Appuldurcombe Room, Royal Hotel in Isle of Wight

We had a wonderful lunch in the garden for a birthday celebration, we had done the same last year and had a wonderful time so hoped this year would live up to our expectations from last year. It really didn’t disappoint. A wonderful setting, great staff and top quality food. You never feel rushed or over crowded, so it’s very relaxing. A real gem!

We booked those restaurants as the reviews were excellent and it had an excellent vegan/vegetarian menu. We made the booking on the phone on the day and it was no trouble for us to be seated. We had a drink in the bar before dinner and the service was excellent and professional but friendly. The wines are also labelled vegan on the wine list 👍. The food arrived promptly and was absolutely delicious, I am vegan but my friend is not, she did order her starter from the vegan menu and said it was delicious. I would class this as fine dining but the prices are reasonable. At the end of our meal we were given a birthday plate which made it really special. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Isle of Wight!

I’m still shocked at the appalling food we were served here last night. Shockingly terrible! Guys please don’t waste your money, go and find somewhere better to eat that is worth it! Because this, you may think is a treat but let me tell you, it’s not! At least for us it wasn’t! They market this place as an award winning restaurant, which is so hard to believe. I had the Pork Chop, it was literally a dry pork chop thrown on a plate with a few scattered mushrooms and a sprig of spring onion with a dot of mustard, not sure what happened to the mustard cress that was meant to come with it. I’m sorry but the kind of food that was served to us is not what you’d expect from a restaurant like this. Maybe we were just unlucky. The food here is not as smart as you’re made to believe through their website. So disappointed. I have been to pubs that serve much better food and are spot on with their presentation than the rubbish we were given yesterday. The waitress was miserable. Service was rubbish. Food and drinks took ages to come. Dessert on the other hand was good! Breakfast in the morning was good too but then again it doesn’t take a super chef to cook some sausages and eggs. The hummus that was meant to come with the kids starter wasn’t even hummus it was some weird looking stale cheese and when queried the waitress said they had run out of hummus and apparently the weird tasting cheese was cream cheese, really? It didn’t taste anything like cream cheese, at least my child hasn’t got a dairy allergy eh! Or maybe tell us before we order that you’ve run out! Anyway the point I’m trying to make is..don’t eat here. £29.50 for a dry pork chop? No thank you! I’ll take my money somewhere else. Rip off!

After researching places to go, we popped in here hoping for lunch. The menus looked good and we were looking forward to the experience. On arrival it was clear this was a very well established and elegant place, right up our street! However what we walked into was a sterile, unfriendly and cold establishment. We headed to the bar nevertheless to seek life. We ordered drinks and asked to see the menu. No lunch today except sandwiches, despite their website offering lunch and all day bar food. We enjoyed our drinks and the 3 staff who were walking around didn’t even acknowledge us. It was comical. We thought wow what an arrogant bunch! OK, it was a Monday but there’s no excuse for poor service!

We had enjoyed a very nice Dinner here when we last visited the Isle of Wight 7 or 8 years ago. Unfortunately this experience was not in the same league at all. We didn’t find it to two AA rosette standard and the plaice main course had to be sent back as it was overcooked to the point where there was barely any fish to be taken off the bone. In fairness the staff tried to recover the situation as best they could by taking the other main away and returning two fresh main courses later - and not charging for one of the mains - but unfortunately the evening had been spoilt. The Soufflé starters were ok but the sauce they came in was congealed and gloopy which detracted. The dessert range seemed all quite similar and not offering much diversity at all. Service was good but all to no avail if they are let down by the kitchen.

Saturday evening we had an amazing expectation the Hotel. 1st time eating here and it won’t be out last. From the splendid facade and gardens on arrival to the Maitr D greeting us, it was superb. The restaurant took you back in time, lovely striped wallpaper and huge paintings, the ceilings were huge a d chandeliers twinkly 🤣 The waiting staff were attentive and very polite. As each course arrived, they explained why the meal was as the array of components was to die for. The starters, Cheese soufflé, was amazing, Gallybagger cheese is now my go to, crispy melted cheese and the lightest lightest soufflé I have ever tasted and the sauce tangy and rich was a dream. But my favourite was the slow cooked egg, curried hollandaise on brioche with bacon jam. I’m defo gonna try to replicate this dish. Mains a beautiful lamb rump and rich jus perfectly cooked whilst the sea bass was fish of the day was soft and creamy yet crispy skin, amazing. Desserts were a great end to a super meal, chocolate delice and mango sorbet, how the hell was the sorbet so soft on the tongue, a sort of sherbet effect when eaten all together. Head chef is going places, that’s definate and his team are amazing. Thanks for a great experience Guys….We will be back.

