Three Crowns

The sandwiches were okay and the gnocchi was nice, but the fries arrived cold and had to be sent back. The ladies gave very good service, though the waiters were surly and offish. We arrived on time for our 1pm booking, were seated and got menus. When we asked about specials, the waitress said they were still being printed, which seemed odd at 1pm. The sheet eventually had soup, one starter, three mains and one pudding, and two of those mains were already on the regular menu. I ordered the pork belly from it, only to be told they’d run out. I asked what the point of the specials sheet was if the special wasn’t available, and the waitress was very apologetic. It was a far from perfect lunch, and we won’t be coming back for food. Having read the Three Crowns’ passive aggressive replies to other negative reviews, I expect another one here.

The venue is fabulous and the staff were friendly, which made the slow service a shame. We had to ask how much longer the last course would take. The Christmas lunch was poor and nowhere near worth £99, though £15 might have been fair. The canapés were dreadful, and the turkey and roast beef were lukewarm and tasteless.

Dinner and breakfast were fantastic, and the evening and morning service were much better. An older gentleman was especially lovely. At checkout, a different staff member was very apologetic, gave us a discount and said they’d be closing in January for renovations. That was appreciated, but I was disappointed with the stay, especially the room. I love Chagford, and this pub has always been a favourite, so I’d booked a night for my birthday. The ‘superior’ room was tired and poorly maintained: wallpaper was hanging from the ceiling, there was a large hole in the headboard where a socket had been removed, another hole in the wall, mould around the bath and damp or mould on the bathroom wall, black dirt on the unit the toilet is plumbed into, and a cracked sink. The pillows were yellow and stained. When I complained, I was told clean ones would be hard to find, and an hour and a half later they said the person had forgotten and gone home. The manager seemed very disinterested. Our dog sniffed out and ate nuts around the bed, and there were plastic cups instead of glasses in the room. It wasn’t five star accommodation or service. Hopefully it’ll improve next year.

We found a free two hour parking space right outside the Three Crowns after our Dartmoor trip, then visited Chagford. The welcome was pleasant, and we sat in a spacious west facing conservatory with sunlight streaming in. There was a mouthwatering range of drinks, lunch dishes and specials. We had bloody and virgin Mary’s, iced tap water, flavoursome soup of the day, a coronation chicken sandwich with salad and Burts crisps, a single serving ploughman’s and a seafood platter. The last two were huge, with fresh, quality ingredients. Affogato ice cream and espresso finished the meal. It was an amazing lunch at a very reasonable price, with friendly staff and prompt service. Many thanks, we’ll be back!