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The Old Vicarage Hotel is in the heart of Bridgwater overlooking St Mary’s Church. This 14th century Grade II listed dog friendly hotel is a hidden gem with a glorious walled garden and patio. We have 20 en-suite bedrooms, a restaurant, a bar and cosy guest sitting room. It’s a special place to stay.
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HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Centrally Located
Languages Spoken
English, French
Location
45-51 St. Mary Street, Bridgwater TA6 3EQ England
The Old Vicarage
4.8 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
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Nestled in the heart of Bridgwater, The Old Vicarage Hotel is celebrated for its ideal location and historic charm, offering travelers a perfect base to explore local sights. Guests have called out the hotel for its cozy, clean rooms and the warm, professional service that adds to the welcoming feel.
While some guests find the value proposition debatable due to meal quality and pricing, the overall experience is enhanced by the hotel's unique character and well-maintained gardens, creating a quirky yet comfortable retreat.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Stayed at The Old Vicarage for three nights for the Bridgwater carnival weekend. Centrally located it was an ideal site from which to experience the carnival. Welcomed from the moment we arrived (and we were very early). The owners Peter and Candida are supported by excellent staff who all work as a team and together make for a relaxing and enjoyable stay. The food was very good. We particularly enjoyed the cooked to order breakfasts, something which is becoming increasing rare in many hotels. All the meals, lunch and dinner, were excellent. The special buffet dinner served prior to the carnival itself was very good with piping hot food and a good choice of dishes. Also well organised avoiding the queues and sharp elbows!!
Our room was at the front of the hotel directly opposite the St Mary's church. It was large, quiet, warm and comfortable. The bathroom was well presented with a large shower and loads of hot water. Spotlessly cleaned and lacked nothing. We would have no hesitation staying there again. Michael and Jenny
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
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Trip 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.
Where do I start? Just perfect, My wife and I plus the pooch stayed at the Old Vicarage and it was an amazing experience, from start to finish. The staff at the venue, from front of house to the kitchen staff are just a great bunch of people, extremely polite, courteous and professional above all. Very attentive to detail and guest needs, the venue is really great, it takes you back in time with its own quirkiness, the room we stayed in was well presented and freshly clean, the outdoor space, the small but lovely and well kept garden and the on site parking are really added bonuses, needless to say, that being able to take our Bichon Frise on the 2 night stay, just made it priceless! Thank you to the lady in the kitchen, who really spoiled our pooch at breakfast time 😃😃, the restaurant provides great food and we definitely recommend the Ocean Platter. Lastly, the owners were amazing, Candy and Peter have shown great interpersonal skills and a delight to chat with, I could go on and on but really need to keep this as a review rather than an essay about our stay so I shall leave it as such 😜. Truly recommend it based on our experience and we shall definitely return. Many thanks all @ The Old Vicarage Bridgwater.
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Date of stay: July 2024
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Location
Cleanliness
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Trip 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.
Response from Candida Leaver, Owner at The Old Vicarage
Responded 11 Oct 2024
We love dogs here at The Old Vicarage so very glad that your dog enjoyed their stay with us. It sounds as though you did as well. Thank you. Candy and the team.
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We stayed at the Old Vicarage in June, and decided to come back for the Bridgwater Carnival in November, and we had a great time. The location for viewing the Carnival Procession is perfect - only about 100 yards from the route, although you need to stake out a place quite early. We managed to get a parking place, and then didn’t move our car for the three days we were there! The owners are very friendly and helpful - we had a comfortable ground floor twin room towards the back of the property, so it was very quiet. Breakfasts were really good, setting us up for the day, and we’d have no hesitation in returning, especially if we were coming back to the Carnival again!
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Very small car park, also stairs to the upper rooms are very tight so if any mobility problems...
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 Candida Leaver, Owner at The Old Vicarage
Responded 16 Nov 2024
Thank you Steve for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Really pleased that you enjoyed Bridgwater carnival. So many people put so much work into making a really spectacular event . We look forward to welcoming you again soon. Candy and the team.
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Terrible. If not the worst hotel I have stopped in then definitely in the top 5 of the bad ones.