Delicious Royal tea this afternoon. Fantastic combination of sandwiches, fresh scones and mini desserts. Particular favourites were the passion fruit tarte and pineapple eclair. Worth the money; beautiful surroundings along with great service and a quiet, calm atmosphere.

My wife and I had our anniversary dinner at the royal hotel on the 14th July 2023. The welcome when we arrived was warm. The staff throughout were all kind and attentive. Very professional with a good knowledge of the menu. I had lamb. My wife cod. Both meals were superb. The desert were all hand made and wonderful. Surprisingly it was not expensive at all. We immediately booked for afternoon tea in august. First class experience. Hats off to the staff and head chef.

This hotel is top notch, the staff are more than welcoming a lovely venue for occasions. I would fully recommend the royal ventnor iow.

I went here with my girlfriend and mum to celebrate my girlfriends birthday. We started the evening with cocktails in the bar, which were delightful. We then dined in the grand dining room. The staff were incredibly attentive and friendly- tending to our every need. We had five courses with the highlight being the garlic risotto- made with garlic grown on the Island! To conclude the evening the whole waiting staff sang happy birthday to my girlfriend. A massive thank you to Stefan and his team for making the evening so great!

What a shame, had high expectations, food was not at fault, compliments to the chef but service was non existent, in fact we were treated as if we didn’t even exist. Originally booked Afternoon tea for 3 to celebrate a family members birthday, however as they were poorly and could not attend my partner and I still decided to attend on this rainy afternoon.When we arrived at 3.45pm it was quite busy, there was a table set up for 2 but it was right next to the entrance to the hotel bar and an empty table next to the windows at the front of the hotel.I called a waiter over and asked if we could move to the other table and they were obliging helping me and my partner move the plates and cutlery, that’s where the service ended. The afternoon tea arrived for 3 not 2, despite the fact we phoned them earlier this day to advise it would be for 2 and our table was only set up for 2, when they realised they quickly scurried the third tea away. We were enjoying the food and thought we may include some champagne and upgrade tea, but not one waiter for the rest of our time there came over. No one came over to ask if we were enjoying it nor if everything was alright. Several of the other tables and parties ended and within 45mins of us being there a manager appeared and with other staff members started moving furniture around us, they continued to ignore us and kept moving furniture and talking loudly over the banging of the furniture which overall was really distracting to the point I was struggling to hear my partner talk and was actually in disbelief that they could all see us there including the manager and they totally ignored us or the fact we had not finished our tea, I was so shocked I actually took a video and photos and they didn’t look at us once. I had to eventually stop a waiter in his tracks to ask for a box and again fr the bill. The bill arrived and the charged us for 3 teas??? So we then had to again flag another person down to redo the bill, I am gutted because we were really looking forward to spoiling ourselves and the food was good, but the service ruined the whole thing, I am thankful that the birthday girl didn’t have to experience that as that would have been mortifying.

I paid a few pence short of £50 for a three-course meal at this grand old lady of a hotel, which BTW I've been visiting for 30 years. I'm still in shock! My starter comprised a piece of duck no bigger than my little finger, and this was followed by a piece of lamb which, while tasty, was no bigger than a box of matches. At breakfast my cafetiere contained ONE cup of coffee and my cooked breakfast comprised one piece of bacon, one very average sausage, and one tablespoon of scrambled egg. What has happened here Mr Bailey? I know food costs have risen but this is ridiculous. It's as simple as this: I can no longer afford to eat at this hotel. If I come again, it'll be on a B&B basis only. I'll have my dinner elsewhere!

An excellent meal was had by all this evening. One gluten intolerant in the party and one vegetarian, they were both very well catered for. Staff were so friendly and efficient. Will definitely be back and look forward to their tasting menu being reintroduced in October.

