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The Bull Inn
The Street, Barton Mills, Mildenhall IP28 6AA England
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Avg. £83 /night, 3/21 - 3/22
£121
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£86
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£51
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About
#2 of 2 hotels in Barton Mills
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
The Bull Inn is not a B&B, it’s not hotel, but it is an award-winning boutique and quirky modern day coaching Inn, located near Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket in the picturesque county of Suffolk. The Inn and its dedicated owners simply radiate character, style and an eccentric passion, which is simply infectious to all those who visit. Think funky and fresh within an amazing 500 year old coaching inn. The owners have created 15 individually designed boutique bedrooms, a 1 AA Rosette Restaurant, cosy pub with great wines, real ales and an open log fire for those cold winter evenings. There is also a fantastic courtyard to while away many a summer's day with family and friends. Improvement and refurbishment never ends at The Bull, with the passionate owners always seeking and trying new, exciting and sometimes crazy ideas! The Bull has a whole wall of accolades to boast including "Best Small Hotel in Suffolk," "Best Freehouse in East Anglia" and "Best Sunday Lunch" to mention a few and the whole business simply oozes character and a unique charm created by the hands-on owners. The team work hard to host events throughout the year, from live music nights, murder mystery dinners, charity evenings, themed Christmas parties and lunches with Santa. This unique destination inn is located in the picturesque village of Barton Mills, just 2 miles from Mildenhall. Barton Mills is just on the edge of Thetford Forest with the towns of Bury St Edmunds, Ely, Cambridge and Newmarket all within a short drive.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Street parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Restaurant
Hiking
Baggage storage
Newspaper
Express check-in / check-out
Wifi
Breakfast available
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Outdoor dining area
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Room features
Allergy-free room
Blackout curtains
Desk
Housekeeping
Room service
Coffee / tea maker
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Iron
Private bathrooms
Electric kettle
Hair dryer
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Business
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English
Location
The Street, Barton Mills, Mildenhall IP28 6AA England
Getting there
61 Restaurants
within 5 miles
Reviews
4.0
766 reviews
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Reviews summary
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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The Bull Inn garners appreciation for its dining atmosphere and friendly service, with many guests enjoying the tasty menu options despite occasional room service hiccups. While opinions on value vary, with some guests questioning portion sizes and prices, the hotel's charm and liveliness often shine through, even if certain areas could benefit from an update. Cleanliness is a strong suit, with clean rooms and restaurant space frequently commended.
Although rooms are generally celebrated for their size and appeal, housekeeping services sometimes fall short. Service experiences range from commendable to lackluster, with a few instances of disorganization noted.
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Cozy
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Detailed Reviews
This hotel has plenty of charm. It's old and feels like you're staying in a local guest house and not a chain hotel. The staff were very friendly. There was a bar/restaurant on premises. There is no lift and the staircase is narrow and some steps were showing their age. It was an adventure climbing the stairs with our luggage. The room was quite nice but only had a bath tub. It took a little to get used to bathing instead of showering but it didn't dampen the mood. It made it seem more like being back in the days. We were though right over the bar. The last night we were there the bar had live entertainment and the music came through the floor. It was over by 10 PM so my sleep wasn't disturbed too long. Again though it was well worth the visit. I would recommend if you are passing through the area or like in our case visiting our son who lives in Mildenhall.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Not the closest hotel/guest house to RAF Mildenhall but worth the stay. It's located right off...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RedCat, Owner at The Bull Inn
Responded 19 Apr 2023
Hi Jeb, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! We are really pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit here with us at The Bull Inn, and that you were able to feel right at home! We hope to see you again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We went for a Sunday roast dinner and both of us had the roast pork. This was very nice on the whole, although a small part of the pork was a bit tough, but what we we more disappointed with was when asked by the waitress if we would like any accompaniments and we requested apple sauce, she replied that they didn't have any nor any redcurrant jelly which was my next request which I thought they may have because of having roast chicken on the menu! We did feel that paying £19 for a roast dinner that the normal accompaniment should be available as it is in all other restaurants that we have been in.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
Sunday lunch. Although the menu was limited due to covers running out, the food was excellent. Drinks are expensive, but the dining experience was lovely. We were well looked after and would definitely return. The roasts were plentiful and good value for money, desserts again rather small for the price, but enough to eat after the lovely, very nicely cooked.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Venue was nice, shame about the food!
A fair bit of the menu was unavailable.
