Name: The Royal Hotel
Address: Barnstaple Street, Bideford, England, United Kingdom, Bideford, Devon, GB
Price range: $97–$188 per night
Rating: 8.58

What guests think

Across recent reviews, The Royal Hotel earns frequent praise for friendly, attentive staff, tasty restaurant meals and breakfast, clean comfortable rooms, and a convenient riverside location, though experiences vary by room and occasion.

Several guests mention some rooms feel dated or await refurbishment, with weak or low showers and occasional maintenance issues. Events such as weddings or Christmas parties sometimes bring noise and can affect evening availability or parking, and a few guests wished for clearer advance notice. Front-facing rooms can pick up road or kitchen noise, and a handful reported hot rooms or windows that do not open. Expect a traditional stay in a handy location, best for travellers who value character and can tolerate occasional noise or older fittings.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Bar and lounge are popular, and parking is available across the road, with some guests finding it straightforward. However, events such as weddings or Christmas parties can cause significant noise and occasionally affect evening availability or parking, and a few found parking inconvenient or unclear.

Related guest reviews

2

Mark

Dec 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Terrible - extremely loud party in the lounge which was going to go on until midnight. We were never informed about this, even when checking in. We left at 10pm and demanded a refund. Ended up having to book in to the local travel lodge.

10

Steven

Apr 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay ready for the boat for Lundy the next morninv. Lovely bar, nice big room. Great parking

8

Christopher

Dec 3, 2023

·

Comfortable and aesthetically pleasing old premises with courteous staff and service. Spent first weekend in December there and hit xmas parties which limited evening dining spaces and parking for guests of the hotel.

10

Jamie

Aug 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

My stay started off beautifully, honestly couldn't have asked for a better check-in. Paul, the dapper gent with the soothing voice and vibe, made me feel instantly looked after. Talk about a safe place e. The room was exactly as shown in the pictures and had everything I needed for my stay. I even grabbed a cheeky pint at the bar, didn't catch the woman's name (that's on me), but she was an absolute laugh and made me feel welcome. All in all, At... and did I mention Paul?!

8

Lee

May 3, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The room I stayed was good, if a little dated, the Restuarant, bar and lounge are very good, excellent and attentive staff, can’t fault them. Having free parking straight across the road in Bideford is a real bonus. The only downside is infront of the hotel, waste ground and metal fencing.

8

Carole

Dec 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice hotel great location and friendly staff let down by allowing a Christmas party to go on into the early hours way beyond the midnight curfew!

8

Janice

May 17, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Parking is across from the hotel and the road can be busy.

8

John

Dec 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff were very helpful, Food delicious. Room very clean. Car parking was not very convenient.

10

claire

Aug 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Just come home from a short stay with my daughter at The Royal Hotel. We were upgraded to a lovely suite when we arrived. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful.The room was amazing and very clean. I had the best night sleep. There was a kettle in the room, along with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits, which My daughter loved. We dined in the restaurant at dinner time. The food was lovely. So much to choose from. We also had breakfast which I cannot fault. The staff that served us were very friendly and worked really hard. There was a little car park opposite the hotel which was free. There were quite a few spaces when we arrived. We really enjoyed our stay even though it was very short. We will def return to the hotel in the future.

10

stephen

Aug 11, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good car parking, ideally situated, excellent service and good food.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Rooms and public areas are frequently described as very clean and well maintained, with regular towel changes. A few isolated issues were noted, such as dirty glasses, a stray bathroom item, or strong cleaning scents.

Related guest reviews

2

pearse

Sep 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We did not stay due to smell of cleaning/fabreze type overwhelmingly in corridor, room and lift triggered asthma and allergies...photos not a real reflection of room we were offered could not stay there

10

Joanna

Jul 6, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

A very warm professional welcome. Excellent customer service. Lovely spacious room with great views. Comfortable bed. Clean classic bathroom with bathroom cabinet. Freshly laundered towels everyday. The food was particularly good and plenty for breakfast. Would definitely recommend.