This was a superb meal. Excellent food and very pleasant service if slightly rushed initially. We arrived at 7.30 and ordered pre-dinner drinks to have in the garden, unfortunately, these had to be served at our table as we had booked at 7.45 as that was pur booking time. Seemed a shame as the restaurant wasn't full. That being said, the food was excellent. Highly recommended.

We had a delicious 3 course dinner at the Royal. The food was exquisite, with amazing flavours. Service was excellent, and we would highly recommend this restaurant.

Went for afternoon tea, quite pricey but high quality does cost and we really enjoyed the experience.

We had wonderful lunch at The Royal hotel on the 3/7/22, Al Fresco dining in the Geranium Garden. This is such a beautiful setting and lovely relaxing atmosphere. The food as always is second to none, we would recommend every dish on the menu. We had a three course lunch and started with the signature dish of The Royal is the Gallybagger Cheese Soufflé which we both tucked into and thoroughly enjoyed, for the main we both chose the Pork Belly with seasonal veg, roast potatoes and Granny Smith puree. The Pork Belly just melted in the mouth and everything on the plate just came together, nothing is too much trouble for the staff at the royal and they aren't intrusive but very alert to any situation if its the water glass needs refilling or possibly another drink. We finished off with a passion fruit cheesecake and a lemon parfait, the staff are always happy and what a pleasure to be sat in a calm environment enjoying a Sunday lunch with my fiancé. We both would thoroughly recommend The Royal Hotel to everyone and we hope to be back soon... possibly for our wedding? Thank you team royal!

What a lovely place to visit for Afternoon Tea. The ambience and attentive staff were exemplary and the food so tasty. Our waitress was new but so friendly and helpful. Food was lovely and a ‘real afternoon tea’ was had by us all. Definitely worth a visit.

Bar pleasant, also reception by a charming lady Dining room large, in need of tasteful redecoration Service like in all hotel restaurants, so is food I enjoyed all those little details which got wrong

My wife booked afternoon tea for us to celebrate my birthday and it was fantastic. The service we received was excellent throughout. The afternoon tea was sublime. We had requested the vegetarian option and the variety we were presented with was amazing, with some fantastic combinations, in fact we had to ask about the pickle in the sandwiches as the flavour was delicious. The scones and cakes were all delicious with ample jam and cream supplied. Without doubt the best afternoon tea experience we have ever had and will be returning when we are next on the island. As this was for my birthday they also presented me an amazing birthday plate.

As always the service was excellent & food delicious. The set 3 course lunch is no longer offered & as each course is charged separately portions do seem larger. We had the Gallybagger soufflé which was beautiful but too large in my opinion as a...

As a half Board resident, the dining experience is mixed. The food was excellent as always... but the menu is not changed frequently enough and if you're staying for more than a few days, you start to run out of new options. They do a...

What a lovely experience we had at The Royal! Lovely atmosphere— very special. The food and wine options sounded wonderful. And they really were! But what made it so terrific was the service. Truly top drawer! Highly recommend!

We arrived on Sunday 24th October, the room was excellent and the bed very comfortable, we had a view of the sea. We switched the TV on and it came up with a must to have Dinner in the Dinning Room. We did not eat...

We had dinner and breakfast at the restaurant the service was very attentive and the food amazing hence the reason for there star rating.

Visited the restaurant a last week for dinner. We had an excellent 3 course meal in the restaurant. The service was great and the food was such high quality. The mains were cooked to perfection. Outstanding food and very well presented.

Done in the traditional grand hotel style, but modern food served in a friendly but correct way. Cannot praise highly enough.

We took a day out on the Island as a sort of joint celebration for both our birthdays and our 49th wedding anniversary. Its a bit costly day tripping on the ferry, but the Island is such a delightful place. We usually eat at Thompsons...

Beautiful hotel. Delicious duck egg starter but overcooked hake for main. Kids didn't like the potato wedges. Waiter was a bit more interested in the hotel guests rather than us so service was a bit slow.

Celebrating my birthday with good friends with Sunday lunch at the Royal yesterday was wonderful. One could almost feel that life pre COVID-19 had returned. Great food , a super roast beef, which followed the signature starter of cheese soufflé, a lovely selection of drinks,...

We had a lovely 3 course meal in the restaurant. Service was very good. We had souffle to start followed by sirloin steak, chicken breast on a pea puree. The dessert cocoa and chocolate mess with an expresso on the side was a delight.

