The White Bear

We had a great girls’ weekend at the White bear, especially as we were on a tight budget and couldn’t complain about the value. The rooms were tidy and nice, with lovely bathrooms and big, soft towels. They’re a bit old-fashioned and could do with a refresh, but we didn’t mind. The stairs were steep, though manageable. The owner carried our bags upstairs and sorted out rooms next to each other when we realised we’d forgotten to ask. We were SO grateful. It does get loud at night, which makes sense above a pub, so we went downstairs and joined in. Great atmosphere, and we had a wonderful time. We’d definitely stay again.

The Friday night live music at the bear goes on until 2 AM, so if you’re staying within a few hundred yards, you won’t get any sleep. The music’s crap too. I was staying at another hotel two or three doors away.

We stayed one night, with three double rooms at £65 a night. The rooms were basic but clean and pleasant, and had either an en-suite shower or a bath with a shower option. For five of us, it was good value. We had a drink in the bar downstairs before going out for dinner. There’s no breakfast service, but there was tea and coffee in the rooms and a lovely cafe nearby for breakfast. I’d be happy to stay again.

The bedroom was a decent size and clean, with fresh sheets and towels. Dogs are welcome without an extra charge, and the village is lovely. Before arriving, I had excellent communication with the owner because I wanted to ask about the recent poor reviews. The guy running the bar was friendly too. But that’s where the good points ended. I knew it was a pub and wasn’t expecting The Ritz, but the basic hospitality fell short. Arriving felt intimidating. The bar looked past its best, patrons stared at me, and most had no tops on. There was nowhere private to give my name or talk about the booking. Breakfast was included in the rate but wasn’t provided. Another couple who were regulars had complained too, so we were offered only tea and toast on the first morning. We were told to come down at 8am, but didn’t get it until 9am. They said the pub had new owners and the rate we’d paid was too low to include breakfast. We booked in February and travelled in July. Apparently they’d asked Booking.com to adjust this. I work in a hotel and know the partner portal lets you make that change, then you need to tell guests. A phone call or email could have set expectations before arrival. I’m guessing they didn’t want people to cancel. When we came back late on the first night, we decided to have a drink, and a physical fight broke out in the pub. I barely slept. On both nights, people stayed in the pub and garden during lock-ins, until 2am Friday and 4am Saturday. We could hear laughter and joking and smell smoke. The walls and floors are thin, so we could hear other guests walking around and their TVs. An early riser was above us, and after finally falling asleep following the garden party, we were woken again. The bed sloped and I kept sliding down, then had to roll back up to the top. The shower barely dribbled on the first day and ran cold on the second, so it didn’t work properly at all during our stay. The room was unbearably hot, and a fan would have helped. My car was covered in fingerprints, which made it look as if someone had tampered with it.