The Dragon Hotel

The location made it easy to get to local shops, attractions, and restaurants, and the hotel felt like good value. Our room was spacious, clean, and comfortable, with a nice mix of character and cosiness. The staff were consistently helpful, professional, and welcoming. We had a really pleasant stay at The Dragon Hotel and would happily return.

The hotel has real potential, but our two-night stay over Boxing Day and the day after felt poorly managed, with little care for maintenance or planning. Many staff seemed very young and new, and there was no obvious experienced person in charge. Mia at breakfast was great, though, and breakfast itself was good. The Kiwi cleaner was among the staff we saw, too. I might stay again if I knew the problems had been fixed, it wasn’t a complete disaster, but I’d want reassurance first. The whole hotel was cold, so we needed a jumper or coat at breakfast. Our room was icy when we arrived, with the radiators off. Reception said the boiler had been shut down while the hotel was closed on Christmas Day and took time to restart. I don’t see how that explains the radiators being off. There was an electric heater in the room when we returned, and it had warmed up, but using costly electric heaters seemed a strange way to save money. The shower pressure was poor as well. The bathroom wasn’t clean enough to use. I spent half an hour scrubbing it, including someone else’s hair out of the plughole and a toilet that was filthy and black around the rim. The room also seemed not to have been properly cleaned in a long time. A roof leak left one corner damp and the windows covered in condensation. There were cobwebs in the lamps and bare wires showing in the ceiling light fittings. You also have to pass the kitchen door to reach the rooms. I saw two kitchen staff scratching their noses and faces through that door without gloves. Parking was terrible. Don’t count on finding a space outside, and the disabled bays weren’t monitored. We came and went several times, and none of the cars in those bays showed a blue badge.

Montgomery is a lovely village in a picturesque part of Wales, and the hotel has plenty of old-world charm. Our room was beautifully furnished, with a gorgeous antique-style bath and a separate shower. But the shower barely trickled. Staff service was inconsistent, and some menu items need work. Breakfast was better than dinner, though the hash brown type item had the same problem as my fish, and the black pudding, while tasty, was barely thicker than the bacon. The breakfast server could have used more training. She asked what I wanted, and when I ordered the full Welsh breakfast, she pointed me to the buffet. I said I wanted a cooked breakfast. My wife had cereal and fruit while I waited, and by the time she’d finished, my food still hadn’t arrived. When I asked, the waitress said she’d forgotten my order. At dinner the next day, I nearly finished my steak before the peppercorn sauce finally came. The fish and chips on our first evening were a letdown. The fish seemed fresh once, but not when I ate it, and the greasy batter and slightly stale fish sat heavily in my stomach all evening. Despite these problems, I’d rate the hotel six and a half out of ten and would stay again. Avoid the fish and anything like a hash brown, and the food is actually very good. I can recommend the lasagne.

Montgomery is a charming little village, and our room was comfortable, if small and clean. We also liked the clean hotel and its pleasant bar. The disappointing part was the restaurant. The pie didn’t seem homemade, had very little steak, and what steak there was tasted and felt unpleasant. The chips were frozen rather than hand-cut, and my partner’s salmon pasta was bland. We told the waitress after eating, but she didn’t seem interested. There were other issues too, but that gives you the idea. We enjoyed our stay because the room was comfortable and we liked the village, but the poor food and service at the restaurant dragged down the experience. Expedia’s listing advertised a swimming pool, but after we’d paid and booked, we were told it was no longer in service. That was the first disappointment.