The Ancient Gatehouse

We enjoyed our stay at The Ancient Gatehouse, if we don't return it will be because we are not returning to the area. (107266246)

Very helpful and friendly staff.

No overall comment. (107275770)

The room we had the second night, the one overlooking the Cathdral Green, was lovely, and what we expected when we first booked. Breakfast was good.

The room we were placed in the first night was less than adequate. We were very disappointed and asked for a room fronting on Cathedral Green, but there was none to be had. The bit overhanging the head of the bed looked as if it was ready to fall down on top of us. The room was poorly decorated and furnished. The view out the window less than desirable. The street noise made it difficult to sleep, as did the TV blaring through the wall. With all due respect, that room would be better used for storage, not for guests.

Very interesting old hotel in a fantastic location. Staff friendly and helpful but hotel needs modernising. (108025115)

Friendly staff. Very good central location.

Bed very uncomfortable. Water lukewarm. Had to go across the road to another hotel for breakfast. We also were not told we had to check out at the other hotel.

Poor, I checked out after two nights (97597433)

Quaint old building

Grossly overpriced for such cramped accommodation and the facilities offered; very out of date and tired.

We found the Ancient Gate House to be a complete joy to stay in. The young man on reception was most courteous and helpful and the Italian restaurant in the hotel was first class with the young Rumanian waitress a credit to the hotel (97644644)

The hotel is historic but the en-suite facilities are very good and modern. The four poster bed was much appriciated as were the excellant staff.

Fortunatly they are too minor to comment on.

I didnt know that breakfast was served in a different hotel. Parking was a problem (97353857)

Restaurant

VERY NOISEY CENTRAL HEATING EVEN WITH THE RADIATOR SWITCHED OFF

No overall comment. (97679255)

A very atmospheric hotel, built within the walls. Room was perfectly good, with the view to die for. Staff were all friendly and very helpful and the restaurant for dinner was excellent. Breakfast in sister hotal was also good and cooked to order , rather than mass cooked before you are even up! If we stay in Wells again we would stay at the Ancient Gatehouse (97246700)

Comfortable with magnificent view of Wells Cathedral. Restaurant excellent, staff very friendly and helpful

No overall comment. (97733241)

Very atmospheric

The light in the bathroom over the mirror (the only one in the room) didn't work. There should be a mirror over the dresser.

No overall comment. (97106316)

Gute Lage, gute Sicht, excellentes Fr

Keine Parkpl

Again, we were very happy to stay at this particular lodging, but driving in Wells itself is a bit complicated for someone who isn't used to it. (99392589)

I was higly impressed be the historicity of the accomodation, how the owners took care of it and made us feel at home. The view from the back of the Ancient Gatehouse of Wells Cathedral was breathtaking.

For an American driving in Britain, Wells was a bit more confusing as it too many 'roundabouts.'

No overall comment. (99248587)

The only real fault I can make is with the showers- I would come again if they can assure me that they will work. (99845226)

The location and the staff were friendly.

The showers were lukewarm

The hotel interior is looking a bit dated, could do with a lick of paint in places. Otherwise ii is a charming hotel, all the staff encounterd during the stay were friendly and helpful. The food was good in the resturant (99112472)

A nice size room

Need to be a bit more active with the duster on the bed headboard.

No overall comment. (99696202)

Nice quiet room with good view. Good bathroom.

Kitchen smells.

We stayed at this hotel at the end of a week in France. The comparison with our experience abroad and our stay at the Old Gatehouse could not have been more stark. In France we stayed at similarly priced hotels which were streets ahead in all respects - cleanliness, quality of accommodation, size of rooms etc. The Old Gatehouse was truly awful and represented very poor value for money. We left feeling disappointed and ripped off. (99672470)

The attititude of the staff.

The hotel boasted that it had been recently refurbished in sympathy with its 14C history. Our room consisted of a modern four poster bed and a mix of cheap, self-assembly furniture. The decor was awful and the bathroom tiny. The public areas were dirty and tired.

No overall comment. (99487929)

location

parking

No overall comment. (99161760)

Nice veiw of cathedral,comfortable bed,tea & coffee in room,clean.

ergonomically arkward ,poor layout & installation of faccilities, no parking at hotel.