10

Kelvin

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Large clean room, excellent breakfast and amazing Sunday carvery

10

John

Mar 1, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff very helpful pleasant cleanliness excellent

10

Peter

Apr 15, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

A very pleasant stay. Staff were extremely helpful, friendly and professional. Room was clean and well serviced. Hotel welcomed dog in all areas.

8

John

Dec 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff were very helpful, Food delicious. Room very clean. Car parking was not very convenient.

10

W

Dec 14, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Only thing id say is the glasses were not clean. We actually parked down the road as we didn't relaise where the hotel car park was but was £5.50 for 24 hrs. Lovely hotel and staff were very friendly Definitely stay again.

6

PL

Dec 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Hotel is friendly with good service and check in is quick. Room is a bit tired and there was a random used cotton bud in the bathroom. Breakfast omelette was dire, worst I've ever eaten. 1000c hot and tastes of used oil. Small and definitely poor value. Coffee is always bad at the hotel so I've moved to tea. Probably won't bother with breakfast in future.

10

Darren

Dec 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms clean & tidy & the staff was very courteous

10

Christine

Oct 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice stay the staff were friendly, efficient and helpful our room was clean,comfortable and spacious. Having a carpark is a must and near to the hotel I would recommend too anyone looking for a relaxing holiday with a good breakfast.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Many rooms are comfortable and sometimes spacious, with some offering river views or welcome upgrades. Others feel dated or await refurbishment, with weak or low showers, occasional noise (traffic, kitchen or events), and a few maintenance or temperature issues.

Related guest reviews

10

June

Mar 4, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I booked a single room in the attic but as the hotel was quiet got an upgrade to a double room with river view. It was fabulous. The bed was so comfy and the bathroom lovely with big fluffy towels. Parking couldn't have been easier - literally across the road. Breakfast was a bit pricey I thought so I didn't bother with that - it would be nice to be able to just get cereal or something light rather than paying for a big buffet. The only other improvement would be fridges in the room.

10

Paul

Mar 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Bar staff abd restaurant staff were amazing and really helpful. Shower was very weak and very low. Taller person would struggle fitting under the head.

10

Joanna

Jul 6, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

A very warm professional welcome. Excellent customer service. Lovely spacious room with great views. Comfortable bed. Clean classic bathroom with bathroom cabinet. Freshly laundered towels everyday. The food was particularly good and plenty for breakfast. Would definitely recommend.

10

Peter

Nov 20, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Very good. Room was rather hot and windows were non - opening

2

R

Sep 16, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

Room was dreadful. Kitchen fan’s directly below window. Constant clatter of kitchen noise

2

Katja

Sep 21, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We arrived late and all we needed was a good night's sleep. There was an automatic light constantly coming on and off right outside the window which even with the curtains closed lit up the room. It was also incredibly noisy due to some broken guttering meaning rain would clatter down, which happened all night. The window furthermore looked out onto a wall about a metre away. The room was fine but needed maintenance. If this had been a budget hotel it would have been fine, but at 125 pounds a night I would expect better.

10

Kelvin

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Large clean room, excellent breakfast and amazing Sunday carvery

8

William

Feb 1, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Need to upgrade windows overlooking road due to traffic noise early morning

10

Christine

Oct 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice stay the staff were friendly, efficient and helpful our room was clean,comfortable and spacious. Having a carpark is a must and near to the hotel I would recommend too anyone looking for a relaxing holiday with a good breakfast.

