky light ceiling of the eating area. Never have I felt more like I was eating at the Adam's Family residence than having to catch a spider from dropping down directly onto my partners head. It turns out that the owner has a problem with killing insects and merely dusts the cobwebs away every other day. I still feel slightly dirty thinking about it. I would have recommended this hotel if wasn't for the absolute ridiculousness of the spider situation.
Review 35：Clean, well decorated rooms and friendly staff. The town was perfectly nice with good restaurants and so the hotel was a decent base from which to visit the coast.
Review 36：On a very busy main road in Central Dorchester. Due to the traffic noise I could not open the window on a hot and stuffy July night. Also, for a single room, the double bed took up a huge amount of space so it felt rather cramped.
Review 37：Very pleasant old house
Review 38：Dorchester itself was a disappointment - Bridport seemed much better. The properties near the Casterbridge were uninspiring, but once inside it was much better than it looked.
Review 39：Friendly staff. Nice (twin) room.
Review 40：Rooms (certainly room 8) need updating. Bathroom in particular was poor - mouldy ceiling, peeling paint and terrible shower. Breakfast OK but nothing special (maybe this is just over-hyped on the website - I was expecting more...)
Review 41：Lovely building, in good location.
Review 42：Nothing bad, slept like a log
Review 43：Lovely house to stay in, although front rooms on the road, market day may be noisy if you sleep lightly. However, lovely rooms really clean, comfy , bright. Fab breakfast! Perfect for exploring Dorchester.
Review 44：maybe no tea/coffee facilities? (not sure now)
Review 45：central but away, by short walk from the main town. staff are very polite and friendly. Nice breakfast room. Good breakfast - your choice!
Review 46：friendly staff, lovely position in main street but right next to a walk by river , had lovely comfy for poster and plenty of room and chairs to sit in room The staff were helpful and freshly cooked breakfast very good Superb selection of fruits , cereals etc The poached nectarines were the best!!
Review 47：The room was lovely with a four poster bed and traditional decor - all together it gave a luxurious impression. Staff were helpful on arrival and at breakfast the following morning. Breakfast was good and nice to have this in the conservatory. The location is good and within easy walking distance of the town centre.
Review 48：In Rooms overlooking the High Street you cannot open the windows. The rooms are airless, noisey and the curtains let in too much light. All of which meant we got little sleep.
Review 49：Staff were very helpful
Review 50：The hotel was situated on the main road through Dorchester so rooms in the front were very noisy. Private parking was not next to hotel but in a back road.
Review 51：Easy to get to amenities in Dorchester and outlying towns and villages so nice and central. Hotel staff had lots of local knowledge about restaurants and pubs in the vicinity
Review 52：The shower had rather poor water pressure, so ended up having to have a bath instead.
Review 53：Staff were very helpful, the room was clean and cosy, also very tasty breakfast
Review 54：We had a two night stay and the room was very comfortable. A lovely regency building and furniture, Staff. very welcoming and breakfast was great. Highlight was having dinner cooked by Matt Follas on friday night - excellent food and a really nice guy who spends time with his guests and is happy to share food tips.
Review 55：Good location and a nice "traditional" family run hotel. The staff are very friendly and made us feel at home. Would recommend to anyone looking to visit Dorchester and who like to be close to the town centre.
Review 56：The bed was a double as advertised, might be better if they upgraded to slightly larger. Wifi variable depending on where you were in the hotel.
Review 57：The breakfasts were very good, and cooked to order. Staff were very friendly and helpful.
Review 58：The bedroom was a good size and the bed large and comfortable but the room was let down by the dreary decor, lack of bedside lights (only one) and we needed a small table to sit and have tea or plan our trips. This is the only reason some of my scores were lower.
Review 59：Very nice helpful owners. Breakfast was standard although there was an excellent variery of fruit to start breakfast - some fresh and some tinned. The decor wasn't to my taste in the common rooms but was clean and tidy and of a good size.
Review 60：We had a wonderful stay at the Casterbridge. We stayed there on our wedding night and the staff were fantastic leaving lovely chocolates for us. The breakfast was fantastic. Thank you for a wonderful stay.
Review 61：Sadly the room (room 7) was not up to scratch. The owner advised us on arrival that the heating was not working in the bathroom so he had put a fan heater in there. In addition the toilet would not flush until my husband mended it and the loo roll holder was not fixed to the wall properly. The final straw was the shower - or rather the lack of it !! I was not expecting a power shower but I also was not expecting the dripping tap effect which was all the water that this shower produced !!
