Elan Hotel Restaurant in Powys

Service great. Disappointed with the lamb curry. Probably 11 pieces of gristle and 3 bits of meat 1cm square. (Yes I know lamb is fatty but this was too much) Bland in flavour but chilli hot. Sauce watery. Choice of chips rice or naan as accompaniment. Not as standard. Salad on plate ? Few strands of iceberg lettuce and 2 skins of 1/4 tomato. £14.50….. not recommended! Other dishes may have been better. Today this was NOT GOOD.

The food was beyond awful! The curry tasted like boiled onion water with chunks of fat and gristle in it. Any tiny cubes of meat were dry and tough - and it was very, very bland. The rice was a sticky mess. Both steaks were very badly cooked - one leathery and grey and one raw, both were 40 percent inedible gristle (there seems to be a theme here with their meat of dodgy provenance, I'm guessing Bookers and thats being kind) no offer of steak knives which made them even harder to eat. No offer of sauces, dirty sticky table, the 'restaurant' was far, far too hot. We were charged three pounds for chips we didn't order, and they wouldn't take them off the bill even though they went back to the kitchen untouched after trying to give them to us!! We should have guessed what was coming when steaks were ordered, but no question of how we'd like them cooked were asked. I could go on, but I really can't be bothered. Please just take this advice and go somewhere else! It's overpriced. You will hate it, and be cross you went like we were. The only reason we ate what we could is because it was late and we were famished.

We are staying here in Rhayader in wales for trip from Essex this has got to be the worst three lamb curries I’ve ever had absolutely tastless ! When asked at the end how was it we was honest and said the chef needs to taste the food before sent out.

My parents were due to come for a few days breaks but unfortunately we're unwell to travel. You then told them they had to pay the full amount for the 3 days stay when you actually didn't have to do anything. I will be letting my friends and family know not to book here .

Nice staff but burgers were the worst I've ever had, wasn't sure what meat it was! Looked like reconstituted meat with very little actual meat. Drinks were OK though. Go elsewhere if you fancy a burger!

We booked The Elan hotel via Booking.com and were expecting a VERY different hotel! (Note, this is NOT The Elan Valley Hotel in Elan) We arrived at the Bright Green hotel which was busy with bikers. The lady on check in was friendly but clearly rushed off her feet. Our room was small, with a very public view from the house across the way. With stained carpet, splashes up the wall, a handle missing off the ‘saloon-style’ doors, a stain on the duvet and a bed which left us thinking about the Goldilocks story of ‘whose been sleeping in my bed’ because whoever they were, they left several hairs belonging to every part of their body! It clearly had not been changed! The stair carpet from the lobby to the room was shocking and in desperate need of a hoover. The car park was verging on rediculous! You have to navigate your vehicle around the back of some houses, whilst avoiding walls, bushes and fences. It was way too tight to get to, so we had to park elsewhere. The continental breakfast was basic/budget quality. Stay was definitely not value for money. Not for us!

Nice location in the centre of Rhayader but butter chicken curry and lentil dahl were poor. Curry was very watery, rice was clumpy and dry, and doesn't come with naan (menu is quite confusing). There was no check-back, and told to go to the bar when we asked for naan.

just returned from a wonderfull trip with expert guide walking the Elan valley dams.Stayed in Rhayaders equivolent to Torquays Faulty Towers.Allocated top floor room overlooking delightfull car park &block of flats,room size ok but en suite smaller than average cruise en suite,very small wash basin,faulty loo flush. Bulb missing from bedside light,wastold three days to fix.Breakfast uninspiring with limited fried options or choice of juices etc.Room not serviced onone occasion,was told could not move occupants clothes ect.Pleasant bar & lounge &clean.Will be back to area but not here

The hotel is spotless. The management and all the staff are wonderful, nothing is too much trouble. The food is excellent and the hotel is ideally situated being accessible to local amenities and tourist spots. The room was at the back, overlooking a mountain with red kites flying quite close. Breakfast was perfect with everything needed. The downside is the beds are not made by hotel staff and bedding not changed.

