The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
The Street, Bowes DL12 9HL England
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US$79
Fully refundable before Fri, 8 Dec
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Dining (17)
Room & Suite (12)
About
#1 of 1 inn in Bowes
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Newly refurbished Bar and Restaurant serving a range of draughts and bottles, and locally sourced ingredients cooked by our in-house chef. We are a 400 year old Coaching Inn located in the village of Bowes just off the A66. We are newly refurbished with 17 rooms consisting of Double rooms, Triple rooms, Garden Suite, 2 self contained cottages and an apartment that sleeps up to 8 people, ideal for the family get away or a gathering of friends.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Street parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Hiking
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Internet
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Kids' meals
Special diet menus
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Room features
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Location
267Reviews6Q+A45Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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We had a lovely time at this hotel, the staff are extremely friendly and the landlady even came to pick us up from a wedding venue a few miles away when we couldn't get a taxi! Room was very comfortable, quiet and lovely and clean. Would definitely recommend.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you for the lovely review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lovely, warm, inviting and well presented room. Very clean and tidy. We able to park directly outside our room which was hughly convenient. Lots of attention to detail such as the muddy boot tray. We ate dinner in the restaurant. The food was well cooked, tasty and value for money. The service was friendly and efficient. After dinner we had a drink the bar. The staff and local customers made us feel welcome, especially the lovely little dog, Gus. We slept well. There was plenty of hot water in the morning for us. We didn't have breakfast as we were keen to head out. The perfect stay for us. We would absolutely stay again.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip 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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you for the lovely review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The mattress was wet and smelled strongly of urine. Having located the source of the unpleasant smell in the room we requested staff for an emergency change of mattress and sheets (which was carried out promptly). We were told a full refund would be provided but to date none has been received. Room decor was dull, tried to be contemporary but was simply gloomy with reading of printed matter in an evening difficult. The one easy chair required a leg to be screwed on to make the chair safe to sit on. The immediate surroundings of the accommodation gave on to other buildings under repair and renovation i.e. building sites and whilst accepting that this may have been outside the control of the hotelier it was off-putting. The access steps to the first floor room where we were lodged were very steep - the aged, those with mobility issues or weighed down with luggage would struggle and there is a distinct fall hazard. The uneven cobbled parking was unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues. The digital door lock to the building was left unlatched. Exit/entry was controlled by guests using a digital code previously provided which on occasion did not work requiring a member of staff to be sought for a new code. At breakfast no marmalade could be provided - only honey or the unappetising remains of the scrapings of a jar of strawberry jam. The remainder of the light breakfast was distinctly ordinary and for the price I would have expected better. …
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Avoid until improvements are made to infrastructure and management.
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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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 18 Oct 2023
Thank you for the feedback - in relation to the mattress this was only discovered by yourselves and quickly rectified by myself and the owner, i have processed the refund back to your booking agent and have contacted them again to see why this has not been refunded to yourself already, the refunds are out of our control when booked via a third party but i will do everything i can to speed this along. In relation to the cobbles, this is an old coaching inn and the cobbles highlight the ethos of the building. The doors are operated via codes and every guest is issued these codes via email and whatsapp for access. As for breakfast, we offer a selection of cereals, pastries, fruit, yogurts and drinks along with a full english if requested, we apologise if you felt we did not meet your needs during your stay, this is not the usual standard of service we deliver. The staff a re on hand to assist all guests and ensure they have an enjoyable stay as reflected in our reviews, Unfortunately we did not meet this standard for yourselves on this occasion.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I didn't really read the reviews on the place before I booked. Was a spur of the moment booking. I was pleasantly surprised when I received a WhatsApp in the day with all the instructions of what we needed to do and what room we were in. Turned up and had such a lovely room on the ground floor. Clean and perfectly functional for a nights stay. Staff were very friendly and made us feel very welcome. We had food and drinks which again surprised us by being really good. We would definitely stay again if we were in the area. Little tip:; Make sure you book dinner in advance as they can get busy.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip 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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you for the lovely review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Carly was a fantastic host who went the extra mile to ensure we was well looked after,dinner was fairly priced and delicious,room was nicely decorated and comfortable ,The hotel is ideally located for anyone doing the bowes loop on the Pennine way
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 18 Oct 2023
Thank you for the lovely review. We hope the rest of your trip was as enjoyable.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed one night on the Pennine Way and we had a room off the courtyard opposite the pub, we did arrive half an hour early but were able to check in. All info about accessing the room was sent the day before by whatsapp. The room was clean & comfortable but a bit basic. We had dinner in the pub which was very nice, as was breakfast. There was a member of staff there from head office (I can't recall her name) but she was excellent and this made a difference to our stay by being really helpful throughout.