Review 62：Owner friendly and directed us to where we could park our car. Loved the meal cooked by Mat Follas in the evening
Review 63：Nothing, really
Review 64：This is a good B&B destination. The staff are very helpful and friendly, the room was comfortable, and the hostelry is within walking distance of most places of interest in Dorchester. Parking is restricted, but we were lucky to get a space on all 3 days. Other parking may involve a bit of a walk. Breakfast first rate.
Review 65：Need to book 1st floor if unfit or elderly as difficult to carry suitcases to top. Could be difficult for parking nearby.
Review 66：Well appointed guest house with excellent decor. Comfortable bed and good size en suite. Very pleasant and accommodating staff. Good choice of breakfast menu. Good choice of drinks on bedroom tray
Review 67：The shower control didn't work so we had constant hot water so couldn't use the shower. This is a shame and probably only just happened as the rest of our stay was lovely.
Review 68：The bedroom was lovely. Four poster bed and so comfortable. Brekfast lovely. The dinner smelt good that night but we were off to a concert to couldn't book for that evening.
Review 69：Building could use a bit of a spruce up. Paint was peeling on the window frames. On the plus side everything was spotlessly clean.
Review 70：Staff were extremely helpful and friendly.
Review 71：Road a bit noisy but slept ok. There are rooms away from the road and I would book one of those if you are used to no traffic noise. Parking availability limited to 3 spaces on a first come first served basis.
Review 72：Staff were very friendly and helpful. Good hearty breakfast and good choice available.
Review 73：That I was not staying longer!
Review 74：I asked for a particular type of bed and a quiet room and it was provided exactly as requested. Very friendly and helpful staff.
Review 75：The location is a grotty street surrounded by grotty buildings. The photo suggests a much nicer area, but the Casterbridge itself is very attractive, but you can't see what it is adjacent too. In our room (9) it is not possible to open the window, so there is no ventilation at all. Parking overnight has to be be in a back street long stay car park 100 yards away.
Review 76：The staff were very friendly and helpful
Review 77：The bed divinely comfortable.Breakfast great with a large selection. Loved the mini milk bottles and marmalade in mini kilner jars.good location.Very helpful .
Review 78：My room -number 2- was above the kitchen area - loud noise as if I was in the kitchen from 5 p.m through to 12.40 the following morning. Could not sleep for loud voices and pans banging etc. On complaining the next morning I was told that only happened at weekend when they served dinner! Also that any noise stopped at 11 p.m -Not so. They are apparently going to convert that area of bedrooms into a flat which suggests to me they are all too aware of the problem. In the meantime, if booking, make sure you are not in the rear corridor of rooms.
Review 79：Public areas very comfortable and an excellent breakfast.
Review 80：There was nothing to report.
Review 81：My review is excellent because that is how my stay was no elaborate waffling needed. Book here with confidence and enjoy the lovely breakfast!
Review 82：Room and ensuite a little cramped but comfortable. Second twisty staircase may be trying for some.
Review 83：Great traditional ambience, good food, comfortable stay.
Review 84：The only thing was the shower was not very powerful but this was a very minor point
Review 85：The staff were extremely helpful and informative could not fault them particularly the young lady at breakfast unfortunately did not get her name but she was lovely. Would recommend to anybody and we will certainly visit again.
Review 86：There is a fair amount of road noise, which is acceptable because of the location. There is no lift and the rooms are a bit of a warren but that is also part of the charm of an historic building. The shower was no great shakes, but that was solved by using the 3/4 size bath tub. I found the bed soft for me but that is down to personal preference. I was lucky enouigh to have a back bedroom that helped to minimise the traffic noise (for reference Room 1, that is a single en-suite room).
Review 87：Good central location, VERY helpful staff, satisfying and filling breakfast, well maintained communal areas and rooms. The building is delightful and quirky, the staff work hard to give a good stay for their guests and I found them very helpful in trying to resolve any queries or problems. Although I found some niggles, I was very happy to stay there, felt the price was in line with the facilities and service provided and would not hesitate to stay there again.
Review 88：no phone reception at all in the room, let alone wi-fi. for breakfast my daughter and i both asked for white toast but were given wholemeal. when we asked for croissants they were heated up in the microwave. i prefer mine cold so would have preferred that i had been asked if i wanted it heated up.
