Is parking available at the property?

Yes, free self-parking is available on-site.

Is breakfast offered at the property?

Yes, breakfast is available for a fee at The Knife and Cleaver restaurant.

What are the standard check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is from 14:00 until 23:30, and check-out is by 10:00. Early or late check-in/check-out may be available upon request.

What is the location of the property in relation to key landmarks?

The property is located in Houghton Conquest, within a 15-minute drive of Woburn Safari Park and Greensand Ridge Walk. It is approximately 2.7 miles from Marston Vale Millennium Country Park and 16 miles from Bletchley Park.

What are the policies for guests staying with children?

Children are allowed at the property, but specific age policies for free stays are not detailed.

The Knife & Cleaver

What guests think

The Knife & Cleaver is a country pub with rooms where many guests praise the tasty food and friendly, welcoming staff, noting a cosy atmosphere and convenient village setting that suits short stays, stopovers, and relaxed meals.

Rooms vary: some are comfortable and quiet, while others feel dated with uncomfortable mattresses, low water pressure, and notably weak or absent in room WiFi. Housekeeping and maintenance are inconsistent, with repeated reports of dirty bathrooms, damp odours, tired decor, and occasional hazards like broken glass. The rural village location is appealing, but church bells and some road or function noise can disrupt sleep, and breakfast availability and pricing feel uneven, with one serious gluten free error reported. Expect a welcoming pub experience with good food, but manage expectations for room quality, cleanliness, WiFi, and potential noise.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Popular pub and bar with a lovely outdoor seating area; parking is available. Some guests noted easy access to the rooms.

Related guest reviews

8

Elizabeth

16 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Staff welcoming. Breakfast excellent. Great ambience. Handy location with parking. Twin room was on the small side, shower room needs tlc., i.e. tiles on floor need regrouting and securing. Surround of shower doors could do with some attention. Overall a pleasant three nights.

10

Phil

25 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely pub in a great location, especially in the summer as they have an excellent outside seating area

10

Phil

25 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely pub in a great location, especially in the summer as they have an excellent outside seating area

8

ASHLEIGH

19 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Property was lovely, restaurant and bar were clean and bright. Rooms were clean and well decorated. Freebies were also really nice. With the warm wether a fan would have been nice in our room, our friends next door had one but when asked at reception no one knew where to get one. Bed was a little hard but for 1 nights stay was okay. Would stay again just as overnight but wouldn't recommend for long stays! The room was also right opposite a function which luckily ended early but trying to nap through the day with the windows open because of hot weather was slightly difficult. Overall would rate 7.5/10

8

Cat

11 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was nice, good layout, and the sofa area in the conservatory and outdoor space was a bonus. And it was quiet too, which I was worried about as it's a pub. The room wasn't super clean, there were dead bugs and stuff. And some of the room felt tired and tatty. But that wouldn't stop me staying again. However, the biggest issue was there is no wifi in the rooms, and the phone signal isn't great. As I was there to work it was a problem.

6

Julie

2 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The first room we were given was filthy so moved to another, again this was poorly cleaned, tissues under chair, hairs in the shower, an old razor left in the shower and walls stained. We cancelled a second night there. The bar was nice and food was delicious. The rooms need updating and thorough cleaning. Shame because it could be so much more

10

Kenneth

22 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

It’s a pub and a very good one. Food is very good.

10

Graham

27 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice and clean with easy access to rooms when returning later

6

Beverley

1 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Food was very good,staff that were there did very well they need a good housekeeper and cleaners. Seemed to be very popular

10

Phil

3 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great country pub with good food and in a lovely rural location

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Housekeeping is inconsistent, with reports of dirty bathrooms, dust, damp smells, and missed details, plus occasional hazards like broken glass. A few guests did find rooms clean.

Related guest reviews

4

Laura

10 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

We got there after a 3 1/2hr drive to a cramped cabin that was not as clean as we would have liked, grubby bathroom & cigarette burns in the throw on the bed. What made it worst was the shower cutout after one of us briefly used it after a long trip. This was not fixed though a plumber was called due to not having the right part. We ended up washing in the tea-cup of a sink we had. Nothing has been done to date despite reporting it on check out. I would not be going back anytime soon.

