Ye Olde Talbot Hotel

The staff made it easy to feel at home here. Calem was always smiling and ready to help, and Laura kindly let us use the conference room to meet up for a Dungeons and Dragons game. Housekeeping respected my do-not-disturb request, too, and were friendly and accommodating. I never felt uncomfortable around anyone working there. Room 25 was tucked in a back corner, with a nice view of the cathedral steeple that helped me find my way around a new city. The morning bells were lovely to wake up to, and buses, taxis, and trains are all within walking distance. It’s also handy for historic sights and places like Arcades and Pub halls. After a stressful time with flights, I was glad to arrive at Ye Olde Talbot Hotel. I was traveling alone for the first time, and as an American from Florida, I’m used to hotels having air conditioning and a little fridge or microwave. Those aren’t available here. Still, it’s a quaint, relaxing, charming place with a friendly feel. The building is old and dated, but that’s part of its character. The pub downstairs serves delicious food, and the smells of breakfast, lunch, and tea were lovely to wake up to. Plan your budget and you won’t go hungry. If you don’t fancy a meal there, Five Guys, Ottos, pizza, Chinese food, and sushi are a short walk away. The bar and wait staff were quick and easy to deal with. A few things to bear in mind: an alarm bell across the way can go off at unpredictable times, through no fault of the hotel. There’s no fridge, so food and drinks bought for a longer stay can’t be kept cool. My bed wasn’t near an outlet, which was a small inconvenience I could work around. There was some street noise from people enjoying the pubs and shops, but putting on music or a film made it fade into the background. I loved the deep bathtub after a day walking the Hills of Malvern. It takes a bit of getting used to stepping in and out, and the shower curtain clung while I was showering. The hotel could use doors or at least curved rods there.

We’ll definitely come back, as this is a convenient spot for visiting family. It’s opposite the cathedral, which is a must-see, and near the town centre while still being quiet. We heard no noise from the pub. Our first-floor room was clean and lovely, though a little dark. Getting there meant navigating a warren of corridors. We enjoy coaching inns and their history, so that suited us. The reception guys were pleasant and check-in went smoothly. We asked for a shower mat because neither of us is very steady on our feet, and it was brought up without any fuss. The main difficulty for us, in our 70s, was the few steps down to the bathroom. We had to turn on the light during the night. Next time I’ll ask whether there’s a room without those bathroom steps.

The staff were polite, friendly, and very accommodating, and the pub food was great for the price. My bed was comfortable, although the rooms feel a bit dated. It also takes a minute for the shower water to get hot. I had an excellent stay at Ye Olde Talbot Hotel and would come back when I’m in Worcester.

I barely slept because every step in my room made the floorboards creak, and I could hear people moving around in the neighbouring rooms. The rooms are very rundown, with holes in the carpet and dents in the doors and walls. Book somewhere else.