I chose The old vicarage as I like to support small businesses rather than the big chains. Booked last minute and a quick look at photos thought it looked ok. I was in room 1 which is not in the main building. The room smelled of damp but no obvious mould. The room was dusty and not well cleaned. Sticky carpet. Asked to change rooms but told no others available. Mattress was not just uncomfortable it was knackered. You could feel every spring. Needless to say not a good nights sleep. The rainfall shower was not connected and the shower off the taps was ideal for short people not tall people. Had to do the limbo to wash my hair and upper body.
Evening meal was terrible - £16 for vegan spare ribs and cold fries. This morning I was in a hurry and tried to speed up my breakfast by approaching the staff and placing an order. This couldn’t be accommodated and I was told it might be half an hour as there were 2 other customers in front of me. What type of kitchen cannot handle the breakfast ‘rush’. Needless to say after sharing my feelings with the bloke, I left and have bought my breakfast elsewhere.
The rate was £125 but had I been on 4 in a bed I’d have probably put £40 in the envelope. I will be telling work to take this hotel off our approved list. While eating last night I also heard the 2 guys at the table next to me grumbling about the state of their room as well.
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Date of stay: October 2024
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Trip type: Travelled on business
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 The Old Vicarage Hotel, Owner at The Old Vicarage
Responded 19 Oct 2024
Dear No Axe A very rare shock to receive such a poor review, particularly surprising as totally out of keeping with other reviews. However, you were clearly very disappointed with your stay, and for that we are most terribly sorry. I have had some time to investigate your issues and struggle with the inconsistencies from my findings. Your room - although not ideal for you - is very popular with regulars and frequently specifically requested. None of the team recall being asked by you for an alternative room - there was one available and we would have been very happy to re-locate you The carpet and mattress have both been replaced in recent months. The shower appears to be working perfectly, all be it a 5 second re-connection from the bath taps to the shower for the hand held element you allude to. You were "meal checked" during your dinner. This is a minimum standard here, and again no comment about temperature of your food. So hence no opportunity for us to improve your experience. Breakfast starts at 7am weekdays. By the time you arrived, others were already in the restaurant, and as you would expect, hot food orders are prioritised accordingly. You would have had to wait bare minutes however. I am the first to put my hands up if we have done a poor job and let ourselves down. I don't like to have to contradict a guest's review like this, but when the guest in question leaves the premises shouting and swearing at the team, then I feel compelled to defend our efforts and paint a fair and balanced picture. Peter
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We stayed at this hotel for the Bridgwater carnival weekend and enjoyed every minute of our stay. A hidden gem of a hotel in a very central location. The hotel is very old and quirky and very welcoming. Check in was very easy and we were greeted by a very pleasant man who showed us to our room explaining everything we needed to know. Parking is very limited but we managed to get a space later in the evening access to the carpark is very narrow,( thank goodness for Parking sensors ). The food was very nice and plenty of it struggled to eat it all but to nice to leave. Dining area was very welcoming and all the staff were very friendly and polite. Nothing seems too much trouble for them. Bar area was small but again very relaxing and well stocked. We had the family room which was huge consisting of two bedrooms and the on suite bathroom. The room was clean would have preferred a king size bed as the room could have accommodated it easily but the double bed was comfortable. Only one negative was the kitchen extraction fan which was very noisy but could be easily improved by secondary glazing like the bathroom had. The owners of the hotel were always on hand and very nice people who were very friendly and helpful and made you feel like one of the family. So finally thank you to everyone who made our stay so special.
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Arrive early to get a parking space. If you have mobility problems request ground floor as...
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 Candida Leaver, Owner at The Old Vicarage
Responded 16 Nov 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. The Bridgwater carnival is a very special event and we are lucky to be in the perfect spot to watch it. The feedback on the fan is very useful and we shall put in double glazing. Candy and the team.
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Such a warm welcome and nothing too much trouble. Delicious food made by a chef who was really interested in food. He had tea-smoked his own duck breasts which were delicious! Lovely comfortable room with amazing bed and great bathroom. All spotless and very comfortable - all the finishing touches like magnifying mirror in bathroom and good lighting had been thought about. Very reasonable price!!
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:The hotel and restaurant are great but not much to do in Bridgwater
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.