4

Stephen

21 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

The pub is nice with lovely food ( a bit overpriced but they have the monopoly). The room was awful. The carpets were wet and the room smelled strongly of damp, which I complained about twice, with no resolution. Shower was broken. Had to hide my clothes in the ottoman and spray with deodorant. My clothes stunk of damp if I didn’t do this. Made me extremely uncomfortable. Wouldn’t go again

6

Ian

24 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The bedroom was ok, but the room needed redecoration. The shower was low in pressure and just a shower curtain. The water was very very hot and would be dangerous for young children. Broken glass was found in the night under the bed and hurt my foot.

10

Martin

15 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Greeted by very friendly staff who then showed me to my room, drink selection good but I didn't eat there so can't judge that, I will say there is a broken window in the room but it doesn't affect noise or sleep and there was two pieces of broken glass on the table, but it's a lovely place 100% would stay there again

8

Cat

11 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was nice, good layout, and the sofa area in the conservatory and outdoor space was a bonus. And it was quiet too, which I was worried about as it's a pub. The room wasn't super clean, there were dead bugs and stuff. And some of the room felt tired and tatty. But that wouldn't stop me staying again. However, the biggest issue was there is no wifi in the rooms, and the phone signal isn't great. As I was there to work it was a problem.

6

Julie

2 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The first room we were given was filthy so moved to another, again this was poorly cleaned, tissues under chair, hairs in the shower, an old razor left in the shower and walls stained. We cancelled a second night there. The bar was nice and food was delicious. The rooms need updating and thorough cleaning. Shame because it could be so much more

4

Paul

27 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed here a lot on business and it’s got worse over the year, shower was impossible to use with no pressure, no mattress or pillow protectors, stains on both.. Grubby, bathroom desperate for a refurb, not enough light outside rooms, no blind on bathroom window The list goes on. But staff in pub were very nice and polite. I wouldn’t stay again nor recommend

10

Gareth

29 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Food and service excellent, unfortunately the room smelt of damp really badly, the chimes from the church every 30 minutes kept me awake most of the night until I stuffed tissue in my ears, loud noise from cars passing on road, springy bed. Probably the worst nights sleep ever!

6

Amanda

12 Feb 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Bathroom was very dirty, room dusty and needed some tlc. Bed linen was clean. In guest information book it says kitchen open 12-9 however when I asked for a snack at 3pm it was closed until 5pm. On a plus the dinner was excellent.

10

Alan

21 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

The shower had some remedial work to the tiles and had mastic smeared along the joints, black mould had started to accumulate The staff especially Acer and Gavin were exceptional, nothing was too much, they are a credit to your team

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Rooms

Comfort and quality vary; some rooms are cosy and quiet, while others feel small or dated with uncomfortable beds, low water pressure, or temperamental showers, and in room WiFi can be weak or absent. Church bells nearby often disrupt sleep.

Related guest reviews

8

Rebecca

25 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The arrival at The Knife and Cleaver was wonderful. Staff helped me with the luggage and room 9 was both clean and impressive. Nice seperate seating area and outside patio was a bonus in the room. Well equipped and warm. WiFi was not so good but free inside the pub. We ate at the restaurant for the two nights. Food was okay first night. Second night not so good. No atmosphere either and staff consistently just giggling or calling you guys! All in all, the hotel side of the pub was well worth the money. Would definitely stay again. Would have another hit at the restaurant but maybe in the daytime instead.

4

Mark

27 Sept 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Check in took 15 minutes due to Manager standing 3 metres away training new waiting staff. Waited for 5 minutes to be seated although both new waiting team were standing 5 metres away and did not even bother to engage with me. I left and went back to my room. The bedroom was very nice until i got into bed, the most uncomfortable mattress i have ever slept in.

10

Joanne

9 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Quiet room, food for both dinner and breakfast top notch. Service great.

6

Orla

17 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Not great, wouldn't stay again. The bed was extremely uncomfortable, church bells rang all evening into the night which was not advertised. The room had a really strong smell of washing detergent which was off putting and somehow made the room feel unclean.

6

Ian

24 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The bedroom was ok, but the room needed redecoration. The shower was low in pressure and just a shower curtain. The water was very very hot and would be dangerous for young children. Broken glass was found in the night under the bed and hurt my foot.

6

Ian

15 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Decent room and food. Terrible WIFI in the room. Connection kept dropping out. For me this is important. So will not be visiting again.

