The Old Tea House
The Old Tea House descritpion
Bed and Breakfast The Old Tea House sells fast on our site. Built in 1635, The Old Tea House provides bed and breakfast in one of Dorchester’s oldest houses. With free Wi-Fi, this Dorset guest house serves homemade food including a full cooked breakfast.
The guest room features a four-poster bed, desk and tea and coffee facilities, and spacious private living room with TV and DVD player. There is also a private bathroom with shower.
A cooked English breakfast is served each morning. The tea room serves traditional afternoon tea with homemade cakes and scones, as well as meals throughout the day.
Dorchester is known for its connections to author Thomas Hardy, who is believed to have taken tea at The Old Tea House. The Old Tea House is located in the centre of Dorchester, and other attractions within a 10-minute walk are the Dinosaur Museum, the Dorset Teddy Bear Museum and the Roman Town House.
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The staff speaks English——The Old Tea House's staff speaks:English
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Facilities of The Old Tea House
Pets ：Pets are allowed. Charges may apply.
Food & Drink ：Restaurant
Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
Parking ：Public parking is available at a location nearby (reservation is not needed) and costs GBP 4 per day.
General ：Heating | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)
Reviews for The Old Tea House
Review 1：The only downside was noise from the air-conditioning unit in an adjacent building but this did go off at a reasonable time at night.
Review 2：Wonderful welcome on arrival by very friendly proprietress. The rooms were fabulous, the 4-poster bed supremely comfortable and my wife fell in love with the sofas in the lounge. Breakfast in the morning was to-die-for.
Review 3：only negatives... decor a bit tired, would be good to have a teapot and place to put teabags, and cupboards a bit cleaner and brighter. Heating did not work in bathroom. Wi-fi does not work in bedroom
Review 4：size of rooms, and relaxed atmosphere friendly owners sense of space quiet
Review 5：A bath towel in the bathroom would have been better.
Review 6：I loved the quirkiness of my room which felt like a home from home. Nice touch with the chocolates and fresh bottled water. The staff were very friendly and welcoming - nothing was too much trouble.
Review 7：Lovely spacious accommodation with a separate bedroom and a lounge with an en suite bathroom. The furniture and carpets are old fashioned, but they accompany the period feel of the place really well. We stayed for one night and enjoyed our stay and full english breakfast.
Review 8：Poor. List of 8 bad, dangerous problems left. Bathroom shelf at dangerous angle Step in bathroom dangerous. Sharp edge step Hole in mattress Room not cleaned or tidied during day Bon not lined. Didn't know what to do with teabag
Review 9：Quaint. Jolly staff with good interpersonal skills
Review 10：Historic premises (15th cent.) Thomas Hardy's favourite tea spot. Haunted by a good ghost -a jolly sea captain whose footsteps can be heard Good food, scrambled eggs on toast with smoked salmon a speciality. Friendly staff - come as a guest and leave as a friend!. All in all a lovely experience
Review 11：No real views from the Windows but that is a very picky comment and should absolutely not put you off....
Review 12：The hosts Derek and Debbie were absolutely lovely....nothing was too much trouble, and they really made you feel at home. The B & B itself was spacious, with a separate lounge area and it had a really cosy homely feel about it..loved the fact that the building was so old and had so much history attached to it! The breakfast choice was vast with both continental and cooked breakfasts being provided. We also had a really lovely afternoon tea on arrival which is highly recommended!
Review 13：The only thing I would say is that. I know it's a very old building but the bathroom could be improved a bit.
Review 14：We have stayed before. The staff are very friendly, and couldn't do another for you. The room is very comfortable and they do a fabulous breakfast.
Review 15：Although the building is full of history the room could be more modernised and the bed was not great and needs to be replaced. The history of the place and the hosts made up for the short fall :)
Review 16：Hosts were lovely and very friendly. Good location and spacious suite like room upstairs. History of the place. Lovely breakfast.
Review 17：Shower wasn't powerful enough and the milk in fridge was off,a minor detail.
Review 18：We really liked our stay and Derick and Debbie were very welcoming and friendly. My wife and I are planning our next visit.
Review 19：Very minor points really - blinds don't work very well, glass shelf above sink broken...