8

Michael

Jun 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The Royal is in a great location just off the Tarka Trail a short walk across the bridge into Bideford. I was staying in a Standard Room. I booked a single but was upgraded to a double which was a nice surprise. The hotel is currently undergoing a refurbishment - it didn't interfere with my stay. My room was dated - the bathroom wasn't great it was falling apart and the shower had extremely poor water pressure. My room is one of the ones which is yet to be refurbished. The bed was very comfortable. I look forward to coming back once the rooms have been upgraded to experience the place again. The staff made me feel extremely welcome. Everyone who I engaged with were warm and friendly and I got the feeling they loved working at the hotel and were excited for its future.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Service

Service is a standout, with many guests praising friendly, attentive, and professional staff at reception, bar and restaurant, with occasional upgrades. A few report lapses, including limited communication about loud events, indifferent reception, or early morning noise from staff areas.

Related guest reviews

10

Clare

Dec 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fabulous hotel, wondeeful staff.

2

Mark

Dec 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Terrible - extremely loud party in the lounge which was going to go on until midnight. We were never informed about this, even when checking in. We left at 10pm and demanded a refund. Ended up having to book in to the local travel lodge.

8

Bhavik

Jan 23, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Customer service and friendly staff

10

Alexander

Jun 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely hotel great service

10

Jamie

Aug 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

My stay started off beautifully, honestly couldn't have asked for a better check-in. Paul, the dapper gent with the soothing voice and vibe, made me feel instantly looked after. Talk about a safe place e. The room was exactly as shown in the pictures and had everything I needed for my stay. I even grabbed a cheeky pint at the bar, didn't catch the woman's name (that's on me), but she was an absolute laugh and made me feel welcome. All in all, At... and did I mention Paul?!

4

patricia

Apr 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I was allocated a room in the attic, through atiny door to my room, it was very cold upon arrival, so turned on the heater endedx up getting into beed fully clothed to warm up ,. It was ok, but felt as though i had been allocated the bulk head room as you would on a plane as a punishment! At 6.20am the staff arrived, the house keeping room was next door to my room. I was the only room onthis hsrry potter corridor and room. The staff were up and down this corridor doirs opening ,closing for the next two hours! What did i do to be allocated this room? £90 i dont think so ! Never again!

8

Barbara

Aug 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Well maintained and renovated. Staff and service were excellent.

6

Suzanne

May 25, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfortable enough. Bed was a small double. Reception was ok, but not terribly interested. Servers for dinner tried hard, but our stay was overshadowed by the wedding taking place.

10

Christine

Oct 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice stay the staff were friendly, efficient and helpful our room was clean,comfortable and spacious. Having a carpark is a must and near to the hotel I would recommend too anyone looking for a relaxing holiday with a good breakfast.

10

Bob

Jul 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Staff were approachable and most helpful thoroughly enjoyed our visit

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

The riverside setting is convenient for walking into town, the Tarka Trail, local transport and the Lundy ferry, with several rooms offering river views. Some front rooms face a busy road and a few noted the immediate area looks a little shabby.

Related guest reviews

10

Steven

Apr 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay ready for the boat for Lundy the next morninv. Lovely bar, nice big room. Great parking

10

Lisa

Aug 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed at The Royal for a night. Parking straightforward, as was checking in. Our room was lovely, nicely decorated, with a big bathroom and great shower. We decided to have dinner in the hotel restaurant, which provided a varied menu. My boyfriend had mussles which he really enjoyed. Cocktails were delightful. The hotel is a short walk from the town centre, ideal for our evening out. We had a great time and would not hesitate to book a room there again.

10

Christine

Aug 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very old hotel, yet updated. Very walkable to downtown and various sites.

10

Georgie

Nov 14, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

the Hotel was warm and very welcoming. Excellent location. Easy parking.

8

Lee

May 3, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The room I stayed was good, if a little dated, the Restuarant, bar and lounge are very good, excellent and attentive staff, can’t fault them. Having free parking straight across the road in Bideford is a real bonus. The only downside is infront of the hotel, waste ground and metal fencing.

8

Janice

May 17, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Parking is across from the hotel and the road can be busy.