So you need to order the afternoon tea a day in advance which is a shame. However, we were able to have a cream tea on the lawn. It was a lovely day, the sun was shining, the scones were warm and the waiter service...

Lovely setting, elegant and grand. The staff were very accommodating and helpful. Dinner was excellent, chicken liver parfait with pickled nuts and sirloin steak for mains followed by a dessert of ginger, and vanilla ice cream with mango sorbet.

We had afternoon tea here just before lockdown 2 and in October halve term week . Plenty of parking on site to front and rear . We were greeted in reception coats taken and excellent service from start to finish . Excellent Covid measures in...

Wonderful lunch with friends in a secure environment - the dishes were really good especially the wild mushroom linguine- however the outstanding part of our meal was the service - unobtrusive and extremely professional - well done front of house!

Thought we would try this place on the strength of the reviews and we were not disappointed the staff were great and the food was fantastic.

We chose afternoon tea here as we'd been before, more than once, when we lived on the island three years ago. From the start, there was something not quite right about the service at this lovely old hotel. We were led, not via the entrance,...

Last month me and my other half treated ourself a to lunch at the royal hotel and what a treat it was, starters mains and desserts where all so tasty, cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. The setting is elegant, with fantastic gardens and the...

Excellent food, very well presented and served. Tables well enough spaced to enable social distancing.

Lovely Sunday lunch, excellent service. Good price considering service, quality, location etc. Definitely recommend.

We went for a Sunday lunch to celebrate our wedding anniversary and on the whole we had a good meal. It started well with a cheese souffle and the roast beef was melt in the mouth. The Yorkshire pudding was very doughy and salty which...

Just returned from A family lunch, setting was lovely, it was a beautiful afternoon and we were able to dine outside in the garden which was very pretty and quite secluded. The staff were friendly and welcoming, what was on the menu was interesting to...

After shielding for months my husband persuaded me that a treat for my birthday of lunch here, a pre Covid-19 favourite, was a good idea. I insisted we eat outside, the garden area is now being used for diners. On arrival we were told no...

Excellent! My other half and I were looking for a good quality place to have lunch on the IoW and google came up trumps! Food amazing, service impeccable and very good value for money! Excellent champagne and the wine list looked great too! There is...

Visited with my wife after my solo visit a couple of weeks before (see separate reviews of hotel). A two night stay and we ate in the restaurant both nights. We went for it the first night with three courses and wine. The second night...

Excellent food from table d'haut menu, including the best pudding ever. Attentive but not overbearing waiters.

Went to the Royal Hotel for my birthday.I had been for Lunch with friends from London who come every year and we often go with them to the Royal Hotel. Our lunch aS not up to standard Aberdeenshire was terrible.When I got home I wrote...

A really classy location with very attentive staff and all dietary requirements catered for with ease

Food was excellent quality and value. Dining area staff are professional and friendly. Diane and Thomas were particularly memorable.

A nice hotel but let down by a number of things. The food was disappointing, despite the hotel using the food as a selling point. Whilst generally good ingredients were used, the food was uninteresting and poorly presented. For example my lemon tartlet was just a biscuit with lemon curd on it. Also my steak was flavourless with no caramelisation. The service in the restaurant was also not up to standard - poorly trained staff and a long wait for the main course. However some of the staff were very good. The bar was pleasant with efficient staff. Housekeeping should have been better - our room wasn't vacuumed during our three nights stay.The gardens were nice as was the pool.Our room was well presented although it was at the back of the hotel above the kitchen, so was noisy at times.Overall a pleasant stay but needs improvements.

Our friends from London come to visit every year and we have had many enjoyable meals . Today we came over for lunch when our friends booked they were told that we must book for 12.15.So we dutifully arrived on time we found out own...

Surprised we were given dinner menus in bar, but advised not to order until we were seated in restaurant (and given more menus). Service very slow: taking over 1.5 hrs each night to serve 3 courses. Nice bread. Plenty of staff, but needed better training. Plates not cleared for long periods. Food at dinner used good ingredients but spoiled in preparation. Strange dish of seabass on bowl of cooked tomatoes, with blobs of salsa verde. Sea trout overcooked. Steak was bland and looked grey. Fish and chips seemed to use frozen fish. Lemon tart was circular biscuit smothered with lemon curd.Breakfast was good in parts. Fresh fruit, including sliced pineapple. Sausages slightly browned on top, but grey and poached underneath (even when well-cooked sausages requested). Filthy cup laid out on table. Demonstrates lack of care: such a shame.