We popped into here for a quick drink. The bar area is very good with plenty of seating. There is a room with soft seating if you want a comfy seat. The bar prices are very good and a pint of lager and a gin and lemonade cost was £7.00 far cheaper than the establishment at Devils bridge which charged £9.50 for a couple of lukewarm lattes. The night we popped in was unusually quiet but then the whole town was quiet for some reason or other.

New owners; new menu; wow! Just had one of the nicest chicken curries we’ve ever had! Absolutely superb!! Always a great pub the elan, sat and watched the men’s tennis final, a few pints and a curry. If Carlsberg’s did Sundays…….

Popped in for a pint with our family. Very friendly and welcoming and the lady behind the bar was very chatty and told us about the local area. Lovely

Driving through Rhayader on the way home, we decided to stop for lunch. £7.15 for a plate of rubbish that was advertised as a ‘ploughman’s lunch’ two wedges of rubbery, tasteless cheese, a pathetic salad ‘garnish’ some pickled onions, pickle and a BURGER bun. I was definitely robbed. Completely overpriced for a plate of cheap tat. Absolutely robbed.

The food was excellent and all the staff were super friendly. The restaurant was very clean and there was an excellent choice of tables everywhere within the spacious seating areas both inside and outside. Would highly recommend this restaurant above any other pub or restaurant in Rhayader as we have eaten in a few of the others and this was definitely the best.

Really lovely meal today, tasted delicious and plenty of it. Please go visit as it says above closed (I did let them know) but after passing by and seeing others inside we called in. Very reasonably priced will definitely call again 😋

Lovely meal, good drinks and fantastic staff. I am a veggie and had lots of choice, as did my meat eater husband. Well priced. Highly recommended.

When you order vegetarian samosas you expect to receive samosas not something from Iceland or farm foods pary Selection boxes and to be charged nearly 9 pounds for the privilege of something you can get out of your own freezer is an insult

Such a shame about this pub. The real ale is great, the food is lovely and it has a lovely vibe. But oh dear, the service.....! I need to beware of the sweeping generalisation here as not all of the staff there are lacking in the ability to do their job. Got so much going for it but service lets it down big time.

Waited over an hour for food, must’ve been cooking my ‘medium’ stake the whole time!! Staff weren’t wearing masks!! Frozen peas, food was cold and stale when it came out. Only good thing was the salad. Started however was lovely, didn’t stay for pudding.

Booked a table a week in advance for myself and a few friends recently. Not sure I should have bothered. The food was at best, average, the service poor and the landlord was short tempered and rude. It was obviously a busy night but we order 4 separate rounds of drinks but only received 2 because the other orders ‘got lost’. We had to hunt down staff to order food or drink and it was obviously there just wasn’t enough. We were served our food by a couple of teenagers who obviously had no customers service experience. Who just dumped cutlery in the middle of the table and then tutted when I ask for a clean fork because the one they’d given us was still covered in ketchup. My main course was barely warm and the banana in my banana split was black all the way through. Ordinarily I would have complained and ask for a fresh desert but it was obviously the manager/landlord was not in a good mood because he had already been rude to people coming in looking for tables and a group looking for rooms. So I just ate what I could and paid the bill. Not a very good night and I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.

Booked an early evening table outside in the sunshine. Nice atmosphere, excellent service from very friendly, helpful staff. Prawn starter and Cod in dill butter main washed down with a nice bottle of rose.

Very good food and beer along with table service and most excellent friendly staff. Caters for non residents and outside seating front and rear.

We have just returned home from a beautiful 4 days break staying at the Elan hotel. What a lovely place to stay, so close to the Elan Valley attractions. The owners Martin, Iris and all the staff were so welcoming, and always had time for...

My son has a dairy allergy, the menu was unclear on what was available, all vegan options had cheddar cheese or butter included which was concerning. A really simple chicken and cranberry panini was swimming in butter and all mushy inside. Our score is based...

Iris and Martin were great hosts and I was made very welcome even though they were not yet fully open. My room was very comfortable and Iris's cooking was excellent. I even had a packed lunch for work every day. I would definitely stay here...

A bunch of us were staying locally and looking for a place which could accommodate us all together (when such things were possible). Our host was welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. The food was terrific, with ample portions, all served piping hot. The...

