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The Ilchester Arms

The Ilchester Arms

The Square, BA22 8LH, South Somerset, United Kingdom

Pub • Pubs • Steak • British


"Having enjoyed a very nice meal here recently under the eat out to help out scheme, I had no hesitation in booking again for a special family celebration. What a mistake. The Saturday night dinner menu, only available on arrival, had been further curtailed and offered 2 only types of steak (or a choice of 3 specials) for main meals! Worse still was the fact that the prices had gone up by £5.00 for EXACTLY the same dish. Unfortunately this time the experience was much less impressive, making the price hike even more offensive. My drink arrived in a dirty glass (replaced) and the crispy duck pancakes starter was dry rather than crispy. The steaks were so heavily seasoned I couldn't face finishing mine and only brought it home from the restaurant as I didn't wanted to waste it, especially when I was charged £28 for it. I appreciate this may not seem particularly dear to some but for what we were served it was woefully over priced. I have been served much better steak for much less expense. The accompaniments were poorly cooked:the chips were not all cooked through; the tender stem broccoli was anything but and like the steak, it was choked in salt. The red wine list offered one much more expensive bottle, which was chosen for our celebration on its tasting notes even this was a let down and at double the price of almost every other bottle on the menu, this is NOT good enough. To say that I was disappointed is a huge understatement. When the bill came I felt so embarrassed, having recommended it so warmly to my family for our celebrations. £200 for what had been such a mediocre meal and drinks for 4. Oh how I wish we had gone somewhere else.."

Charles Cotton

Charles Cotton

Market Place, Hartington I-SK17 0AL, United Kingdom

Pub • Cakes • British • Breakfast


"Our room faced the front of the hotel, and while the village was quiet with only two pubs and a small corner store, it seemed to be a shortcut for heavy vehicles speeding downhill at night, with headlights constantly illuminating our room. We also found out that the hotel closes in the evening if it's not busy, and the front door may be locked as early as 10 PM, requiring a code for re-entry. The internet service was poor; even standing just outside the front door, I had no reception and couldn't call the emergency numbers posted there. It appears that the quality of the rooms varies significantly, with some having been upgraded while others are less desirable, including our own. When we questioned our bill because we didn't think the room was worth £140, we were told that since we had booked through Charming Escapes, we should take it up with them, as the hotel receives only a fraction of what we paid. This made us feel like second-class guests, especially since it seemed we were stuck in a low-quality room. The standard rate for a double room is £90, and if I were to rate our experience like on the TV show "Four in a Bed," I would say £50 a night would have been generous. Previous reviews also mentioned an issue with the door handle and the ability to lock the room, which had not been fixed. If you’re just looking for a place to dry off your hiking boots, this hotel might suffice, but I wouldn't recommend staying here again. It has a lot of potential, and thankfully, we had a wonderful evening at The Devonshire Arms just across the street—it felt like a whole different experience. It seems the staff at Charles Cotton have simply given up."

The Woodbridge Inn

The Woodbridge Inn

North Newnton, Pewsey I-SN9 6JZ, United Kingdom

Pub • Mexican • British • Vegetarian


"Country pub with classic feel making for a very good atmosphere. Different bar/seating areas allow for a homely feel at least one of the cosy bar areas has an open fire. The menu is a bit limited but the variety is decent I think most people will find something to eat. Time to food from ordering was about an hour which is a little long I think. The food quality was amazing I had the buttermilk chicken to start with ranch sauce, it was very good. My main was the chicken burger with fries and slaw. The fries were over cooked and hard to get my fork into without them scooting across the plate. However the burger and slaw was amazing!! Absolutely loved the burger. My mother in law had the 8oz sirloin steak which she asked for medium/well it was cooked to perfection and the side salad was ace. Dessert was the spiced apple crumble, again absolutely lovely. My wife had the sticky toffee pudding which tasted great and was very light, perfect the wife said; slight issue it was cold in the middle. However the pub apologised profusely and took it off the bill so they handled the situation perfectly. Overall we were very happy with the whole experience, another great touch was some lovely background music at just the right volume; another great touch that added to a near perfect atmosphere. Staff were very friendly and welcoming, we think they were perhaps 1 staff member light in front of house, but nearly every eatery is struggling for staff presently so we would suspect they are doing the best with what they can hire…..the staff they have are great. Overall totally recommend a visit."