No overall comment. (99875446)

no parking but we were able to park in the sister hotel across the road.Lovely hotel very clean. (99073752)

nice room lovley four poster bed

we dident like the food in the resturant

No overall comment. (99048343)

The hotel is conveniently situated in the town, but with no private parking for guests. From teh website we were under the impression that a Cathedral view was likely, but instead we looked straight into the opposite hotel, perhaps the 4 poster bed was compensation for that. For the lack of view and amount of time we spent in the room, we did not feel it was good value for money. (99521232)

Convenient situation in the town. Friendly and helpful staff.

Small bed (despite being a four poster), no Cathedral view, 3 of five lights in the room not working, no bath.

No overall comment. (99527451)

Four poster bed

Poor other furniture

The hotel could do with an upgrade, new paint, room repair, curtains and rails replaced. (99472791)

Good ambience and pleasant location

Curtains would not close and were not fixed up correctly, bed had a part of the four poster rail missing.

No overall comment. (3304732469)

nette Bedienung ,gutes Fr

As the sister hotel has parking facilities and we were struggling to park, I would like to have been able to park in their carpark which is dead opposite the Hotel, Also we had to have breakfast in the sister hotel which we did not know about in advance. None the less, the staff were very nice and the location of the hotel excellent. (3304586472)

Fantastic view of Wells Cathedral and centrally located

No Parking facilities

We were on the road side of the hotel, which was noisy due to the traffic but also a party which was going on over the road in the 'sister' hotel until past 11 on a Sunday night! The radiator in our room, although switched off, made noises throughout the night. If I had known that we were right on the road, or not in a room with character, I wouldn't have stayed at the hotel. Breakfast was held across the road rather than in our building. because of this we didn't partake of breakfast at all. (3304288535)

The location within Wells was extremely handy.

The room was not as expected for such an old hotel and was extremely noisy.

An unusual hotel within a very old building. The four poster bed was an enjoyable feature. The small sitting room area looked out onto the green in front of the cathedral. The view from our bedroom was magnificent we could lie in bed and look at the West front of Wells Cathedral.The restaurant in the hotel was a complete suprise we had not expected much but the standard of the food and the friendliness of the staff was excellent. We shall return (3304214243)

quirky but comfotable magnificent position on the green opposite wells cathedral

ran out of earl grey tea

No overall comment. (3304235396)

No overall comment. (3304367597)

The building itself was quaint, but I think more could have been made of the antiquity of the building and its location near the cathedral

I had no hot water for two mornings and I had to phone the manager to have a new room. There was no offer of an adjustment to my account, or anything else to compensate me.

No overall comment. (3304219158)

Location

No overall comment. (3304070676)

secluded room with a fantastic view of the cathedral

the shower was a bit temperamental

The room we had was full of character with four poster bed etc. However it was reached by a winding stone stair case which for the last section had no hand rail and the light was not working. We stayed on one of the coldest nights of the year and the heating was not working in the morning. Little things like matching cups and saucers, box of tissues in the room etc would have improved the overall experience. Breakfast was excellent but served in hotel across the road. (3304158041)

Interesting room with character

No overall comment. (2781622)

Friendly and helpfull staff.

The room I stayed in was in the Anicient Gatehouse. Very quaint with what looked like an original door to the next room. Therefore you coul here your neighbours television very clearly at night. (2856128)

location

Charming hotel in great location next to the cathedral. However its location in the centre of town also means a late night performance of grand prix from the local chavs and an early morning wake up from the bin men. Four poster beds are all very charming, but the one we had was not comfortable. Having said all that, I would thoroughly recommend the restaurant, the food is excellent. (2786653)

Restaurant, friendliness of staff

Noisy in front rooms, bed incredibly uncomfortable

The main difficulty for guests at this hotel is finding parking for the car, and for arriving with your luggage. Its location, right by the Cathedral in the busy central part of Wells, is at once its strength and its weakness. There are steep stairs to climb if you are on the second floor, particularly difficult if you are carrying large suitcases, but, as my husband said after we had checked in, It certainly is ancient!, and that's why I booked it! (2529364)

The location, right on the edge of the Cathedral Green, was its main attraction for us.