It was a spur of the moment decision to have lunch at The Old Vicarage whilst crawling in heavy traffic along the M5! We live near Bridgwater and were aware of the hotel’s existence but had never been inside it before. Well… what a hidden gem! The building itself is fascinating; full of charm with nooks for dining plus a large open dining room if you prefer. There was an interesting menu to choose from which had choices other than the usual boring ‘burgers and chips’. We chose John Dory from the specials menu and this was beautifully presented and very tasty - really innovative cooking for Bridgwater! The chocolate brownie I had for dessert was crisp on the top, soft underneath and accompanied by ice cream and a delicious chocolate sauce. Service was excellent - friendly and efficient. I can thoroughly recommend this pub. Parking at the hotel requires backing your car from the street into a car park. If reverse gear holds no terrors for you, this is straightforward. You could otherwise park in Morrisons large car park and walk the short distance to the hotel. On street parking allows for 1hour only.
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Date of stay: June 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.
Response from Candida Leaver, Owner at The Old Vicarage
Responded 11 Oct 2024
We always try to make sure that the food we serve is fresh and, importantly, tasty. The parking will test your ‘backing ‘ skills but your meal with us will make it worth it. Candy and the team.
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A lovely hotel and restaurant with friendly, helpful staff, comfy beds and great food! We stayed for one night as a stopover on our way home from Cornwall and we were so glad we did. After a nightmare journey with the M5 being closed and not thinking we were going to get there, we had to push our restaurant reservation back multiple times which wasn't a problem, they even offered to send a photo of the menu to have our food prepared if we were going to arrive shortly after the restaurant closed! Luckily we made it in time and the food was great. The pizza from the wood fired pizza oven was fantastic and the pork belly from the specials was fab! The family room was a great size with a separate room for the kids. The kitchen fan was outside the window but was turned off around 9pm until about 8am ish which was fine for us. The room was hot but fans were provided in both rooms. The beds were comfy and we slept well. You have to go through the kids room to get to the bathroom and my only minor gripe would be that the doors needed a bit of oil because I woke a child going to the toilet in the middle of the night and I forgot to mention it in the morning. Breakfast was great and just the right amount on the full English as to not be over faced. It came quickly and with a friendly smile and a chat. We will definitely be staying again.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Tight parking, reverse in!
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 stayed here a few times now and haven't been disappointed. The staff are friendly, attentive and very polite. The rooms are comfortable and only once have I found a room cold which was rectified by another heater, all other times rooms were of a nice temperature. Beds comfortable which for me is important being someone that has a back problem. The hotel is situated in a quiet area and we've never had a problem with noise either inside or outside. The car park is small and you really do need to reverse in or you could find it nearly impossible to park if there are a few cars in there. We've eaten here a few times and the food is always well presented and flavoursome, the roast beef on a Sunday is to die for. The pièce de résistance as far as I'm concerned is how dog friendly the place is, dogs are welcomed with a treat and a pet by all staff. You are not made to feel second rate just because you have a dog with you infact I would say its the complete opposite. We have now moved to the area so doubt very much we would stay again but we do intend to come back and have a meal here bringing friends and family with us. Well done all.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Reverse into car park.
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 just come back from a really relaxing 2 day break. We stayed in room 8 which is very spacious even with a king size bed, which was extremely comfortable and a large en-suite with large walk-in shower. The room overlooks the church and the road it was a little noisy Sunday night but not for long. The car park is small but we were lucky and managed to park there. The breakfast was good not rushed just what you need on a break, we ate in the restaurant both nights and the food did not disappoint. The bar has a good selection of beers and spirits and a comfortable seating area. The owners and staff were really friendly and made you feel very welcome. We would definitely go back to this lovely historic hotel brilliant stay thank you.
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Date of stay: October 2021
Rooms
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.
Response from Peter Starling, Owner at The Old Vicarage
Responded 13 Nov 2021
Thank you for taking the time to post your review, we are so pleased you enjoyed your stay with us and your comments will be passed on to all the staff. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future.
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There are more places to choose from in the Bridgwater area.
PRICE RANGE
£78 - £139 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandSomersetBridgwater
NUMBER OF ROOMS
20
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