Stay at The Royal Hotel in Bideford with airy 17th-century rooms, river views, free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly service, and an elegant restaurant near River Torridge.
Recent visitors highlight the hotel's historic ambiance, welcoming staff, and excellent food offerings. While the location is praised for convenience and scenic views, some practical aspects like parking and lack of air conditioning are noted.
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Rooms, shared spaces, dining and exterior — grouped so you can skim quickly.
Located on Barnstaple Street in Bideford, The Royal Hotel occupies a building with 17th-century origins, offering airy rooms that combine period features with views of the nearby River Torridge. Its setting is convenient for visitors wanting easy access to the town centre, just an eight-minute walk away, and natural attractions such as the beaches at Northam Burrows Country Park, three miles distant.
The property operates as a hotel, restaurant, and wedding venue, featuring an elegant on-site restaurant praised for quality dining and attentive service. Guests have highlighted the restaurant’s standout offerings, including Sunday roasts and well-prepared seasonal dishes, as well as friendly and efficient staff. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, breakfast, free parking, and pet-friendly rooms, with family travelers benefiting from kid-friendly services and room service options. The hotel maintains a smoke-free environment but does not provide air conditioning, a pool, fitness facilities, or airport shuttle services.
Check-in is from 14:00, with check-out by 11:00, accommodating typical travel schedules. Positive guest feedback often notes the welcoming atmosphere and cleanliness, along with the hotel’s proximity to popular local activities such as cycling on the Tarka Trail, visits to the RHS Garden Rosemoor, and family-friendly outings like The BIG Sheep amusement park.
Nearby airports include Exeter, Cornwall Newquay, and Cardiff, accessible by car within approximately two hours, supporting convenient arrival options. Visitors comparing accommodations will find several hotels and guesthouses within a few miles offering varying experiences and ratings. Overall, The Royal Hotel suits travelers seeking historic charm combined with practical amenities amid scenic North Devon surroundings.
The short version: what's available day-to-day, and the key practical details most travelers search for.
Reviews from travelers who stayed here in the last 12 months, grouped to help you spot the pattern quickly.
Can highly recommend a Sunday roast. Excellent food and well worth the money. Goog service.
Had a lovely stay. staff very happy to help.nice food and drink.cant wait to go back....10 out of 10..
What an absolute treat we had staying at the Royal hotel at the end of February. The staff were all fantastic. Really wanted to look after us and make our stay a memorable one. We had a lovely dinner the first night it had a really lovely bistro feel, great food and wine. The breakfast was absolutely 10 out of 10. Eggs Royale the best yet. The whole place was so clean and it really looked like the staff and management really cared. Location in North Devon was perfect for exploring. Two minutes walk from the hotel was a bike hire shop and access to the Tarka trail, Miles and Miles of off-road Cycling. We were lucky enough to have a lovely sunshine in early spring and had a wonderful bike ride to Instow and beyond. Beaches and golf course around the corner at Westward Ho! Looking forward to returning next time I’m in North Devon. Thank you to the whole team for a great few days.
Lovely friendly hotel in a great location for us as we were travelling on the ferry to Lundy, the departure point is just round the corner from the hotel. The meal we had was excellent - squid for starters followed by blackened cajun salmon. It was served in a timely way by polite and friendly staff and was nice and hot. We had a room with a lovely view of the river which was clean and comfortable.
Arrived around 7pm the car park is across the street from the hotel. Went into the hotel to check in and recieved a warm welcome. Asked if there was availablilty in the restaurant for dinner and breakfast and they kindly arranged this for me. Went up to the room to put my bags in before heading down to dinner I ordered the Caesar salad, the chicken was excellent, it's a simply dish but can be hit or miss the croutons were light and seasoned well. A hit in my opinion. Headed back the room which was large and spacious and had lovely furnishings. Tea and coffee selection was great, coffee bags which I think is a great touch for a good quality drink in the morning. A bottle of water would have been a good addition in the room. Breakfast was cooked to order, I opted for scrambled eggs, avocado and smoked salmon which I enjoyed. Would I stay here again absolutely!
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 . 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, A+… and did I mention Paul?!
We were doing the coast to coast bike ride, so we were quite exhausted when we arrived. The hotel was hosting a big wedding reception, but it didn't mean the staff didn't have time for us. They were very accommodating and considerate, checking on our needs and requirements and giving great service for our stay. Food was very good and I was able to forgive the minor glitch with my cider order.
The staff are Superstars they were fantastic. With just 30 minutes' notice, they were able to book a table for us at their restaurant. The service was excellent and attentive, making us feel special without being overbearing. We had plenty of space to enjoy our birthday meal together. The food was incredible, with large portions. The crispy, light batter on the haddock was the best my wife has ever had, and the beef in the pie was tender. The pie had pastry all the way around, unlike some pie dishes that only have a pastry top. Full credit to the staff and the chef for providing such a wonderful experience.
Wonderful staff, wonderful rooms, wonderful Christmas tree! Everyone is so friendly and helpful and my breakfast was the best hotel breakfast I have ever had (and I've had a lot!). The Royal Hotel is so different to the many big chains I generally stay in - the service was really personable and I genuinely felt like a valued guest. Thank-you!
Lovely Sunday carvery the best we have ever had. Seven of us dined with four dogs. Lovely service and place. Table 14
In a building with roots dating from the 17th century, this upscale hotel is a 2-minute walk from the River Torridge, an 8-minute walk from the town centre and 3.4 miles from the beaches of Northam Burrows Country Park.
Curated spots travelers usually pair with a stay in Bideford. Distances are rough real-world times, not straight-line.
647 reviews United Kingdom
3,162 reviews Abbotsham Rd, Abbotsham, Bideford EX39 5AP, United Kingdom
1 reviews WVQ6+FQ RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH, United Kingdom
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