8

Geoff

May 22, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

pleasant stay for 2 nites. well located

8

Michael

Jun 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The Royal is in a great location just off the Tarka Trail a short walk across the bridge into Bideford. I was staying in a Standard Room. I booked a single but was upgraded to a double which was a nice surprise. The hotel is currently undergoing a refurbishment - it didn't interfere with my stay. My room was dated - the bathroom wasn't great it was falling apart and the shower had extremely poor water pressure. My room is one of the ones which is yet to be refurbished. The bed was very comfortable. I look forward to coming back once the rooms have been upgraded to experience the place again. The staff made me feel extremely welcome. Everyone who I engaged with were warm and friendly and I got the feeling they loved working at the hotel and were excited for its future.

10

john

Nov 9, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great view over the river

8

Jennifer

Jul 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely hotel, fabulous staff, good food. Local area a little shabby but nice views across the river. Bus stop to Barnstable station 2 mins walk. Would come again.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Food is widely praised across breakfast, dinner and the Sunday carvery, with generous portions and a popular restaurant. Downsides noted include occasional slow service, a pricey breakfast, limited fruit, and one report of poor coffee.

Related guest reviews

8

Pete

Nov 16, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great hotel, very professional and friendly staff. Excellent breakfast. All clean and tidy. Shower was very weak, bathroom small. It was great for the price I paid (approx £60 including breakfast).

10

Penelope

Jun 20, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely hotel, the room was larger than the average with quality furnishing and a comfortable bed. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the restaurant was superb.

10

June

Mar 4, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I booked a single room in the attic but as the hotel was quiet got an upgrade to a double room with river view. It was fabulous. The bed was so comfy and the bathroom lovely with big fluffy towels. Parking couldn't have been easier - literally across the road. Breakfast was a bit pricey I thought so I didn't bother with that - it would be nice to be able to just get cereal or something light rather than paying for a big buffet. The only other improvement would be fridges in the room.

10

Dave

Mar 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Really pleasant stay for work. Food in the restaurant was delicious and excellent portions.

10

sean

Jul 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely hotel, friendly staff, very nice room and excellent food. Great breakfast and evening meal was fantastic. Was a little slow to get food in the evening but well worth the wait and others I chatted to in restaurant agreed.

10

Kelvin

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Large clean room, excellent breakfast and amazing Sunday carvery

6

PL

Dec 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Hotel is friendly with good service and check in is quick. Room is a bit tired and there was a random used cotton bud in the bathroom. Breakfast omelette was dire, worst I've ever eaten. 1000c hot and tastes of used oil. Small and definitely poor value. Coffee is always bad at the hotel so I've moved to tea. Probably won't bother with breakfast in future.

10

Adam

Jun 27, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was clean the bed was really comfy and the food and service were excellent.

8

Richard

Jul 30, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful, well kept Hôtel with very friendly, smart, attentive staff. The breakfast was far too big😀 but delicious. Will stay again.

10

Peter

Jul 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Royal Hotel was excellent and we would certainly recommend staying there. The food was very good at dinner & snack lunch. Breakfast was fine for us and we would have liked a better fruit collection. More brochures of surrounding places to visit would be helpful.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$107
February	$122
March	$108
April	$112
May	$133
June	$151
July	$143
August	$159
September	$146
October	$109
November	$115
December	$118

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7 $109	8 $109	9 $108	10 $108	11	12 $170
13 $108	14 $136	15 $109	16 $188	17 $172	18 $136	19 $109
20 $108	21 $109	22 $136	23 $108	24 $109	25 $137	26 $137
27 $109	28 $110	29 $136	30 $137

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $100	2 $101	3 $100
4 $100	5 $99	6 $100	7 $100	8 $99	9 $97	10 $100
11 $100	12 $126	13 $100	14 $100	15 $100	16 $126	17 $125
18 $99	19 $99	20 $100	21 $100	22 $100	23 $100	24 $100
25 $100	26 $99	27 $100	28 $100	29 $128	30 $100	31 $100

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Guest reviews

Fabulous

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

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