No picks for olives or plate to put stones onto.
Steak was cold. Sent it back and rib eye sold out, had sirloin instead, (everyone else had finished eating) second steak was under cooked and extremely over salted as was other people’s food. Triple cooked chips on one dish were over cooked.
They did offer a bottle of wine as an apology but we declined (due to driving) and requested that something was done with the bill. Which it was.
Only two waiting staff on so not very attentive, not many tables were in use, but they turned people away (maybe due to lack of staff).
A fair bit of the menu was unavailable.
No picks for olives or plate to put stones onto.
Steak was cold. Sent it back and rib eye sold out, had sirloin instead, (everyone else had finished eating) second steak was under cooked and extremely over salted as was other people’s food. Triple cooked chips on one dish were over cooked.
They did offer a bottle of wine as an apology but we declined (due to driving) and requested that something was done with the bill. Which it was.
Only two waiting staff on so not very attentive, not many tables were in use, but they turned people away (maybe due to lack of staff).
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Date of stay: March 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Booked a table 3.pm for 3 people arrived early before guests & ordered a drink said at bar I had table booked guests arrived 3.20pm we ordered expensive bottle wine to go with our meal & looked at menus.. At 4pm we went to order our bar meal & they said chef is not cooking & kitchen is shut had table booked on line from 3.15pm - 5.15pn! What a disgrace… we had conversation with bartender who went & discussed with chef about food .. 15 minutes later she said food would be served! By this point we felt extremely unwelcome & decided to leave NO discount on bar drinks either. A disgrace & will not be returning!!
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Date of stay: March 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have been on a Sunday before a couple of times and had good food and great service. It would have been better today if we had been told that 3 items, including roast beef, were not available on the small Sunday menu when we sat down and before we ordered. Staff were nice but not in the least attentive, had to attract someone’s attention to get another round of drinks, waited and waited for those and were then told there was a delay with food (bearing in mind none of us were getting our first choice!). So we had sat for an hour, one round of drinks when we arrived, no sign of the second round and no food … we left, very poor service and communication.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We visited for dinner on 15/4/22 meeting friends as a half way point. The food was over priced, £26 for a small rib eye additional £6 for king prawn sauce, with just fries and half a tomato no salad garnish. It wasn’t anything special.
We ordered two chocolate brownies, however we were not informed they had run out, instead the waitress appeared with blondies as a substitute happily expecting we would be happy with this as a substitute, one of the party doesn’t like white chocolate and we politely declined.
At the same time as ordering deserts we were disappointed to be told they had already started cleaning the coffee machine so no hot drinks available, we ordered the coffees at the same time as ordering deserts and it was just before 9pm you would have thought the staff would have asked us if we wanted coffees before deciding to take the coffee machine out of operation! Disappointing as we enjoy coffee/liqueur coffees to finish our meal catching up with friends. Although conversation became difficult as the main bar lights were turned off a disco ball was put on, together with fairly loud music as the pub was turned into a dimly lit disco!
It seemed they were trying to get rid of us, we left earlier than we would have done having paid the very over priced bill but leaving no tip, we eat out often with our friends in various places and we ALWAYS leave a tip this was the first time none of us felt it warranted one. We will not be returning
We ordered two chocolate brownies, however we were not informed they had run out, instead the waitress appeared with blondies as a substitute happily expecting we would be happy with this as a substitute, one of the party doesn’t like white chocolate and we politely declined.
At the same time as ordering deserts we were disappointed to be told they had already started cleaning the coffee machine so no hot drinks available, we ordered the coffees at the same time as ordering deserts and it was just before 9pm you would have thought the staff would have asked us if we wanted coffees before deciding to take the coffee machine out of operation! Disappointing as we enjoy coffee/liqueur coffees to finish our meal catching up with friends. Although conversation became difficult as the main bar lights were turned off a disco ball was put on, together with fairly loud music as the pub was turned into a dimly lit disco!
It seemed they were trying to get rid of us, we left earlier than we would have done having paid the very over priced bill but leaving no tip, we eat out often with our friends in various places and we ALWAYS leave a tip this was the first time none of us felt it warranted one. We will not be returning
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Date of stay: April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RedCat Pub Company, Other at The Bull Inn
Responded 9 Mar 2024
Thank you very much for taking time out to leave us a review. We'd love to hear how we could improve any future visits. Regards The Bull Inn Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This was our first visit to this lovely old coaching inn, and it won't be our last. On arriving, we were greeted by very friendly staff and shown our room, which was extremely clean and had a lovely double shower!
