Golden Lion Hotel

The homemade pie in the restaurant is a must, though it’s worth checking ahead that they have it. There’s a log fire in the bar, and the rooms, which are a later addition, were spotless and very quiet. The large car park is behind the building, up a slight slope but with no steps. It’s a comfortable, welcoming country pub and hotel, family-run for generations and centuries old, with excellent food.

The hotel part is just as good as the pub. It’s a cosy place, with low beams and a log burner, and the welcome and service are warm and friendly. There’s a great choice of beers, a good menu, and the food is excellent. A wonderful country pub with a really good atmosphere.

We stayed overnight in the annex, which wasn’t staffed. The car park was a good size, and the area was very quiet. Staff were friendly, and it was nice to see Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone lager 🍺 on offer. The bar and restaurant were pleasant and the food was good, but the portions felt too small for the price and didn’t fill us up. The rooms felt worn and old-fashioned.

We complained about Sunday lunch and were told other people liked it. It was a carvery, but after we sat down and ordered drinks, we were told it was table service. The vegetables were charred, the gravy had far too much pepper, and the Yorkshire pudding was clearly shop-bought, not freshly made or catering standard. Awful meal. Don’t go here.