Dragon Inn

We stayed four nights and had a really lovely time. The location is great for walks and hikes, and there’s electric car charging in the large car park. The room was comfortable, with plenty of tea and coffee, regularly replenished. Food was very good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I liked that the cold breakfast buffet was included while hot food cost extra. It meant I didn’t feel obliged to have a full cooked breakfast every day. We’ll definitely be back.

Our second Sunday lunch was a real letdown after how good the first had been. The meal was lukewarm, the roast potatoes were rock hard, and there were no parsnips or purée and hardly any gravy. They also wanted another £6 for vegetables, which I’d expect to be included with a Sunday roast. Sorry, but I won’t be back.

The atmosphere had changed completely by New Year. The bar was dead, which felt very unusual, there were no locals, and the place wasn’t as friendly as we remembered. It’s a real shame, and we won’t return. Maybe there’s new management? I’d recommend The Bear or the Britannia instead. We came back quickly because our August stay had been so enjoyable, but this visit was disappointing. Breakfast had been included last time, while this time hot food cost extra, despite the room being advertised as “breakfast included.” At £140 a night, that left a sour taste. We were also charged £5 per night for our small dog, a fee we hadn’t been told about until checkout. We only had dinner in the restaurant once because most menu items were unavailable. The prawns and bread were swimming in oil, and the rest of the meal wasn’t up to scratch.

I won’t stay at the Dragon Inn again, though I’ll definitely return to Crickhowell. It’s a beautiful little town. After an overnight stop following a hike with my son, I slept well: the room was very clean, the bed and duvet and pillows were comfortable, and the temperature was just right. The bathroom was large and clean with modern fittings, but the electric “Triton” shower was very weak. Its temperature controls had no markings for the current or target heat, making it nearly impossible to get comfortable. Breakfast was a huge disappointment and one of the reasons I’d chosen the Dragon Inn was the advertised “breakfast included.” On arrival we were told this meant only a cold continental buffet, apparently a policy change made last year to save money. I understand moving away from cooked breakfasts, but that needs to be clear when booking. The buffet was just cereal, including Weetabix, Rice Krispies, Coco Pops, cheap bran, muesli and corn flakes, plus cheap yoghurt pots. There was no bread or toast, croissants, muffins, cheese, meat or fruit. There were teabags, filter coffee, orange juice and apple juice. The person running breakfast hadn’t turned on the urn, so my first attempt at tea failed. He fixed it, so it wasn’t the end of the world, but it gave me the impression no one was paying much attention. At least provide bread and a toaster. There was some confusion at check-in too. I’d booked a twin, as my confirmation emails showed, but was first given a double. Apparently the Inn and booking systems often miscommunicate.