We dined in the bar area, a bustling and vibrant place with very efficient and welcoming bar staff. Our order was taken immediately and we agreed for it to be served a little later in order to have time for drinks and enjoy the ambience.
The menu was very comprehensive with choices that everybody could enjoy. We chose steak to be served medium rare and we were delighted to find that the Chef certainly knows his business. The food was served beautifully and the steaks were definitely "melt in the mouth" Combined with a bottle of great red wine and a lively atmosphere it was an evening to remember.
Breakfast had a comprehensive menu and was well presented.
Full marks to the Chef and the very friendly staff. We will return.
We dined in the bar area, a bustling and vibrant place with very efficient and welcoming bar staff. Our order was taken immediately and we agreed for it to be served a little later in order to have time for drinks and enjoy the ambience.
The menu was very comprehensive with choices that everybody could enjoy. We chose steak to be served medium rare and we were delighted to find that the Chef certainly knows his business. The food was served beautifully and the steaks were definitely "melt in the mouth" Combined with a bottle of great red wine and a lively atmosphere it was an evening to remember.
Breakfast had a comprehensive menu and was well presented.
Full marks to the Chef and the very friendly staff. We will return.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow, it’s unbelievable how different a place can be on different visits. We are new to the area and we have been to the Bull four times, all of which have been spot on ( I’ve given it great reviews) but today was a different story and to make it worse we picked it for a family Christmas Eve meal out, thats a tradition for us.
Firstly apart from a Christmas tree you would barely of known it was Christmas Eve, no atmosphere whatsoever. So we were seated on a table for four that had a terrible rock in it (so bad we had to put the drinks menu underneath) and underneath a broken speaker that sounded terrible. We ordered some drinks that arrived about 15/20 minutes later and in this time we were treated to banging drum and base coming from the kitchen with chefs shouting loudly at Alexa when they wanted to change the track, just what you want on Christmas Eve when you have two little ones. We asked if we could change tables and when we did the new table wobbled also!!! Get some new tables!!!!!
Now the food. I ordered the 10 ounce rib eye , medium. I got an 8 ounce rump that was rare. They forgot my garlic sauce and when it turned up it was a giant cold lump of butter. My steak was pure gristle. Why put cress on a steak? Also the “slow roasted” tomato was actually a stone cold tomato that had touched a grill for a minute. Absolutely terrible. My wife had the fish and chips that was so overcooked and the mushy peas were dry and horrible. My youngest had the kids battered fish which she left as the batter was overcooked. I will say my other daughter had the burger which looked nice and she enjoyed it. We ordered pigs in blankets but they never turned up! When I came to pay the guy put me on a screen to choose what percentage of tip I wanted to give!!! I got no apology, no free drink! It’s a shame as we loved this place but I’m guessing the head chef was off today and it showed.
You let us down today and your waitress forgot most things (including my daughter’s ketchup) although she was very polite. Whatever manager was on duty today just kept walking by and didn’t interact once.
Can’t say we would be in a rush to ever go back
Firstly apart from a Christmas tree you would barely of known it was Christmas Eve, no atmosphere whatsoever. So we were seated on a table for four that had a terrible rock in it (so bad we had to put the drinks menu underneath) and underneath a broken speaker that sounded terrible. We ordered some drinks that arrived about 15/20 minutes later and in this time we were treated to banging drum and base coming from the kitchen with chefs shouting loudly at Alexa when they wanted to change the track, just what you want on Christmas Eve when you have two little ones. We asked if we could change tables and when we did the new table wobbled also!!! Get some new tables!!!!!
Now the food. I ordered the 10 ounce rib eye , medium. I got an 8 ounce rump that was rare. They forgot my garlic sauce and when it turned up it was a giant cold lump of butter. My steak was pure gristle. Why put cress on a steak? Also the “slow roasted” tomato was actually a stone cold tomato that had touched a grill for a minute. Absolutely terrible. My wife had the fish and chips that was so overcooked and the mushy peas were dry and horrible. My youngest had the kids battered fish which she left as the batter was overcooked. I will say my other daughter had the burger which looked nice and she enjoyed it. We ordered pigs in blankets but they never turned up! When I came to pay the guy put me on a screen to choose what percentage of tip I wanted to give!!! I got no apology, no free drink! It’s a shame as we loved this place but I’m guessing the head chef was off today and it showed.