My partner and I went for a very special celebration. We sat in the conservatory which may, in hindsight, have been a mistake. The last time I came the restaurant must have been being refurbished and it was quite drab. When we looked in after our meal, it actually looked really elegant and sumptuous. The service, as always here, was exemplary. I ordered the belly pork and I have to say it was possibly the best I have ever tasted. Melt in the mouth with lovely crunchy crackling. My partner's chicken, however, was a bit disappointing - a bit dry. We didn't say anything at the time. Maybe we should have, but we're not the sort of people who make a fuss.The other downside: there was a family of six or eight at a table nearby, with two little girls aged around 3/4 and 7. Those girls were running around and being a nuisance. At one time they were under the table. Their mum took no notice whatsoever. Their dad did try to persuade them to sit down, but failed. My partner contacted the Royal afterwards and suggested they made it policy not to offer children's meals after 7pm. I don't think he received a reply.

We visited the bar and were invited to take a seat and our drink and wine order would be taken. Having waited as invisible customers for around 20 minutes we were finally attended to. We ordered a smoked salmon sandwich with cream cheese, salad and potato chips. (£9.50). After another 20 minutes a very sad plate of food arrived. Sliced brown bread with crusts falling off. Minimal cream cheese, and same with salmon. Poor quality crisps and a tiny pot of inedible, limp and brown salad. Very poor value served ungraciously. Certainly not befitting a Royal Hotel! We were given the wrong bill and ended up paying more for our honesty. Very Disappointing.

As locals ,the Royal is our “ go to” place for special occasions.

Stayed here for a few days and ate breakfast and dinner there. Each time service was slow with struggling staff. Took ages to get drinks served. Food was decidedly average. The website shows a creme brulee with a sizzling sugar top but the one we ordered arrived straight from the fridge having been prepared earlier.

We had Sunday lunch here.i ordered Roast Loin of Pork.

Lovely hotel, just perfect! Wished we had been staying longer and we will be back! The food is exceptional. The hotel has a very good Chef! I will be recommending The Royal to my friends and family. Loved coming back to Ventnor after 64 years! I was 11 years old last time I visited The Isle of Wight and have always wanted to come back!

Decided to spend our anniversary evening here - an excellent choice - from the moment we arrived until the moment we left we were looked after Royally! - delicious food and smooth professional service - highly recommended....

We visited the royal for our friends wedding this week, the three course sit down meal was the best wedding meal I have tasted!

As we do each birthday and anniversary we go for lunch to the royal have never been disappointed the service was excellent but I usually have the small fish and chips which is enough for me but it has been removed from the menu.I had the large portion much too big for me and our friend.Please bring the small portion back.My wife's sea bass was excellent. Keep it up.

We visited the Royal Hotel Restaurant for dinner last night. I had explained to the hotel when booking the table that my wife was a full time wheelchair user and they had said that they would endeavour to reserve a parking space for us, subject to availability. The day before our visit we checked out parking and realised that if we couldn’t park in one of the 5 disabled spaces at the front of the hotel then we would struggle. I phoned the hotel. No problem, they said, assuring us that they would make sure that a space was reserved for us. Needless to say, when we arrived all 5 spaces were occupied and only 2 of the 5 cars were disabled drivers displaying blue badges. The next challenge was getting in to the hotel. Two steps close together, which is a challenge with a wheelchair. We found out later that a ramp was available, but were not aware of this and no staff came to our aid (even though we had been seen), so I lifted my wife into the reception area. We were shown into the restaurant but I had to leave my wife alone in there for 10 minutes whilst I moved the car to a poor car park behind the hotel.

The Royal has managed to maintain its standards whilst others haven’t fared so well. The service is good and it feels classy but relaxed. The dining room is formal, it’s a big room and although busy didn’t feel it. The beetroot starter was good as was the asparagus, although the truffle shavings were too strong for what was a delicate dish. The pork very tasty as was the chicken.

a traditional hotel with nice rooms and super breakfast , good sevvice , good value -we shall return. however , steep climb from beach

A group of eight were invited for lunch ,by a friend who was celebrating her Birthday.