The entrance and foyer seemed a little dingy and in need of cleaning up and/or decorating.

Nice clean hotel with limited parking. Walking distance to High Street and eating places. Easy to find. Breakfast was good in sister hotel. (2758806)

Good situation to nearby attractions.

It would have been helpful to know that breakfast was taken at the white hart hotel, opposite, if not in the booking details, at least in the literature in the room. It was a good room and we enjoyed our stay. The staff were very helpful. (2437219)

It wzs in the cty centre and close to all the sights.

There were cooking smells in the reception area and on the stairs and in the bedroom. They were not too overwhelming but they did harm the overall feeling about the hotel.

No parking, room hot but on noisey street. (2576631)

location

Room

No overall comment. (2371589)

Quiet with an excellent view of the cathedral Age of the building

Small shower / toilet area Very hard matress No car parking at hotel; limited parking in the area

The fact that parking would be a problem, after a long drive it's a hassle. In general a good stay, albiet it short. The staff were all helpful and extremely polite. (2393121)

The location was excellent

A little more detail to cleaning and general appearance

No overall comment. (2410948)

Uniqueness almost made up for an expensive dirty room. (1840107)

Unique location and room.

Room cleanliness.

No overall comment. (2459237)

Very helpful staff, nice views and good accomodation. (2376188)

Quirky traditional building not a modern box!

Reception/bar and lounge area a bit dated and tired.

beautiful building and beautiful location - staff were very polite and friendly - the room was very quaint and was based up in the old tower - but it was not worth the £92 - it was quite small and cheaply decorated - the bathroom facilities were cheaply done and the shower almost flooded everytime you used it - The fact the hotel is situated in such a ideal location is how they are justifying charging so much - Breakfast was served across the road - not even in sister hotel etc - but in someones elses hotel - very disappointed - we were expecting a luxury four poster bed - and also on the website it said the food in the hotel was outstanding when it fact it was london prices and tasted as though it had been cooked and reheated in the microwave - anyone that serves beef as tough as old boots should not be serving food . - (2421789)

its a beautiful building from the outside - a really old building set onthe grounds fo the wells Cathedral.

Food - very expensive and not very well cooked - didn't taste as though it was fresh and not cooked by a chef

Parking was a problem- we had to park overnight in a pay & display car park and move the car before 9 every monring. the parking near the hotel was limited to stays of 2 hours and it was difficult to find a space. the room had a 4 poster bed which was lovely but too small for 2 people to sleep in comfortably so we had to take it in turns to sleep on the floor!! The room did not have a shower and the bath water was not hot enough. there was also no fridge & no way of keeping water cool in a room that faced south & was exposed to the sun all day (2381831)

Location

food in the restaurant was overpriced and not that great

No overall comment. (2051137)

The staircase to our room no 9 in the actual gatehouse was in my opinion extremely dangerous and should have a handrail fitted as soon as possible. Parking generally in Wells was very unsatisfactory. (2117085)

The smell from the kitchens had wafted all over the hotel and made the atmosphere very stale and unpleasant.

Absolutely fabulous and memorable stay! The people couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating, the location was incomparable, the in-house Italian restaurant was superb and easy to book and add to the hotel bill. They claimed the room we stayed in, over the gatehouse itself into the Wells Cathedral Close, is one of the oldest in the country, and one is definitely inclined to believe it! Marvellous! Had I been fixing up the room, I would have been less concerned about trying to wedge a full, en suite bathroom facility in the room itself, and simply let the guests use a common bath. However, they did manage to get all that in there with a minimum of intrusion to the fabric of the room, or the stone spiral staircase leading up to it--no easy feat, I'm sure! I suppose if they felt they absolutely HAD to get a bathroom in there, they did it as well as could be expected, and it is entirely reversible. When we do go back to Wells, I only hope we can get this room again! Probably would stay there a month if we could! Simply one of the very best accomodations we've ever had in England, having spent a total of about 4 months cumulatively in the country over the last 6 years! Fabulous! (2208314)

the fact that we were able to stay in a 13th-century room!

only the shower, which was one of those electric, low-pressure things I have come to dislike