You let us down today and your waitress forgot most things (including my daughter’s ketchup) although she was very polite. Whatever manager was on duty today just kept walking by and didn’t interact once.
Can’t say we would be in a rush to ever go back
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Avoid the steak
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The service that we have just received from the Bull was absolutely shocking.
I booked a table for the resultant, we walked in and walked through to the restaurant and no one said anything. As we was walking through the restaurant looking for someone, Liam the manager saw us and asked us what we was doing instead of the customer service ‘can I help you?’
He then said it’s bar food and took us through to the pub for our meal. He sat us down and didn’t inform us of anything, such as you need to order your food at the bar etc as we did sit at our table for around 20 minutes waiting for service.
We had so many fruit flies flying around our table, I know that can’t be helped but for a 5 star AA restaurant you’d expect better than that.
We ordered at the bar, we specifically asked for chips. Our meals came out and everyone had wedges. We explained we ordered chips, I don’t care what anyone says, wedges and chips are completely different. When the food came out we explained we ordered fries and not wedges. The manager Liam said he can change them for us but it would be to our cost. We said we asked for chips not wedges and he was so rude about it we was all shocked. We also asked for sauces which never turned up. The manager at this restaurant really needs to work on his customer service skills. My mums birthday meal has been completely ruined due to his mannerism.
I’d also like to add, when we looked at the menu online there was plenty to chose from. Because it was a special occasion we wanted a restaurant, not a service where you order at a bar and not told this until we had waited 20 minutes to be served!
I booked a table for the resultant, we walked in and walked through to the restaurant and no one said anything. As we was walking through the restaurant looking for someone, Liam the manager saw us and asked us what we was doing instead of the customer service ‘can I help you?’
He then said it’s bar food and took us through to the pub for our meal. He sat us down and didn’t inform us of anything, such as you need to order your food at the bar etc as we did sit at our table for around 20 minutes waiting for service.
We had so many fruit flies flying around our table, I know that can’t be helped but for a 5 star AA restaurant you’d expect better than that.
We ordered at the bar, we specifically asked for chips. Our meals came out and everyone had wedges. We explained we ordered chips, I don’t care what anyone says, wedges and chips are completely different. When the food came out we explained we ordered fries and not wedges. The manager Liam said he can change them for us but it would be to our cost. We said we asked for chips not wedges and he was so rude about it we was all shocked. We also asked for sauces which never turned up. The manager at this restaurant really needs to work on his customer service skills. My mums birthday meal has been completely ruined due to his mannerism.
I’d also like to add, when we looked at the menu online there was plenty to chose from. Because it was a special occasion we wanted a restaurant, not a service where you order at a bar and not told this until we had waited 20 minutes to be served!
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Do not eat there, find somewhere else.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RedCat Pub Company, Other at The Bull Inn
Responded 9 Mar 2024
Thank you very much for taking time out to leave us a review. We'd love to hear how we could improve any future visits. Regards The Bull Inn Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Yes, extremely noisy day and night. If you go over the little bridge near the hotel you can access a pretty walk along the riverbank.
Sorry just seen your question. About 20 mins away
"You can reserve tables online but they will be in the restaurant which is at the back. You enter through the bar and can sit there instead if you like"Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
£51 - £86 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the olde bull hotel barton mills
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandEast AngliaSuffolkMildenhallBarton Mills
NUMBER OF ROOMS
15
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Bull Inn
Which popular attractions are close to The Bull Inn?
Nearby attractions include Escape Rooms Suffolk (4.4 miles), Lackford Lakes (4.5 miles), and MX Tryout (4.0 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at The Bull Inn?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and free parking.
Which room amenities are available at The Bull Inn?
Top room amenities include a flat screen TV, blackout curtains, and a desk.
What food & drink options are available at The Bull Inn?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, breakfast, and complimentary tea during their stay.
Is parking available at The Bull Inn?
Yes, free parking and street parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to The Bull Inn?
Conveniently located restaurants include Spice Lounge Mildenhall, La Hogue Farm Shop & Cafe, and White Hart Pub.
Is The Bull Inn located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.4 miles away from the centre of Barton Mills.
Are there any historical sites close to The Bull Inn?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Ickworth - National Trust (9.6 miles), West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village and Country Park (6.0 miles), and Bury St. Edmunds (10.0 miles).