4

Bruce

6 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room a little tired with a rather uncomfortable bed. Lots of strange knick-knacks eg a ceramic horse’s head, 2 old trunks acting as a table and several bird ornaments. Shower good though. What was more disappointing was the evening meal. Caesar salad and chips(!) off, then hummus off after we ordered it. Cauliflower steak was 2 large pieces of cauliflower raw in the middle served with stone cold fries. Inedible. The mini pudding of cheesecake was tiny. In fairness to the waitress, who was very attentive and a bit embarrassed, we weren’t charged for the cauliflower and given a further discount, but this was definitely NOT the gastropub experience we were expecting. When we left the pub just after 9, there were only 2 customers left. Said it all really.

8

Cat

11 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was nice, good layout, and the sofa area in the conservatory and outdoor space was a bonus. And it was quiet too, which I was worried about as it's a pub. The room wasn't super clean, there were dead bugs and stuff. And some of the room felt tired and tatty. But that wouldn't stop me staying again. However, the biggest issue was there is no wifi in the rooms, and the phone signal isn't great. As I was there to work it was a problem.

4

Helen

16 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Food was good and homemade. But rooms need much investment. Mattress you could feel the springs. Pillows lumpy. Kettle lid broken. Shelf in bathroom broken. Blind broken. Tv had electrical fault and kept coming on during the night.

8

K

6 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was great, but the church bell rang every 25 minutes all through the night. I barely slept. It was every annoying.

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Service

Staff are widely described as friendly and welcoming, though some guests experienced slow or disorganised service and occasional unprofessional management.

Related guest reviews

8

Elizabeth

16 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Staff welcoming. Breakfast excellent. Great ambience. Handy location with parking. Twin room was on the small side, shower room needs tlc., i.e. tiles on floor need regrouting and securing. Surround of shower doors could do with some attention. Overall a pleasant three nights.

6

Roger

10 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This is marketed as a 4 star hotel however I was very disappointed. The food was lovely however the service very poor. A brief summary: - not cheap - couldn't check me in due to 'computer problem', needed me to show my email booking receipt - I had pork skewers (lovely) but I had to ask for cutlery. - I had fillet steak (excellent) for dinner but wasn't offered any condiments. The server even left my dirty skewer plate on the table when delivering the steak. I had finished the skewers late afternoon. - The toilets for the bar area were tired, lots of broken tiles and a bit smelly. - Room 3 was nice however very warm, it was difficult to access the heater controls due to a shelf directly above the heater. - Toilet seat was broken. - Couldn't lock the front door from the inside. I wouldn't recommend staying here

10

Joanne

9 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Quiet room, food for both dinner and breakfast top notch. Service great.

10

Martin

15 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Greeted by very friendly staff who then showed me to my room, drink selection good but I didn't eat there so can't judge that, I will say there is a broken window in the room but it doesn't affect noise or sleep and there was two pieces of broken glass on the table, but it's a lovely place 100% would stay there again

10

Phil

22 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Fantastic pub in a great location with excellent food and friendly staff

4

Sean

21 Mar 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location, good staff who make you feel very welcome. My stay, was tainted by the manager. Never heard anyone talk to their team like he did. Completely shocking and I would be shocked if they dont have a staff retention issue.

10

Phil

22 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic pub in a lovely village location with great food and friendly staff

10

Phil

5 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

always a friendly welcome and nothing is ever too much trouble - it's a great place to stay

10

Phil

5 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

always a friendly welcome and nothing is ever too much trouble - it's a great place to stay

10

Dave

22 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic host Great food Great location Friendly, quiet and safe

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Lovely rural village setting close to places of interest. However, nearby church bells (and occasional road or function noise) can disturb sleep.

Related guest reviews

8

Sandra

1 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Welcome was excellent, room was nice but en suite requires some attention. The cistern ran all night wasting water and disturbing our sleep. Restaurant and food was great. Breakfast was ok. Lovely church across the road chimes on the hour and tinkles every quarter so not great if you're already awake because of the cistern.

6

Orla

17 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Not great, wouldn't stay again. The bed was extremely uncomfortable, church bells rang all evening into the night which was not advertised. The room had a really strong smell of washing detergent which was off putting and somehow made the room feel unclean.