Review 20：Very nice and spacious rooms, historical but all mod cons. Extremely helpful and friendly staff. Breakfast of your individual choice brilliant
Review 21：No negatives!
Review 22：Location on high street, public parking very close. Quaint very old building, B&B over the tea house. Spacious living room, bedroom with HUGE 4-poster bed! Small but efficient bathroom. Very quiet at night. Delightful hosts, and delicious home-cooked breakfast. Very good Indian restaurant right next door.
Review 23：The bathroom is cramped but adequate although on the occasion of our visit a used contraceptive wrapping had been left in the linen basket presumably by a previous guest, a nail file was required to extract the bathplug and the shower was poor. The lounge area appears to be a real bonus with two comfy sofas and a fine, large television but the restaurant next door has chosen to mount three air extractors not more than 10 feet from the lounge windows which create an unacceptably intrusive racket until mercifully switched off at 10.50pm. In the bedroom there were no bedside reading lights and the curtains were not wide enough to cover the window. A public car park is available about 200yards up the road, free from 6pm over night but your car needs to be moved at 8am in the morning. Breakfast was adequate but no cereal, fruit or yoghurt was offered.
Review 24：An appointment is required to access the property after tearoom opening times - stressful with luggage and double yellow lines to cope with. Many features of the seventeenth century house have been sympathetically retained.The bedroom has a fine fourposter which was comfortable.
Review 25：Warm welcome, the staff were willing to stay open late because we were running behind. We weren't expecting a large room, so we were surprised by the suite! Delicious breakfast, we felt right at home in this bed and breakfast.
Review 26：The hostess, owner, Debbie Dalley, who was welcoming and willing to tell interesting stories about the tea shoppe that she must have told many times, and to do so with genuine enthusiasm and charm.
Review 27：Minor problem over towel supply when we checked in!
Review 28：Very friendly and helpful hosts. Separate, spacious room with sofas and small table and chairs. Four-poster bed.
Review 29：The B+B at this charming historic tea shop goes well beyond the average- bedroom with genuine four poster- a living room wth comfy sofas, huge TV, tea and coffee facilities and mini frifdge-brilliant idea - good bathroom- it's rather a beautifully appointed suite. The only slight disappointments were that during our stay the tea shop itself was shut for redecoration- ( but our breakfast was still fabulous), and the water pressure in the wash basin was a bit temperamental (possibly due to the work that was being done.) Deb and her husband were great hosts- welcoming and friendly ( and very informative on this lovely building's history)but also being discretion itself. Would absolutely recommend to anybody wanting to stay in the area- especially those that love unusual and historic
Review 30：The old tea house is a lovely,quarkie place, built in 1635.. Full of charm. The accomodation was very comfortable , with squidgy sofas,flat screen T.V, and a very romantic Elizabethen four poster bed in a the bedroom. Mine host couldn't do enough for us,very friendly without being pushy. Breakfast was beautifully cooked and very tasty. We can highly recommend the old tea house.
Review 31：Dont stay if you want 5 star luxury, go to experience quirky character of this lovely B&B and sample their excellent breakfast all served with politeness and a lovely smile.
Review 32：Very spacious rooms, comfortably furnished and a wonderfully comfortable 4 poster bed. Nice touch was the tiny fridge with fresh milk. Lovely large screen television. Beautiful old building.Delicious breakfast, cooked and served by our host in the coffee shop. Really enjoyed our stay. Would stay again.
Review 33：We had the windows open as very good weather and could smell the curry from restaurant next door
Review 34：Everything was great from the moment we arrived,very very friendly
Review 35：Leaving
Review 36：The Inn was built 1633 and is close to all town facilities. I had a large sitting room, large bedroom with a four poster bed, all to myself. The host is easy going, genial and endlessly helpful, washing my shirts for free. Dorchester, well less atmospheric than Sherborne, is an excellent jumping off point to explore Dorset and West. Very reasonably priced too!
Review 37：No negatives at all!
Review 38：Stayed one night, wonderful service, incredible room! Lovely helpful staff. I would recommend to everyone and be sure to have a lovely homemade cream tea!
Review 39：Low pressure shower difficult to control temperature
Review 40：Friendly welcoming staff Breakfast (yum!) Four poster bedroom with separate living area and en-suite bathroom Great facilities - Free wi-fi
Review 41：lack of car parking facility
Review 42：very friendly staff/owners. breakfast was very good plus the fact we were issued with a front door key to come and go as we please.