Booked for 7.00 hoping it wouldn't be too busy. The Bar staff were excellent, however very disappointed in the service in the restaurant - we had to wave and call for any staff. Not all were wearing masks which made me nervous. Was looking forward...

Friendly and welcoming staff, lovely beer garden at the back which was a hidden gem! Two vegan options on the menu :) I had the vegan ultimate quorn burger!

Very enjoyable experience. Menu was a little bit big but that’s me nitpicking. Home cooked tasty food always wins.

We had lunch here, the pub was lacking in atmosphere and when the food arrived it looked good but the portions were small and we left hungry. Would recommend the Castle Inn for food, which is within 5 minutes walk.

Went here twice, once for Sunday lunch and once For a light bight. The first time was awful everything was wrong and VERY plain, the lemonade taste like dish water and when we complained they made a big deal out of it instead of just...

Very friendly and efficient staff. Social distancing and sanitisers. Lovely food, we really enjoyed our meal, thank you!

Stopped off on the way through for some lunch. We were a bit early so ended up having a breakfast instead. Excellent food and service, good measures put in place for social distancing. Would definitely recommend

Called in for a break on the way home from North Wales, lovely welcome only surpassed by the cake. Will have to come back again.

My wife and I had our 2nd visit for Valentine's day to the Elan Hotel. This was on the back of a previous enjoyable visit with family during the Christmas period. The bar area is large with a wide range of drinks and the food...

Perfect for my needs at the time. I had a peaceful supper by the log fire with attentive service. I had tried another local pub/restaurant earlier, equally rated, but after waiting ten minutes at the bar to be served a drink, let alone take a...

Pub was nice and clean and the staff very friendly . The football was on and it’s a nice atmosphere . We ate there and the food was average pub food ok with above average prices.

Excellent food, very good value, someone with quite complicated food intolerances dealt with considerately. Friendly atmosphere. Would recommend to anyone.

Had lunch here as only place we could find that would have dogs. Excellent coffee and panini, service a bit slow. Would come again.

Food lovely. Staff very friendly and accommodating. However, bedroom above bar so noisy until very late.

We were early - about 5:00 pm - and had the restaurant to ourselves. The guy on the bar was pleasant and welcoming and took our food order. We didn't have to wait too long for the meals to be served, but long enough to suggest that the meals were freshly cooked rather than heated up! I had a very tasty cheesy cauliflower and macaroni bake and my other half had a delicious vegetable curry with an adventurous variety of veg - aubergines, courgettes and the like. Good standard and just over £25 for drinks and the meals. Good value, and we'd certainly go there again if we were in the area.

Ordered three meals service was quite quick meals where very good service was excellent bar staff excellent

We recently moved to the area,and been in most pubs but not this because of some bad reviews.Take no notice of them.Nice staff.Very pleasant.Food ok.Had Sunday lunch.Alot of food.Not sure ,but l don't think the beef was from a joint,but cut quite thin,but that's how it comes in Wales,but generally a nice meal.The drinks are not over priced at all.The atmosphere is nice.The few locals were nice,as they are in most pubs in Rhayadar.We will go again,as l want one of those puddings.l had too much of a main meal.Thanks,

Service good and friendly, meals generous and nicely served. Visited twice, good menu with a variety of dishes.

We stopped off here after our tour around the valley. Friendly staff and locals. We only had burger and chips but it was very nice. The burgers are from the butcher across the road and they were very tasty. Good chips too! Very clean environment and felt comfortable.

Booked for a family birthday Sunday Lunch and we had a warm welcome from the staff and shown to our table.

Stayed here for two nights , as we was exploring the great countryside around .room was spotless, we never left the hotel as the food and beef was excellent, staff so friendly, and nothing was to much trouble , reading the other reviews on here , they must of been rely horrible people for them to say staff was not good . Can not recommend this hotel enough , excellent, we will be back next year for sure , thank you, Pete, Cornwall.

