The Black Horse Inn

I went into the Black Horse to use the toilet after a heavy dinner and a long walk left me caught short in Warwick, too far from my hotel. I planned to order a pint at the bar afterwards, as that seemed only polite, but the landlady shouted, “Toilets are for customers only!” as I came out. I was mortified to be called out in front of the other patrons and left feeling totally humiliated. This is rare for me, but I know people with IBS or other conditions for whom access to a pub toilet can make all the difference. I’m never going back. If you need somewhere for a massive dump, though, I can heartily recommend it. Lovely loo. Just don’t buy anything from the dreary establishment.

It’s dog friendly, which is pretty hard to find nowadays. Thanks for being brilliant with my dog woody, who couldn’t settle. There’s a lovely park just two minutes’ walk from the pub, and even the locals downstairs were absolutely lovely, making an effort to help and chat with us. The place was clean and basic, exactly what we wanted for one night, and the staff were very friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend and stay again. Keep up the good work, guys.

The only thing going for it was the location, within walking distance of town. The room was very basic, with too few plug sockets and just one small mirror over the sink in the bedroom. The shower was barely more than a dribble. I suppose it was clean, but it could do with major updating. There was paint spilled on the carpet outside the room, as if someone dropped a can and couldn’t be bothered to clean it up. The door lock was temperamental and chipped underneath, so I presume they’ve had trouble with it before. They didn’t serve food on Saturday, and the beer was rubbish. We were lucky to have roof tiles and no mould, unlike some of our friends’ rooms, but the bathroom didn’t smell too clever. DO NOT EVEN BOTHER.

The price was great, and the room was clean and well presented. It was decent but very basic, with nothing luxurious about the stay. All the rooms are around a very loud car park, so keep that in mind in the morning. The bathroom was very small and pokey. Still, it’s great to support a small independent business.