Review 43：Parking on the street from 8am and maximum stay time only one hour. Noise and smells from kitchen of neighbouring restaurant. Noise from the kitchen of the tea house early.
Review 44：Liked watching the duck and ducklings in the garden. Privacy. Enjoyed the breakfast. Very quaint and interesting decor.
Review 45：Ventilation of the room was difficult as there were significant noises and smells (smoke & cooking smells) when the windows were open.
Review 46：The exuberant and humorous hospitality. The quirky and historical nature of the building. The HUGE lounge room that was part of our suite (for two people). The four-poster bed. Derek's scones.
Review 47：Wish we could have stayed for Sunday Lunch. We ran out of time. It looked amazing
Review 48：Excellent hosts. So friendly and professional. Good breakfast
Review 49：Very Large room. Value for money.Staff brilliant & friendly.Amazing breakfast .PERFECT...
Review 50：We had a lovely large suite and a very comfortable bed. The area was very quite and the breakfast was excellent!
Review 51：The room was lovely very authentic and big could quite easily spend a few nights their will definitely be back ☺
Review 52：The breakfast couldn't have been better and was served by the very friendly owner. The building is full of character and very well located.
Review 53：nothing
Review 54：everything
Review 55：Everything fantastic. Find and. Lovely. Staff. Want to go again
Review 56：Very friendly and welcoming from minute of arrival. Nothing appeared to be too much trouble would recommend and stay again if in the area.
Review 57：Friendliness of the owners.
Review 58：The four poster bed was really comfortable. The breakfast was superb.
Review 59：poor shower and a better breakfast would be more acceptable
Review 60：Friendly and helpfull staff
Review 61：No coffee in the room.
Review 62：Very quiet, nice rooms, comfortable bed, vary friendly and helpful hosts.
Review 63：The bedroom, lounge, we were alone...and very old and romantic, as well as a great breakfast
Review 64：Location of the B & B and the size of our rooms with a very comfortable 4 poster bed. The staff were very friendly and the breakfast excellent.
Review 65：there seems to be a problem with the doorlocks
Review 66：the unique charm of a house built in 1635
Review 67：The sitting room was of a very generous size and comfortable
Review 68：Bathroom needs updating No onsite parking.
Review 69：Excellent location Large rooms Good breakfast
Review 70：wireless signal could be better
Review 71：friendly and helpful good atmosphere very comfortable great coffee great breakfast
Review 72：Great location, friendly and helpful staff. Very enjoyable stay.
Review 73：Hard to find any faults really but if I had to pick something I would say that the bathroom could do with a bit of updating and the water pressure in the shower was a bit low but that really is as bad as it gets. Would be more than happy to stay there again.
Review 74：Beautiful suite with a lovely bedroom and four poster bed. Friendly, helpful staff gave us information on local attractions and made us feel like nothing was too much trouble. Cheap long stay parking just a little further up the road. They serve a great full English breakfast
Review 75：The shower/bath. I had difficulty in controlling the water temperature and the bath would have taken ages to fill up. I do appreciate it's a very old building and the plumbing could be a problem. Otherwise a fantastic experience.
Review 76：The staff were very helpful, welcoming and pleasant. It was a very comfortable stay and you felt like it was your own home. I would certainly stay again.
Review 77：I did not like that I just booked it for two nights!!! :( I am defenitely coming back....
Review 78：This place has character and charm. The staff were very friendly and they made us feel at home. The best scones that I have ever tried by Derek and the best espresso by Debbie. Breakfast was a dream as well!! It was amazing and I recommended!!! Easy to get to, with a cheap parking nearby and good connections to local amenities.
Review 79：None
Review 80：Layout of accommodation. Welcome from owners.
Review 81：I had to leave a day early because of work!
Review 82：More a suite than a room, with a real four-poster bed as well!
Review 83：Spacious and comfortable room with lots of character Lovely, friendly staff who looked after us Great breakfast included in cost
Review 84：Very welcoming establishment and they couldn't do enough for us including fresh milk for tea and coffee. Excellent breakfast. Will be coming back
The Fine Print
Please inform The Old Tea House of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details provided in your confirmation.