Nicely appointed Pub with accommodation and Sky Sports in the Bar. Good well kept Beer and friendly staff. If only the food was up to the rest of the place. An unimaginative Prawn Cocktail that a required a little more finesse. I know this is Pub food but if you are going to keep it simple and old fashioned then the ingredients need to be better. Likewise the Steak and Chips etc. Putting a pile of cheap peas with 2nd rate chips doesn't cut it anymore. Charge a pound or two more but get good Mccain commercial chips like the Gastro Pubs do. Cut the Peas portion down but get attractive Petit Pois !

not the best place to stop for a drink

we called in for lunch on a trip to North Wales,we ordered beefburger,it was delicious,freshly cooked hoot and really tasty,the hotel is clean and roomy,if you are passing Rayader call in I don't think you'll be disappointed

The worst pub lunch I have had in years!! The special was turkey & leak pie which was ok but a very small slice , the spoonful of mash was cold the broccoli (a couple of small bits) overcooked cold and limp, a few thin slices of carrots tasteless over cooked and also cold. All served on a cold plate, very poor and embarrassing as I had taken visitors out for lunch, poor value, never again.

On a short break with 2 other friends, popped in late Friday evening, they take food orders up until 9pm thank goodness, the staff were so friendly, ordered our food, excellent meal, and two of us had dessert, again excellent. The pub itself was very busy and quite noisy, but it all added to the atmosphere, there is a quiter area to use for meals, but as it was late, there was a darts match going on so we sat in the actual pub bit, no problem. Will have a meal in there again on our next visit.

Lovely hotel,very friendly staff happy to have a conversation, a real homely feel to the place, very accommodating thankyou!

Well, friendly staff, good service and a reasonable pub, I’ve had better food and been in nicer places but it was good enough.

Great place to eat. Good selection of beets and excellent food with delicious puds! New owners very lovely people. Would highly recommend. Didn't stay just ate and drank

We visited first time on their opening night, they were vert busy, but took the time to show us around the hotel rooms, they were spacious, clean and comfortable from what we could see. This time, four of us visited on a typical Saturday evening and had a lovely time. The bar was busy, but friendly, Martin was a perfect host. The bar boasts some great beers and wines and the service was good.

We were travelling in our motor home and finding it difficult to find somewhere to eat as everyone was glued to the World Cup game - we lost! We dived into the Elan and the barman kindly agreed to take a food order. Nice ambience and friendly staff. The food portions were enormous but unfortunately tasteless. Beer was good

we did not stay, just eat and drank, beer was good, food was great, staff very friendly, I have already recommended it to others travelling to the area.

Very good food and the staff was excellent as well as the owners very friendly but there is a but it would have been better if the plates were hot before the food was delivered

Enjoyed our Sunday lunch. Would sum up as average. Right amount of gravy. Meat ok. Veg a bit overdone. Potatoes nice. Also had an enjoyable Eton mess. Reasonable price for 2 courses.

Find this nice hotel on our road trip.....when we got in at begining owners made us laugh that got us, to stay over night....next day we had plan to go on, but if we would stay longer, this will definitly be the spot to stay

A nice friendly place, good assortment of dishes on the menu and quite reasonable prices, and was very impressed with the meal

Ate here while staying at local camp site. Friendly staff, good service. Food excellent and well presented- best steak I have eaten for a long time!

Interior modern and staff welcoming. Bar service polite and not a scrum.table booked so took our drinks with us. Sunday lunch was excellent. Web both had 2 courses. Food, fresh and well presented

lovely place cosy and warm good choice of food staff very pleasant and helpful rely enjoyed our meals would reccomend

Good base for exploring the valley and reservoirs and walking distance from the kite feeding station.

Myself and my wife had a one night stay at the hotel. The stay was a mixed bag. The room was clean and the staff were friendly. On the down side, we were asked what time we were going for breakfast and we said 9am. We arrived at the breakfast room at 9.05 and it was empty. There was very little out from a continental perspective and the milk out was room temperature. We sat there till 9.20 and no one turned up to take our order so we left. We complained on check out and they apologised and took £10 from our bill.

We visited The Elan on Sunday for roast lunch. We had eaten here before and was sadly left disappointed, but Sunday was a treat for my mum who lives locally and she had eaten here before and never been disappointed. Well we were pleasantly surprised by our Sunday roast. We had the roast turkey; very succulent and the roast beef; very lean. What made this roast outstanding was the vegetables. A dish of fresh beans, carrots, broccoli and red cabbage, plus cauliflower cheese. An excellent roast dinner for a very good price. The only thing that let it down was the back room restaurant lacks any ambience and when seated at our table it had not been wiped down. Service was top notch thou.

