The Good Hotel Guide is the leading independent guide to hotels in Great Britain & Ireland, and also covers parts of Continental Europe. The Guide was first published in 1978. It is written for the reader seeking impartial advice on finding a good place to stay. Hotels cannot buy their way into the Guide. The editors and inspectors do not accept free hospitality on their anonymous visits to hotels. All hotels in the Guide receive a free basic listing. A fee is charged for a full web entry.
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Yalbury Cottage
Dorchester, Dorset
Deep in Thomas Hardy country, this picture-perfect thatched cottage is a popular restaurant-with-rooms run with great charm by Ariane and her husband, Jamie.
Good Hotel Guide Review
The hotel experts at the Good Hotel Guide
Deep in Thomas Hardy country, this picture-perfect thatched cottage is a popular restaurant-with-rooms run with great charm by Ariane Jones and her husband, Jamie. They extend guests a 'very warm welcome'. One reader's country-style bedroom in a modern extension was 'on the small side but quiet and comfortable, overlooking fields' with a 'good shower' in the 'compact bathroom'. Lounge and dining room are cosy with low beams, exposed brickwork and a wood-burning stove. Take drinks in the former before moving on to the highlight of a stay. 'The real attraction here is the food,' says a regular who praises Jamie's menus. 'The lemon roast chicken breast with tabbouleh salad was one of my best meals this year.' Other guests spoke in superlatives about the Lulworth estate venison; one was delighted to have a 'gluten-free menu with the same level of choice as the main menu'. Breakfast is a feast of omelettes, smoked haddock, the full grill, and croissants baked to order: 'delicious and meant we did not need lunches'. 'A model establishment overall, decorated with taste and enhanced by graceful service.' (Sir Frank and Christine Berman, Bob and Jean Henry, PA, SH, SP)
Hotel Details
Address
Lower Bockhampton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8PZ, England
Telephone
Bedroom
8. 6 on ground floor.
Openings
all year except 23 Dec–17 Jan, closed Sun pm, Mon.
Background Music
in lounge in evening.
Children
all ages welcomed, extra bed for under 12s free, 12s and over £25, no under 12s in restaurant after 8pm.
Dogs
allowed in bedrooms (£8.50 a night), in lounge, not in restaurant.
Prices
B&B doubles from £155, singles from £115. À la carte £65.
Facilities
lounge, restaurant, in-room TV, garden with outdoor seating, EV charging, restaurant wheelchair accessible, no adapted toilet.
Location
IN THE MEDIA
Conde Nast Traveler
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