My wife and I visited for a wonderful afternoon tea on Saturday 11th May. Had a lovely time, cakes were lovely, scones and sandwiches were too. The waiter was trying a bit too hard like he had read a script of things to say!

We visited The Royal for lunch to celebrate a 60th birthday and Easter. The food was excellent, apart from the vegetarian main course that was very dry and bland. However, it was the staff who spoilt the occasion. They were very slow, disinterested and poorly trained from start to finish. They reached across us to deliver the meals, forgot what we had ordered and argued when we pointed it out. The meal took three hours as the staff took so long to take our orders and were invisible for long periods. We certainly won't rush to return.

Booked a sunday lunch in the restaurant. Smoked haddock risotto and smoked salmon were the starters followed by roast beef and roast pork. The beef was delicious and probably the best I've ever tasted.

Gorgeous food, conscientious staff, lovely surroundings.We were lucky to have been resident which enabled us to enjoy this experience for each night of our vacation.

Lovely evening drinks in the bar before a leisurely Birthday dinner in a top notch restaurant. Elegant dinning room first rate service. Food excellent. No fuss no frills just good old fashioned quality and style. Friendly helpful staff. Very pleasant evening.

My wife and I came here for dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday. From the moment we walked through the door, had our coats taken and were shown to the bar to the minute we left, we enjoyed the whole experience and level of service tremendously.

Amazing lunch. Had the set menu which was good value for money. Lovely flavours from the freshly cooked food. Friendly waiters with wonderful service. Lovely ambience. Home made bread and jug of water were nice touches

We enjoyed two excellent dinners at the Royal whilst staying in November. The service was efficient and friendly and food very well presented and delicious with an emphasis on local ingredients both seafood and meat.

This Hotel has a fantastic ambience,the staff are amazing and the food is superb, we had a fantastic time here for lunch on Sunday. Congratulations to the staff we felt very special thank you.

We visited the Restaurant at The Royal recently for a special family occasion. I was in charge of arranging and I wanted to go somewhere to impress, I knew I couldn’t go wrong at The Royal, my firm favourite for an impressive dining experience by far!

We always book dinner, bed and breakfast when we stay at the Royal because the food is the best compared even to 5 star hotels we visit. This time we had the fish of the day and super starters of gallybagger cheese soufflé and plum soufflé for desert. What we like is that the staff and kitchen are totally flexible in that if you don’t like particular vegetables you can substitute from another dish. It’s the same at breakfast - one morning I had kippers, poached eggs and mushroom. We particularly like the birchmeusli prepared dish on the breakfast buffet table. Stefan looked after us well for dinner and breakfast. It would take a few weeks to try all the dishes on the menu. The chef has been with them for 15 years.

Beautiful surroundings for our family evening meal. Outstanding service and the food was amazing. The staff in the restaurant and bar were so attentive and polite, couldn't do enough for us.

Good choice and beautifully presented, especially the desserts! Friendly, attentive staff make your dining experience enjoyable - along with good wines! For non fish-eaters like us, the vegetarian menu offered extra choice - so worth asking.

Menu limited, only fish options changed each day. We were disappointed in how steak was presented. Staff not very attentive - until our last day.

I’ve eaten here many a time with friends and family, and I can honestly say I’ve never been disappointed with either the food or the service that we’ve received, and the lady that greeted us “ di “, made the evenings that we’ve had all the more enjoyable, and just booked to go back for a Xmas meal.

Arrived for pre-booked lunch; no one to greet us so went to hotel reception, who seemed rather unsure what to do and were slightly confused about which table to allocate.

My husband and I were celebrating our first wedding anniversary and Nick and all the staff looked after us amazingly well. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious, would highly recommend to anyone staying on the Isle of Wight. Thanks again Nick, an evening to remember!

We were staying as part of a coach party. The staff were outstandingly helpful and every meal was superb. The chefs soup are particularly good but so were all of his dishes. It was difficult most evenings to make a choice as the menus were so nicely varied and well balanced. The rooms are nicely appointed in a modernish but classical style. This is a hotel that deserves to do extremely well

After just arriving from 24 hours of travel we were really looking forward to a lovely meal. We made reservations in their "formal dining room" yet we were the only ones in there dressed for such a thing. The staff could not get it together this particular evening. VERY VERY SLOW. It appeared that all of their attention was going to two tables of six as we were not the only table suffering from their lack of attention. Food was slow to come out as I'm guessing probably as fast as they entered the order. And we purposely made our reservation to be there as soon as we could to get around the crowd. We ordered wine that never even came to enjoy during our meal and when it was time to order dessert they left us with the menus for twenty minutes and any time we asked someone for anything is was ignored. Needless to say we will not be eating here again during our stay. The service here is extremely poor.

We celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary with family and friends at The Royal.

Given we're used to dining at establishments such as Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, we had high expectations of the restaurant at The Royal - and I'm delighted to say, it did not disappoint. On the contrary, for what you pay, you'll receive excellent, friendly service, and simply divine food. He had the tempura courgette flower to start, and rarey have I seen him so complimentary of and delighted with a meal. I had a taste and the courgette flower was unlike anything I've ever had - light yet crispy on the outside, smooth and silky goat's cheese on the inside. It was quite sublime. We both had lamb for mains, once again, cooked to absolute perfection for melt-in-the-mouth satisfaction. The portions were perfectly sized, and the dining room itself is quite majestic and magnificent. I'm not at all surprised that this restaurant is as highly revered as it is, it is worth every compliment.

We took some visiting family members here for lunch and once again had a very good meal. Highlights were the cheese soufflé, always a favourite, the mackerel starter ,whilst not looking particularly impressive, was divine in flavour . The roasts were their usual delicious delights, although slightly disappointing regarding the roast potatoes . Service was efficient.

Lovely ambiance and great service. The bread is fresh and tasty. Try to get a table by the window overlooking the quaint garden. A pianist was playing and it made dinner even better.

We ate from the Table d'Hote menu. Wonderful food and excellent service in elegant surroundings. If you a looking for somewhere for a special meal then treat yourself!

They have an excellent Chef here, the food is of a top quality standard, and very well presented. Well done kitchen staff, keep up the good work.

First night, last night or every night as we did. We rated the food and service very highly all set in a delightful dining room

Six of us booked for afternoon tea to celebrate my brother’s sixtieth wedding anniversary. Booking was easy and we took the tea in the orangery with a view of the garden. Some might find this distracting as guests came through this entrance. The food was beautiful and plentiful and we were regularly topped up with fresh pots of tea and coffee. We never finished the food and were offered the opportunity to take it away in a cake box, which they did for us. Not the cheapest afternoon tea but made to feel special.

Great restaurant, wonderful food served by excellent staff. That says it all really, except to say try it - you won't regret it.

Recently went to The Royal for lunch with my husband. We've been before and it's always a great experience. Friendly and polite staff, speedy service, lovely surroundings and delicious food. Couldn't fault it. 5* as always!

I have just been to the restaurant in the hotel and had a excellent meal I had a voucher from my work colleague for my retirement for £140 which they had collected the meal came £91.l was not offered a credit note for £49 so a £91 meal cost £140 So don't get a voucher from this hotel/restaurant

Hotel guests tend to eat in the dining room as it is so good. Stylish decor, high ceilings, generous and well spaced tables. The menu is varied and well balanced using local produce. The food is outstanding and the service excellent. You really need to make a reservation.

The set two course lunch menu was £18 and the food, the ambiance and the service were all absolutely excellent. There were four choices for each course and it was hard to choose! We were given a choice of eating in the conservatory, restaurant or outside. The sea food risotto, sea bream and pork were beautifully cooked and presented. Service was attentive but not rushed. A fantastic experience and fantastic value for money. We'll be back!

We came here for my sisters *ahem* 40’th Birthday lunch and wow, this place is absolutely incredible!

We had a family meal steeped in opulence in the Royal. The décor, the taste of the food, the service, the surroundings, even the guy playing the piano in the bar was all excellent. Unfortunately what spoiled it for me was the atrociously small portion size.

I won a 3 night stay for 2 at The Royal, Ventnor which included tea for two and dinner. We had dinner on the 3rd day of our stay as I had not been feeling too well on the previous 2 days. The food was delicious & the service was very special. There was just enough of each dish and it was beautifully cooked and presented. I really thought dinner was special and there were lots of other people enjoying their meals on a Sunday night. Throughout our entire stay at The Royal the service was wonderful and all the staff were really attentive and helpful. Thank you for a wonderful stay.