WE booked for christmas lunch but were told not enough people had booked on our chosen day so were given the bar menu instead. We found the food (lasagne and chips) disappointing especially as we'd been expecting a 4 course xmas lunch. The staff member on duty at the bar never smiled. We had to ask 3 times for table salt whilst our food went cold. We won't be going back.

Had a dinner elsewhere but did not like the desert menu, so stopped by, asked if we could just have desert and was made to feel very welcome. very nice eating area, relaxed but smart. deserts were scrumptious, I had the diconstructed tiramisu, stunning and my daughter had rubard crumble, could not fault the food or the service, will call again but next time have a complete meal.

Hotel management was very friendly to let us stay in a room for 2 with a party of 3. It was a very busy weekend.

Had pork croquettes for starter and they were bland and the cheese fondue was microwaved and disgusting. The main I had was bland as well and cost 8.95, might not seem much money but for what I had it's an absolute rip off. Used to come here, and the food was lush, as soon as they change cooks it turns into a iffy establishment.

A little tired and soulless, ok for a drink but decided not to eat there as there were more enticing opportunities nearby. Could be so much better.

Stopped of here to get a meal and drink. It is a hotel I think it advertises as?

Stayed in the hotel for two nights and had an evening meal both evenings. We shared whitebait as a started and the mains were shoulder of beef with veg, the beef was cooked very well and the vegs were fresh and the carrots actually tasted like carrot!, the other main was duck which again was very good. The second evening we again had the shoulder of beef and the other was a steak which was ok. On the first night was ate in the lounge as there was an event on, this was fine. On the second night was ate in the bar, most of the tables were full during the early evening. I would suggest booking even in the week. Good menu and good food.

A lovely warm welcome from bar staff. We were shown the menu which sounds absolutely lovely and were very spoilt for choice. Our drinks order was taken and we went to sit in the lounge area, which is spacious and minimal and lit with candles and lanterns to add a bit of atmosphere.

Stayed here over the weekend of 28th April - 2nd May. We based ourselves here due to be central in wales so was perfect for touring out each day on motorbikes.

Called in here for lunch as we were going to Gigrin Farm to see the red kites. Ordered one mozarella and vegetable wrap. It took a while to come and when it did, it looked nice. However, on cutting into the wrap there was no sign of any vegetables and all the cheese had melted out. We'd have complained and asked for our money back, if there'd been anybody behind the bar. What a shame because the place looked nice.

Had a lovely 3 course lunch and coffee on Easter Sunday. Although they were very busy and full the food was well presented and very good. The staff were all helpful and worked really hard.

Food and service was reasonable. I had the curry with rice and chips which was nice, portion sizes are good and prices are ok. It wasn't fine dining but the dining room was nicely decorated.

Wow! Came to this town for a 50th birthday celebration! There was 7 of us and we couldn't have been taken care of any better!!

Called at The Elan Hotel one evening whilst camping just down the road. Very warm welcome and drinks fairly priced, restaurant little small however the food was excellent, my wife is a vegetarian and the home made mushroom and asparagus pie was really lovely.

The menu offers quite a wide selection generally but limited fish options.

nice place to have lunch or dinner, good menu , friendly staff,they have regular entertainment, good luck to the owners

Just come home from a lovely meal at the Elen Hotel, we had a shared sea food platter followed by a lasagne and a chicken curry and a shared selection of sweets to end. Everything was of highest quality but the sweet was the highlight and is to be recommended. We will be returning on many occassions to sample the rest of the menu. Great food at a great price in wonderful surroundings

We called in for a meal last year and was not very impressed with the food, But this year on our regular visit to Rhayader we were advised to try out the food/drink at The Elan Hotel since a change of owners And what a difference,Even though it was a busy evening the quality of food and service were !st class, It was nice to mix with the locals whom were very welcoming,And nice to see the place back on track, We will make time to eat there on next years visit

Fabulous afternoon tea with so much more variety than I would have ever expected. Small bites of delicious sweets, smooth creamy chocolate mousse and crunchy eton mess. Great sandwiches and the additional of a mini quiche was brill. Definitely go again.

