Royal Goat Hotel

The staff were kind, polite, and clearly trying their best, and they helped sort out the payment confusion. We’d received an email saying the balance would be taken in advance, but it hadn’t happened and no one mentioned it. All three people we met were pleasant and keen to help. The coffee and biscuits were well stocked, and on the first morning they kindly opened breakfast early for us at 7:30. The check-in itself was confusing. We were sent first to a cold, dark office with the lights off, then to an equally chilly, empty bar. A lovely dog called Luna enthusiastically greeted us and seemed much more involved than anyone else. The central heating was off, with individual electric heaters in the rooms. Reception was a woman perched at a tiny two-person table with a laptop, looking like a student revising in a café beside a heater. The bar was deserted, and its fridge held just two lonely cans of lager, though other drinks were available. Breakfast was a chilly affair. The bar was so cold we could see our breath while eating. Even though we were the only two guests, the pot had only enough coffee for one cup each. On day two the gentleman did offer a refill after we’d finished. Small details added to the impression of neglect: three mismatched cereal spoons, milk kept “fresh” with a drinks mat on top, an abandoned dog treat bowl, and a broken OPEN sign showing only “O EN”. In the shower were three labelled bottles, conditioner, shampoo, and one mysterious unlabelled liquid, presumably body wash. On day two, a friendly staff member asked about our day, but the bar stayed cold. We were told Saturday breakfast wouldn’t start until 9:00. It felt like a team finding their feet, as if this were their first season running the hotel, but when we asked, we learned it was their third. On Friday evening the bar felt so isolated that we went elsewhere for dinner, to the Prince Llewelyn pub, which was busy and full of life. The contrast was night and day, and we both wished we’d booked there instead. When we got back around 9:15 pm, the hotel was closed and deserted. There was still no sign of life at 8:00 the next morning. Breakfast appeared at 9:00, and again we were the only guests. The same loaf of bread from the day before was still in its plastic bag, so you had to reach inside, which didn’t seem hygienic. We both felt distinctly queasy after eating the breakfast salmon, which made us question its freshness. With so few guests, it seemed possible food wasn’t being used quickly and older items might not have been discarded promptly. The cooked breakfast came with strikingly pale, almost anaemic eggs on both mornings. Edible, but faintly dispiriting. For over £300, the place felt like it was running on low power, literally and figuratively. Amusing in retrospect, disappointing at the time.

The staff made me feel so welcome, and nothing was too much trouble. I liked it enough to extend my stay by another three days, and I can’t wait to come back. It’s a charming hotel in a fantastic location, with a large room, big wardrobe, TV, and very comfortable bed. The bathroom was lovely and spacious, and both rooms had very large windows. The food was yummy and breakfast was good. The staff are a credit to the hotel. Thank you for everything.

The evening waiter also looked after breakfast and was really friendly and helpful. We had dinner at the hotel, which was good, and the menu had vegetarian options. The building is a charming old one, and I think you either love it or hate it. Our room had its own charm and the bed was perfectly fine, but don’t expect spacious, modern rooms. A few things were a bit makeshift. We couldn’t work out how to keep the window open, so used a discarded cardboard wrapper to prop it. The bathroom fan seemed decorative, so we kept the door open with the bin. The cold tap came off, though luckily we managed to screw it back on. The TV was fairly small, but we didn’t use it, and the WiFi was okay in the room. We had a lovely stay.

The rooms were good, and prices seemed average for the village and surrounding area. Breakfast was average too. Our shower leaked, and the shower head wouldn’t stay in place. It looks overdue for a refurbishment.