10

Phil

25 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely pub in a great location, especially in the summer as they have an excellent outside seating area

10

Phil

25 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely pub in a great location, especially in the summer as they have an excellent outside seating area

8

ASHLEIGH

19 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Property was lovely, restaurant and bar were clean and bright. Rooms were clean and well decorated. Freebies were also really nice. With the warm wether a fan would have been nice in our room, our friends next door had one but when asked at reception no one knew where to get one. Bed was a little hard but for 1 nights stay was okay. Would stay again just as overnight but wouldn't recommend for long stays! The room was also right opposite a function which luckily ended early but trying to nap through the day with the windows open because of hot weather was slightly difficult. Overall would rate 7.5/10

10

Phil

22 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Fantastic pub in a great location with excellent food and friendly staff

10

Phil

22 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic pub in a lovely village location with great food and friendly staff

8

K

6 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was great, but the church bell rang every 25 minutes all through the night. I barely slept. It was every annoying.

10

Phil

3 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great country pub with good food and in a lovely rural location

10

Dave

22 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic host Great food Great location Friendly, quiet and safe

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Food is frequently praised, especially dinners, but breakfast can be limited to continental on some weekdays and prices feel high to some. A few guests reported inconsistent meals and one serious gluten free error.

Related guest reviews

4

Douglas

11 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The pub itself was nice and the rooms were adequate for our needs. Unfortunately it seemed that the kitchen staff don’t know the difference between gluten free food and non gluten free food, the item in question was a roll for breakfast. It looked a lot like a brioche roll and tasted too nice for GF lol. I did email the place to explain my wife’s discomfort with the food and have not had a reply hence this not so good review. I will repeat myself from my email and hope the people in the kitchen get to hear how they basically poisoned my wife, causing her great discomfort and vomiting on our journey home. This was one week ago and she is still suffering

10

Joanne

9 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Quiet room, food for both dinner and breakfast top notch. Service great.

10

Phil

26 Feb 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Great pub with good food and with the very convenient accommodation - well worth a stop-over visit

4

Bruce

6 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room a little tired with a rather uncomfortable bed. Lots of strange knick-knacks eg a ceramic horse’s head, 2 old trunks acting as a table and several bird ornaments. Shower good though. What was more disappointing was the evening meal. Caesar salad and chips(!) off, then hummus off after we ordered it. Cauliflower steak was 2 large pieces of cauliflower raw in the middle served with stone cold fries. Inedible. The mini pudding of cheesecake was tiny. In fairness to the waitress, who was very attentive and a bit embarrassed, we weren’t charged for the cauliflower and given a further discount, but this was definitely NOT the gastropub experience we were expecting. When we left the pub just after 9, there were only 2 customers left. Said it all really.

8

Ralph

30 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We have stayed hear several times and always had fantastic service and excellent food , this time was the first time that we required breakfast on a Friday and was disappointed that the choice was only continental,

4

Steven

5 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The location was ideal and the room was good. Bathroom need an update and maybe a desk in the room. However, no cooked breakfast in the morning. Just 2 bread loaves, ham, cheese and cereal plus some tired looking pastries. This was not mentioned at check-in

10

Phil

2 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent hotel in a great village location and with a very good menu

10

Jo

4 Jan 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Hidden gem close to lots of places. The good was fantastic and definitely gastro and reasonably priced. Everything you need and very friendly staff

10

Alan

10 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely all round experience especially the food

10

Ralph

18 May 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Breakfast could be full English every day not just weekends Restaurant is very good but expensive

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
1 $108	2 $119	3 $130	4 $130	5 $119	6 $130	7 $141
8 $108	9 $119	10 $119	11 $119	12 $119	13 $130	14
15 $109	16 $119	17 $119	18 $130	19 $119	20 $130	21
22 $109	23 $119	24 $119	25 $119	26 $119	27 $162	28 $132
29 $108	30 $119

The Knife & Cleaver

About this property

Location

Room options

Standard Double Room, Ensuite, Courtyard View (Standard King Room )

Standard Double Or Twin Room, Ensuite, Courtyard View

Double Room, Ensuite, Courtyard View (Superior)

Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Courtyard View

Deluxe Double Room, Ensuite, Courtyard View

Guest reviews of The Knife & Cleaver

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

FAQs about The Knife & Cleaver

Prices for upcoming dates

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25 $108	26	27 $130	28 $119	29 $117	30 $130	31 $130