The Royal Oak Inn

We stayed for one night after a wedding. Staff could not have been more accommodating in providing us a room in which to change despite being much earlier than check in time. Very comfortable room and delicious freshly cooked breakfast. Wholeheartedly recommend.

The cottage was fantastic for our family. Warm, cosy, with a rustic feel, it was lovely to come back to each night. It felt a little tired in places, but for us this only added to the charm. We enjoyed breakfast in the pub, which we thought was exceptional. The staff were lovely and attentive. Only downside for us was dinner, we felt it was a little under par for what we paid, possibly just an off night! We would deffinately be back again as the accommodation, location, and experience with the staff was fantastic.

If only we could give no stars, but the one star is for Jemima; the member of staff who saved our weekend. Jemima deserves a service award. There are no stars for the appalling conditions we found the cottage in. The cottage is beyond tired: thread bare rugs and carpets, a sofa misshapen and stained and torn, musty, poor repair works. The white plastic on the microwave now orange with age; holes in the kitchen work top and crumbling plasterwork. Outside was just as bad; covered in aged cobwebs and windows in such poor condition that the cracks in the paintwork had cracks. When you’ve waited three years for a weekend away or not, the condition is unacceptable. Made worse by poor advertising as the booking site had photos of Mulberry cottage and we were placed into Blackberry; indeed a two bed cottage, but a kitchen in the space of a corridor rather than a room; not what we had booked. We are relatively local, but I can only imagine the horror of someone who’s spent the day travelling, only to find this hovel on arrival. Thank you to Jemima who found us a room at their newly refurbished sister pub, The White Horse at Chilgrove. Exceptional rooms, food and staff here. It saved our precious weekend, even if they could only accommodate us for one night. Definitely be returning to The White Horse - avoiding The Royal Oak at all costs.