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 18 Oct 2023
Thank you for the review
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I had a two night stay with my sister and our rooms were excellent: clean, smart, comfortable and well appointed. Karli and her team were so friendly and helpful and looked after us very well. We hosted a gathering for family and friends here, and the buffet was both tasty and plentiful. Highly recommended.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: If you're staying for a couple of nights, see if a tab can be set up rather than having to pay...
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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.
Helpful
Response from Karli Potts, General Manager at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you for the lovely review
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We went with friends and stayed overnight. Fabulous pillows and bedding. Our room was spotless with tea/coffee/ biscuits ( plenty of all). All the staff went out of their way to be helpful. Karli is definitely the hostess with the mostest. Breakfast was to die for. What more can I say? We will be back. Big massive thank you to you all.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Try to book a courtyard room if you're oldies like us. It's lovely and quiet and not too far from...
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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.
Helpful
I have stayed in many hotels that were supposed to be haunted and have come away disappointed. Not this time. Stayed in room 12 for 1 night to do a little paranormal investigation and it did not disappoint. We put some cat balls out in various places in our room and one started flashing straight away - it was going crazy. We even caught it on video. This was a gentleman named Jeremiah and told us (through a spirit talker) he wanted his story told - unfortunately he didn't give us enough information to find out who he was. We got several other spirits come through, as you would expect with it being an inn built in the 1500s. One spirit told us a little boy was with us and when we asked was it the little boy from the basement we were told yes - we then asked for his name as its currently unknown and he replied Liam. Also we heard what we described as children's footsteps in the flat above - thought nothing of it as it could be other guests. The next morning we were talking to a member of staff who said nobody is in the flat upstairs in fact they very rarely rent it out - she even took us upstairs to have a look in the flat. I wish we had taken more notice now (schoolboy error on our part). Needless to say the staff were excellent and we had a really nice meal in the restaurant - fish and chips and unicorn burger - yummy. I think there is a very good chance we will be returning in the near future for the excellent staff , good food and of course the ghosts.…
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
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.
Helpful
Response from Ancient Unicorn, Owner at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 11 Aug 2023
Thank you for wonderful review and discovering the name of our little boy, We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This place really is a hidden gem. From we arrived to leaving we were made to feel very welcome by the hotel and the locals. The room was well equipped and had everything you needed. Bed was very comfy and was well stocked with tea coffee biscuits and toiletries. The food was absolutely lovely ! The staff were absolutely lovely ! There's a beer garden and cosy longe plus restaurant and parking. The staff couldn't do enough for you especially Karl and Glen who really did make us feel like old friends. Well done guys and we hope to stay with you again and keep up the good work. We would 100% recommend
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip 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.
Helpful
Response from Ancient Unicorn, Owner at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Responded 26 Jul 2023
Thank you for the wonderful review and it was an absolute pleasure to host both yourself and your partner for the weekend. We look forward to welcoming you again.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$77 - US$100 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the ancient unicorn hotel bowes
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCounty DurhamBowes
NUMBER OF ROOMS
17
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Claim Your ListingTHE ANCIENT UNICORN HOTEL - Updated 2023 Reviews (Bowes)
Frequently Asked Questions about The Ancient Unicorn Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Teesdale Alpacas (Open by Appointment Only) (1.7 miles), The Bowes Museum (4.1 miles), and Barnard Castle (3.8 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Yes, free parking and street parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Valentine's Restaurant, Babul's, and Fish & Chips At 149.
Is The Ancient Unicorn Hotel located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.06 miles away from the centre of Bowes.
Are pets allowed at The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to The Ancient Unicorn Hotel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Saint Giles Church (0.07 miles) and County Bridge (3.7 miles).