The Castle Inn

The location puts The Castle Inn right in the middle of Castle Combe, so it was easy to head out to see the village and countryside. I loved having a meal by the fireplace, and the restaurant's food and drinks were both great. The rooms were comfortable, cozy, and well kept. From arrival, the traditional atmosphere felt welcoming, and the staff were attentive and happy to help with recommendations. I had a wonderful stay.

We had a generous Sunday roast lunch here, with excellent Roast Beef cooked just right. The vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, and horseradish sauce were all spot on. Service was friendly and professional, and I'd definitely recommend it.

We'd gone to the Castle Inn in Castle Combe for drinks to mark my 40th birthday, and brought a small cake. After we blew out the candle, we asked politely for a knife to cut it. We made clear we didn't want plates or plan to eat the cake there, and knew the policy on outside food. The staff still wouldn't give us a knife. Around five minutes later, a waitress told us to leave because they “needed the table.” Nobody had mentioned a time limit or said it was reserved. The table hadn't even been cleared before we sat down. It was covered in empty glasses, and my two requests to have them removed were ignored. When we later told the waitress how upset we were, she said she would never apologise for what had happened. Her looks and attitude as she walked past made us feel unwelcome. The way we were treated felt racist and extremely disrespectful. I've lived in the UK for years and had never felt like a foreigner before, but I did that day. What should have been a special birthday became a really uncomfortable, disappointing experience.

A great pub right in the village, handy after a town tour or a loooong walk. The soup was packed with flavour. The burgers were simple but had everything, plenty of meat and a few chips, and were filling. A good place, well maintained for such a lovely village.