Had a Lovely Christmas afternoon tea. Fabulous food & drinks. Wonderful couple of hours with my sister & niece.

We ate here after a recommendation from the owner of lon lodges where we were staying for a week and so glad we took her advice, we called in here a few yrs ago but my goodness what a transformation now it's lovely and bright and modern . Food was excellent we had tempura prawns and garlic mushrooms to start which were great , followed by lasagne which was the nicest lasagne I've ever experienced anywhere and I've had this dish in Italian restaurants, can't fault the service from a lovely young lady who appeared to be working the bar and waiting on.too , it was early 6.30 so wasn't too busy .All in a great dining experience and would def go again when stopping in the area

We visited this restaurant in a group of six for my wifes birthday, we travelled from south wales to visit my son. and first impressions good, very busy bar area and clean, modern and fresh. Two of our party recommended as previously eaten there. We were quickly taken to our table to a large room at the rear, great table and furniture comfortable and modern. We had to wait a long time for the menu and was only given one between six and was told the rest would follow, it wasnt busy and only three table full of people???. Its a comprehensive menu and we all select our two courses before the other five menus arrived. We ordered drinks and they arrived after our starter arrived, very poor service. After eating our starter our empty plates stayed in front of us for over fifteen minutes, we asked the waitress could we order another round of drinks, reply i will come back. ten minutes later i went to the bar myself. When we received our main course we were a portion of chips short, were told they are coming, still waiting. The next round of drinks we didnt ask and i went to the bar myself, was a wait as it seems the main bar was more important to the staff. Just to top it off when ordering deserts not many things available. if short food very good, service appalling.

Went for an early (6.30) midweek supper with a friend. We both had the chicken fajitas which were delicious. Then i had the baileys creme brulee with icecream which was equally amazing. Service is great there and very prompt serving the food. Lovely friendly place and a real treat. Best place to eat in rhayader!!

Stayed in the hotel dined here twice during stay excellent service food good and not to badly priced. Only downside one night was very full could not eat here that night.I think we could have reserved a table if we had though on.

the staff were very helpful they were very busy but went the extra mile to fit us in hotel rooms were very pleasant only critic is no chair at the dressing table but other wise very good

My parents took us out for Sunday lunch - very nice. Just enough choice. Prawn cocktail starter and mushrooms in garlic were nice. Plenty of different meats to choose from for main course and both my sons ate it all. Nothing fancy but recommended.

There was no menu displayed outside. Not surprising given the prices. Excellent starters - garlic mushrooms with crepes and roast pepper soup. But the interesting if pricey main course items were all "off". We saved money by opting for the faggots and mash and the "drunk cow" pie. The latter was too dry with too many huge chunky chips. Little more than transport cafe fare. We both wanted the home-made tiramisu for dessert, but that too was off. The Eaton (sic) Mess and the strawberry cheesecake were tasty substitutes and the service by friendly and genuinely apologetic waitresses made us welcome and unwilling to complain.

went back with friends for lunch today. Food was freshly cooked and the roast beef was excellent.Liz and Kevin are doing a good job

Visited while visiting the nearby red kite feeding station. Very nice drunken cow pie with helpful friendly staff and dog friendly too. Will visit again if in the area.

This is a beautifully refurbished bistro pub and hotel. It was genuinely a good find and provides quality interior and exterior with professional; uniformed, polite staff. It is still being refurbished but once completed, will, in my opinion, be the smartest pub in town. Well done to the owners - I wish you every success.

A pleasant change to see a good selection of vegetarian food. The food was very well cooked and really enjoyed it.

A lovely little hotel with wonderful staff, the owners are so friendly. What with good food for breakfast and dinner, immaculately clean beds, what more can you ask for? Just be careful when parking at the back as it is a little tight to turn the corner. The hotel is right in the middle of this lovely little town and less than a mile from the Red Kite Feeding staion ( which was the reason for our visit ) We had never been her before, but we will definitely be going back in the future. Our room was at the side of the hotel in the newer part, we asked for a twin and got a double bed and a single. The en suite was a good size and the shower was quite powerful. Love it!