Review 89：the owner was extremely helpful and directed us to an excellent local italian restaurant for dinner, which we thoroughly enjoyed. she had also told us where the other restaurants in the area were, but we prefer to support local businesses and not the chains. the room was lovely and clean and felt light and airy. the location was very good and the room was nice and quiet the conservatory for breakfast is a lovely room, with a good choice of breakfast. the girl who served breakfast was very friendly and smiley, which is always good to see. would definitely go back
Review 90：Monica, the owner, was very friendly and welcoming and extremely helpful in sorting out travel arrangements and in giving good recommendations for local restaurants. The Casterbridge is a beautiful, characterful building and very comfortable. The breakfast was superb.
Review 91：it was all fine
Review 92：i liked the care they gave to me .. helping me with getting to the wedding i needed to get to.... and finding directions for me. delicious breakfasts too
Review 93：Noisy traffic (for front bedroom). A little inconvenient being unable to (legally) park outside hotel when arriving/ departing - but we managed.
Review 94：Breakfast, a very good choice and in pleasant conservatory. Friendly, efficient staff. Choice of bath (for our elderly companion in a quiet very pleasant single room at the rear of the hotel).
Review 95：Room wasn't really good value for money, it was comfortable enough but not exactly huge. The shower head would not stay in place so had to be used as a hand held spray.
Review 96：Breakfast was excellent and the hotel is right in the centre of Dorchester.
Review 97：The staff were welcoming and friendly and we felt as if we were staying in a private home. They were interested in what we wanted to see and do and offered suggestions for places to see and where to eat. Breakfast was varied and substantial. Our room was beautifully appointed, with furniture and knicknacks that added to the olde-worlde ambience. The hotel is located in the centre of the city and there is parking close by. We would definitely stay at The Casterbridge again.
Review 98：Traffic noise Rather idiosyncratic window locks
Review 99：Location, Lovely clean room Room was a good size Bed very comfortable Friendly helpful staff Great breakfast
Review 100：Room was too hot,no air conditioning No proper shower, just a poor hand shower which had no pressure Noisy front room, slept badly
Review 101：Position was good for Town Breakfast room pleasant
Review 102：Friendly Flexible Helpful Comfortable Clean Delicious, non-greasy, breakfast. Quick Check-out Excellent WIFI. The owners definitely went the extra mile and accommodated my husband despite me originally booking a single room. It was a great place to stay and we would return in a heart-beat.
Review 103：- shower not powerful
Review 104：- wonderful breakfast (Cheerful and helpful waitresses) - good attention to details in the bedroom - very good dinner with master chef winner Matt
Review 105：Pleasant and friendly atmosphere. The owners and staff couldn't have been more obliging. They also gave us excellent recommendations for eating out. Good, individually cooked breakfasts. Rooms at back of hotel very quiet.
Review 106：Our room was very hot. We had a fan going all night, but it really was too hot to sleep. No on site parking, but as it was the weekend we were ok until 8 am on Monday morning as Sunday was unlimited.
Review 107：Very nice staff and hotel. lots of lovely antique furniture.
Review 108：We had rooms on the front,and the road outside was very heavy with traffic all the time.As it was very hot, we had to have the windows open.
Review 109：Excellent furnishings and decor,very friendly staff, good breakfast.
Review 110：Noise from kitchen below room; rationing of toast.
Review 111：Good selection at breakfast; patio eating area; room overlooking garden; bath to soak in after walking; friendly staff. Close to a variety of restaurants for dinner.
Review 112：Parking a bit of a problem. Very limited and not on site. Male proprietor quite grumpy - latter day Basil Fawtly!
Review 113：Very pleasant, spacious rooms. Very clean. Breakfast served in delightful conservatory area and excellent selection. Very nice small hotel and a good base for exploring the area. Most of the staff very friendly.
Review 114：Excellent hospitality and high standards of cleanliness.
Review 115：Fabulous and friendly ...A real home from home. A beautiful house in an excellent location
Review 116：Location perfect, staff amazing
Review 117：everyone very friendly, breakfast lovely, freshly cooked. Would stay again.
Review 118：Lovely place to stay - charming 'ol English B&B
Review 119：Everything you hope for in a small hotel.
Review 120：N/a
Review 121：Lovely hotel in a lovely town
Review 122：Car parking arrangements although, given position in Dorchester, on site parking unavailable.
Review 123：Pleasant, helpful proprietor
Review 124：Everything
Review 125：Lovely accommodation and staff helpful with local information , excellent breakfast, perfect location for visiting Dorset coast and villages.
Review 126：Mat Follas restaurant in the hotel on Friday and Saturday evenings is a superb bonus
The Fine Print
Limited overnight parking is available nearby on a first-come basis.